On Tue, 17 Feb 2004 06:55:57 -0600, "John Carrier"
wrote:

I think the Soviets beat the Phantom record with the one-off E-166 (looked
like a fat Mig-21 with a monster motor). Of course, Vought and the Navy
never tried it with the F-8U3 which was accelerating rapidly through 2.39
when the canopy started to overheat.

R / John

If you have access to "Soviet X-Planes" they have an article on the
E-166. ISTR it used the same engine as the Mig-25. Sukhoi also built
an E-166 look-alike and both supposedly reached M2.85.