9 Fighter Planes That Dominated The Air

 

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9 Fighter Planes That Dominated The Air

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9 Fighter Planes That Dominated The Air

Jason Garbutt - 1h ago

 

The first confirmed hostile interaction between aircraft occurred in the skies over Northern Europe during WWI. Up until then, military aircraft were used primarily for reconnaissance roles, opposing pilots at worst shaking a fist at one another. However, it wouldn't be long before a more physical approach evolved, bricks, ropes, grenades, and eventually small arms. The fighter had been born.

 

9 Fighter Planes That Dominated The Air© Provided by HotCars

 

For most historians, WW2 was when fighters came into their own. Aircraft designers race to produce faster and stronger aircraft with all manner of armaments. The Supermarine Spitfire lived up to its name packing 8 Browning machine guns well suited to fighter engagements. But even this icon struggled against better-armed adversaries.

The race for air superiority spiraled out of control with the onset of the Cold War. On both sides, jet-powered supersonic aircraft equipped with sophisticated radar equipment allowed pilots to identify potential targets from hundreds of kilometers away. The fall of the Soviet block has done little to slow the arms race. However, rather than keep trading up, older designs still have a place in operational service. Both the US-built F-16 Falcon and F-15 Eagle are in high demand.

 

General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon

 

The lightweight special of the aviation world, the General Dynamics F-16 Falcon bucked the trend of complex twin-engined fighters, instead utilizing a single General Electrics F110-GE turbofan. A stripped or paired back fuselage and wing cross-section makes the Falcon one of the most maneuverable jets on the market with a fly-by-wire system enabling +9g agility at speeds faster than Mach 2.

 

Designed as a single-seat fighter in the early 1970s, the Falcon evolved into a multirole aircraft serving over 20 air forces the world over. Despite the F16's front-line combat role, its high-speed aerial agility is a crowd pleaser at foreign and domestic airshows.

 

Vought F4U Corsair

 

Undisputed WW2 carrier-based fighter, the F4U played a pivotal role in USN operations during the Pacific, achieving an impressive 11:1 kill ratio. Despite the rapid development of jet-powered aircraft, the Corsair remained in US service until 1953.

 

A requirement for a higher-performance carrier-based fighter influenced the F4U's unusual appearance. Viewed from head-on, the bent wing configuration could easily be mistaken for a small diver bomber. However, it was the aircraft's 2000-hp Pratt & Whitney R2800 Double Wasp engine and oversized 13-foot three-bladed propellors that dictated the final design.

RELATED:This Is What Made The F4U Corsair WW2's Best Naval Fighter

 

Lockheed P38 Lightning

 

The P-38 lighting is unique among fighters with a twin-engine twin-boom tail configuration. Despite the "two of everything" approach, the Lighting throughout its varied operational life, fighter, bomber, and reconnaissance aircraft remained a single-seater. Introduced in 1941, the P38's unusual design at first delivered mixed results in operational use.

 

At higher altitudes where the twin-turbo supercharged Allison V-1710s could breathe freely, the P38 was one of the fastest Allied fighters. However, early aircraft suffered from disappointingly low roll rates, making them a sitting duck against more agile single-seaters. Lockheed Martin was quick to address the issue using hydraulic assisted ailerons transforming the Lightning into a formidable opponent.

 

De Havilland Mosquito NF38

 

From one twin-engined fighter success story to another. When De Havilland originally proposed an unarmed high-speed bomber to the RAF, most people ridiculed the design as a failure even before it left the drawing board. However, the Mosquito would become one of the most important aircraft of WW2.

 

At a time when raw materials were in short supply, wood was used in place of aluminum. Powered by two Rolls-Royce Merlin engines, the Mosquito was quicker than most, if not all, single-seater fighters of the time. Its speed made it the fastest bomber of WW2. That speed, coupled with four 20mm Hispano cannons, also proved a deadly night-fighter combination that struck fear into Luftwaffe pilots.

 

Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk

 

Just as every internet search is referred to as "Googling," the F-117 is how everyone imagines a stealth fighter looks. Back in the early days of stealth, oddly shaped black triangular aircraft were frequently mistaken for otherworldly visitors. The F-117 Nighthawk was secretly developed and flown, proving fighters could operate and remain undetected by radar.

RELATED: 15 Things You Didn't Know About the F-117 Nighthawk

 

Remarkably, this all happened over 40 years ago, with the F-117 speculation finally confirmed with the Nighthawk's first high-profile operational deployment during the first Gulf War. Once the wraps were off, the F-117 popped up at public displays across the world, wowing crowds with its unusual looks, and in stealth mode near-silent flybys.

 

Panavia Tornado GR4

 

The idea of a tri-nation collaboration makes perfect sense financially. The problems begin with each nation demanding the Tornado meet differing roles and capabilities. Despite concerns of compromises, the Tornado delivered a low-level punch that left its adversaries trailing. At sea or tree-top levels, Tornados can reach speeds of over 900 mph.

 

The fact that it was packed with sophisticated terrain-following radar enabled pilots to exploit the aircraft's two Turbo Union R199 engines to devastating effect. While Panavia originally intended the Tornado to be a strike aircraft foremost, in 1990, a raft of changes to the fuselage and avionics resulted in the ADV variant capable of long-endurance fighter/inceptor roles.

 

McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle

 

New versus old, the F-15 eagle has been in operational use since 1976 and still forms a very large contingent of the USAF despite advances in stealth technology. Dependability, flexibility, and a reputation for getting the job done and returning its crew home safely are why the F-15 continues to evolve.

 

Think of the F15 as a supersonic sledgehammer with precision strike capabilities, and you'd be pretty much on the ball. Over time the F-15's airframe has changed dramatically. From the earliest single seaters to the twin-seat air-superiority Eagle Cs that are currently being replaced with EX spec airframes, the Eagle is expected to fly well into the next decade.

RELATED: Everything You Need To Know About The F-15 Eagle

 

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15

 

Small and highly effective, the MiG-15 was a game changer that caught western aircraft manufacturers unaware. First flown in 1947 – barely two years after WW2 – the MiG-15 was the first mass-produced swept wing fighter that on entry into service made every other look positively archaic.

 

Up until the MiG's introduction, most jet designs retained a conventional straight-wing design that negated the advantages of jet power over piston engines. The real proof of concept came in the Korean War where the single-engined MiG outperformed anything the south could muster. As a result, the US were forced to rush the F-86 Saber into action. Even then, the Mig still had an edge in speed and altitude.

 

English Electric Lightning

 

Britain's last independently produced supersonic fighter, the Lighting had two crucial performance goals to meet. Designed to provide the first line of defense against Soviet long-range bombers, at a moment's notice, RAF Lightnings could scramble from stationary to 60,000 ft at record speeds.

 

It was the fastest interceptor for decades thanks to a unique double-stacked Rolls-Royce Avon 301R turbojet configuration punching out 33,000 lbs of thrust. However, internal space was at a premium, robbing the aircraft of tankage space, and at full throttle, the Lighting would be out of gas in minutes.