Fastest fighter plane my ass.

Post #120,572 by Andrew Grygus 10/8/03 11:32:11 PM Reply	Fastest fighter plane my ass. The YF12A was canceled and the tooling ordered destroyed because it was so fucking much faster than the hot Migs our suck dick "intellegence agencies" were telling Washington would eat our ass. If it were widely known what these birds could do, funding for projects necessary to the comfortable careers of our hero-prostitute high military mucky mucks might be *endangered. Criticism was that this thing would take the whole sky just to turn around. That was true. The Air Force did a demo starting an F4 and a YF12A together to make runs on a B52, The F4 turned sharply for it's second pass, while the YF12A took half the New England sky to turn around, but it was coming in for it's 4th* pass when the F4 finished it's second. I have it from first hand witnesses who saw YF12As coasting down the runway into their secret hangers with the razor sharp titanium leading edges of their wings still glowing cherry red. [link\|http://www.wvi.com/~lelandh/yf12~1.htm\|YF12A] It's all about money, isn't it? [link\|http://www.aaxnet.com\|AAx]
Post #120,576 by deSitter 10/9/03 12:57:25 AM Reply	!! never heard of that! ..or if I did, I forgot - but think about it, it's not a very practical fighter. The thing leaks fuel - by design! - until it gets going fast enough for aerodynamic heating to expand the wings enough to shut off the leaks. -drl
Post #120,597 by Andrew Grygus 10/9/03 8:07:09 AM 10/9/03 8:09:54 AM Reply	You didn't hear about it for good reason. The forces in Washington working to convince Congress to pass a wildly higher defense budget were pushing Soviet interceptor / fighter superiority very hard. This plane was something they didn't want anyone to know about. The fact they ordered tooling destroyed, a very unusual act, demonstrates how serious they were. As for practicality, seems they've been flying SR-71 spy planes for some time now. It's basically the same airfraime. Many tricks were developed to overcome the extreme temperature variation during flight. [link\|http://www.aaxnet.com\|AAx] Edited by Andrew Grygus Oct. 9, 2003, 08:09:54 AM EDT Expand All History
Post #120,765 by dlevitt 10/10/03 10:13:07 AM Reply	A12 The A12 was a carrier based, low observable [stealthy] sucessor to the A6 Intruder [program canceled in 1991]. Subsonic, with a large payload. It had nothing in common with [Y]F12 derivities. The proposed F12 derived attack varient never was assigned a DOD type number. I found a couple of links [link\|http://www.habu2.net/a12/avenger2.htm\|http://www.habu2.net/a12/avenger2.htm] The AIM45 missile system developed for the F12 is an ancestor of the AIM54 system used in the Tomcat. [Most of the time, rules of engagement prevent effective use of beyond visual range missiles anyway] Dave Levitt ['black shoe' sailor - but interested in things that fly]
Post #120,772 by Andrew Grygus 10/10/03 11:12:57 AM Reply	Well, the Blackbird group claims an A12 also . . . . (and a B12) so perhaps there were two that carried that designation in different time frames ([link\|http://www.wvi.com/~lelandh/yf12~1.htm\|Blackbird Page]), since your refernce makes no mention of that A12 being a Skunk Works design. The Balckbird line was certainly not suitable for the Navy. [link\|http://www.aaxnet.com\|AAx]
Post #120,773 by Nightowl 10/10/03 11:14:14 AM Reply	Re: Well, the Blackbird group claims an A12 also . . I don't know if I have any data left on the plane I worked on, maybe I can find out. I'll check and see. Nightowl >8# "I learned to be the door, instead of the mat!" "illegitimi nil carborundum" Comment by Nightowl
Post #120,777 by Nightowl 10/10/03 11:24:01 AM Reply	FOUND IT! Okay, the plane made (or actually, not made) by McDonnell Douglas was called the A-12 Attack Jet. It was a carrier based, stealth attack aircraft, suitable for uses in such theaters as the Persian Gulf. The project was cancelled in 1991 due to a lack of progress and supposedly problems which were attempted to be covered up. I worked on it until it was cancelled. Hope that helps clear up which plane is which. :) Nightowl >8# "I learned to be the door, instead of the mat!" "illegitimi nil carborundum" Comment by Nightowl
Post #120,611 by Nightowl 10/9/03 10:41:35 AM Reply	Re: Fastest fighter plane my ass. The YF12A was canceled and the tooling ordered destroyed because it was so fucking much faster than the hot Migs our suck dick "intellegence agencies" were telling Washington would eat our ass. If it were widely known what these birds could do, funding for projects necessary to the comfortable careers of our hero-prostitute high military mucky mucks might be *endangered*. That's not the same plane that McDonnell didn't build, the B-12 or was it A-12 Attack plane, was it? I worked on that plane (did paperwork for the parts). I don't think I have heard of this one if it's not the same plane... what was that stupid stealth plane called.... (grrr). Nightowl >8# "I learned to be the door, instead of the mat!" "illegitimi nil carborundum" Comment by Nightowl
Post #120,618 by Andrew Grygus 10/9/03 11:26:13 AM Reply	A12 and B12 were other versions of the 'Blackbird' line. [link\|http://www.aaxnet.com\|AAx]
Post #120,620 by Nightowl 10/9/03 11:51:47 AM Reply	Re: A12 and B12 were other versions of the 'Blackbird' line. Kewl, so they were related! Thanks. Nightowl >8# "I learned to be the door, instead of the mat!" "illegitimi nil carborundum" Comment by Nightowl
Post #120,626 by lincoln 10/9/03 12:44:06 PM Reply	Re: Fastest fighter plane my ass. While no one can dispute the YF12A's speed, information from the link you provided doesn't mention it ever being used as an actual fighter plane. And except for the few mentions of missle tests against drones, there's no mention of any armament or weaponry. Because of its speed and altitude capabilities, it's primary function has been to do radar and photo recon missions over the Soviet Union, China and SE Asia, where it has been a total success. lincoln "Windows XP has so many holes in its security that any reasonable user will conclude it was designed by the same German officer who created the prison compound in "Hogan's Heroes." - Andy Ihnatko, Chicago Sun-Times [link\|http://users3.ev1.net/~bconnors/resume.htm\|VB/SQL resume] [link\|http://users3.ev1.net/~bconnors/tandem_resume.htm\|Tandem resume] [link\|mailto:bconnors@ev1.net\|contact me]
Post #120,638 by Andrew Grygus 10/9/03 2:45:13 PM Reply	I doubt any weaponry but missiles . . . . is likely to be useful at 2000 mph. It is correct that the YF12A was never deployed, because forces in the Pentagon were dead set against it because it would negate a Soviet threat they were shrilly promoting. Since there were no other planes that could intercept modern bombers like the Backfire, "intelligence" and the Pentagon were either lying about the Soviet threat, or they were perfectly willing to compromise national security for political gain - your choice. [link\|http://www.aaxnet.com\|AAx]
Post #120,745 by dmarker 10/10/03 8:43:44 AM Reply	I go with andy on this 1 - even Raptor is out gunned by that But flying a raptor is just amazing. The fun part is that it accelerates so fast (vertically) that it is in space & ready to flame out before you realise it. Raptor turns so fast that you have to be strapped in all over so your head does keep going in the peior direction. One other characteristic is that it flies such tight turns that the pilot needs to be highly resistant to g-force blackout. Cheers Doug
Post #120,774 by Andrew Grygus 10/10/03 11:18:24 AM Reply	Guns became problematic quite a while ago . . . . for air to air combat. I think an F104 was the first fighter to shoot itself down by forgetting where it's fire stream would be a few seconds later. [link\|http://www.aaxnet.com\|AAx]
Post #120,820 by Ashton 10/10/03 3:43:19 PM Reply	"Travelling at the speed of light with the headlights on":-\ufffd
Post #120,766 by dlevitt 10/10/03 10:17:26 AM Reply	YF12 details - Link [link\|http://www.wvi.com/~lelandh/yf12~1.htm\|http://www.wvi.com/~lelandh/yf12~1.htm]

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