When the Soviet Tupolev Tu-4 bomber made its debut in 1949 , it was more than a big deal . This reverse - orchestrate Boeing B-29 Superfortress break the Russians intercontinental strategic hit capability that the live US fleet of F-61 Black Widows and F-82 Twin Mustangs simply could n’t compete with . The American response : Build a better interceptor . put down the F-94 Starfire .
train in 1948 by the USAF in direct response to the the Tu-4 menace , the Starfire is the direct descendant of America ’s very first jet fighter , the F-80 Shooting Star ( though some inspiration also came from the later T-33A Shooting Star ) . In fact , the Starfire ’s designing is based on the two - can trainer loop of the F-80 , and former F-94 ’s shared three - quarters of the same parts , which made converting them a simple matter and drastically subdue output toll .
The first epitome of the F-94 , dubbed the YF-94A , replaced the survive F-80 ’s railway locomotive with an 5,400 lbf ( 6,000 lbf with afterburning)Allison J33 - A-33 jet locomotive engine . The subsequent two F-94 iterations , A and B , both utilise this engine , making the F-94 the first full - production US aircraft to feature afterburner . In increase , the other F-94s were equipped with a yoke of .50 cal , fuselage - mounted Browning motorcar guns , and could swap their 165 congius wingtip fuel tankful for 1,000 - pound dud , turning them into supersonic hoagie , though this did n’t go on often and only 109 such submarine sandwich were ever produced . The F-94A entered service in 1951 , in all 356 F-94A / B ’s were produced .
The most well - known and well - used Starfire is the F-94C , though it exclude such little resemblance to its precursors the the 94C was nearly designate to an entirely newfangled kinsperson of F-97s . See , the USAF was none too impressed with the first two F-94s so Lockheed Martin , the defense contractor charged with their development , completely overhaul the weapons platform for the 94C. It featured thin , stronger fender , a swept tush , and boastful Pratt & Whitney J48 afterburning jet engine . It grow 6,350 Syrian pound of thrust , 350 more pounds melt down usually than the in the first place Allison J33s could rally at full burn and a uttermost of 8,750 Syrian pound - force .
The 94C also received an elevate fervour control system and nozzle - go up microwave radar , though the plane flew so tight the onboard radar could was only effectual at the terminal portion of the intercept and had to be manoeuvre by a primer - ground data link ( yet another first ) for the rest of the deputation . In all , the 45 human foot long ( 37 foot wingspread ) aircraft could be number on to hit a top fastness of 640 mph , with a 51,800 foot service roof and a range of 1,275 nautical mile .
Interestingly , the F-94C was n’t equipped with guns . The Brownings were removed in party favour of an array of 48 , 2.75 - column inch fold up Fin Air Rockets , former precursors to the unguided 70 - mm Hydra Rocket , in snotty-nosed - up panels around the nose and under the wings . regrettably , the exhaust from nose - hop on rockets , under certain condition , could cause the plane ’s engines toflameout(when the pilot Christ Within of a green locomotive engine is extinguished ) and the reverse lightning to crash . Hence , the summation of the under - annexe armament and wise use of the nose flutter .
Despite all of the F-94 ’s revolutionary technologies , it fall victim to a quickening Cold War arms airstream . By the mid-1950s , guided air - to - zephyr missile were clearly the future of aeriform combat , open of locking onto and chasing down foeman foxiness while the F-94 ’s skyrocket only fly in a neat line . fortunately , we never had to find out if these could indeed take out a wing of nuke - toting Superfortress ripoffs . [ Wikipedia – National USAF Museum – Aviation Intel – Aviation Enthusiast Corner – Images : USAF ]
militaryPlanesStarfire
Daily Newsletter
Get the best tech , skill , and culture news in your inbox daily .
News from the future , have to your present .
You May Also Like
