Over the past 100 years, military aircraft have played an important role in combat. Here are 10 legendary U.S. military aircraft that were retired too soon.
Over the past 100 years, military aircraft have played an important role in combat, making a significant contribution to victory or defeat. An air force is made up of a variety of aircraft, including fighters, bombers, ground-support (attack aircraft), transport and cargo planes, helicopters, and, in recent years, unmanned aerial vehicles (drones). Fighters are perhaps the most essential and can be the determining factor in measuring success or failure. These aircraft must defend a country’s airspace and attack its enemies. They must be incredibly fast, carry potent weapons delivering them with pinpoint accuracy, and be virtually invisible to their adversaries.
Many modern military forces are made up of fourth-generation fighters, but the most powerful countries in the world are now equipping their militaries with fifth-generation aircraft. These fighters are exceptionally maneuverable, and feature advanced radar systems, state-of-the-art avionics, and advanced stealth characteristics. However, implementing new aircraft with the latest technology is an expensive proposition. In some cases, older aircraft can be upgraded with newer technology at a much lower cost, making them nearly as effective as the latest aircraft.
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is just one example. A Vietnam War icon, more than 5,000 of the third-generation supersonic fighters were built. Although officially retired, today, hundreds of the Phantoms have had their avionics and ordnance upgraded to modern standards and are still in service with several military forces. Here are 10 legendary U.S. military aircraft that were retired too soon.F-14 Tomcat
Grumman Corporation designed and produced the F-14 Tomcat for the U.S. Navy from 1970 to 1992 to defend the U.S. against the Soviet Union’s strategic bombers that threatened to deliver a nuclear bomb to American soil. Today, the delivery of nuclear weapons with slow-flying bombers to the continental United States is unlikely for several reasons: America’s worldwide military presence, advanced detection technology, and the development of interceptors that make bombers vulnerable to attack. Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) have become the preferred nuclear weapon delivery vehicle, making the F-14 a less effective deterrent.
The two-seat, twin-engine F-14 was the largest and heaviest carrier fighter in American aviation history. Much of its weight came from the Phoenix missile and the onboard systems required to operate it. The fighter weighed 61,000 pounds with loaded weapons and full fuel, making it significantly heavier than the F-16 Fighting Falcon or the F/A-18 that replaced it. Despite its weight, the F-14 was fast. Grumman installed Pratt & Whitney’s TF30 engines, each rated at 14,560 pounds of thrust (under military power) but capable of producing nearly 25,100 pounds with the afterburner. The combined 50,200 pounds of thrust pushed the jet fighter to supersonic speeds up to a maximum of Mach 2.3. These were later replaced with higher-thrust General Electric F110 engines to resolve reliability issues with the TF30.
The variable-sweep wing positioning from 20 degrees to 68 degrees while airborne gave the F-14 ideal flight characteristics at low speeds for carrier landings and high speeds for the pursuit of an adversary. The F-14 Tomcat was retired from service in 2006, however, it still possesses performance characteristics that compete with many active-duty fighters.Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird
The SR-71 Blackbird is legendary among military aircraft. The Blackbird family of aircraft including the A-12, YF-12, M-21, as well as the SR-71 flew at supersonic speeds exceeding Mach 3 and could reach an altitude of over 85,000 feet. According to CNN, “The Lockheed SR-71, designed in secrecy in the late 1950s, was able to cruise near the edge of space and outfly a missile. To this day, it holds the records for the highest altitude in horizontal flight and the fastest speed for a non-rocket powered aircraft.”
Lockheed fabricated the Blackbirds almost entirely with titanium and other exotic heat-resistant alloys needed for sustained high-speed flight. The aircraft offered a unique platform for thermal experiments at heat-soaked temperatures exceeding 600°F. Two Pratt & Whitney J58 turbojets, with afterburners and an advanced inlet design that performed like a ramjet, generated 32,500 pounds of thrust each, giving the Blackbird the power needed to reach Mach 3.
The SR-71 Blackbird, developed for the USAF, completed its inaugural flight on Dec. 22, 1964. While the A-12 conducted secret missions for the CIA, the SR-17 flew frontline reconnaissance missions and operated as a research testbed of high-speed and high-altitude aeronautical flight for NASA through the end of the 1990s. For nearly 50 years, the SR-71 flew countless missions over dangerous areas, outrunning thousands of missiles, most of which were fired by the Soviet Union. No Blackbird aircraft were ever shot down, but a few were lost in accidents.P-51 Mustang
The P-51 Mustang is considered the best all-purpose piston-engined fighter produced in significant numbers during World War II. The single-seat, single-engine fighter was designed and manufactured by North American Aviation for the British Royal Air Force (RAF) but later acquired by the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF). With one of the highest airplane production rates in WW II, the P-51 featured a combination of maneuverability, speed, and a long-range capability that outclassed its adversaries including the aircraft of the mighty Luftwaffe fighting force. The planes controlled the skies across Europe and hastened the end of the war.
Originally fitted with an Allison engine, it was an upgrade to the legendary Rolls-Royce Merlin engine that gave the P-51 its superior performance. Designated the P-51D, the fighter achieved a maximum speed of nearly 440 mph and flew to an operating ceiling of almost 42,000 feet.
