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

"Jack G" wrote in message
...

From the list of official FAI Air Speed Records:

16 May 1958 Lockheed YF-104A 1404.01 MPH
31 Oct. 1959 Mikoyan E-66 1483.83 MPH
15 Dec. 1959 Convair F-106A 1525.94 MPH
22 Nov. 1961 Mc Donnell F4H-1F 1606.50 MPH

Go to http://www.speedrecordclub.com/records/outair.htm for a complete
history.

Jack



"David E. Powell" wrote in message
s.com...
OK, now this is really old information, but as a kid I recall reading
somewhere that the F-16 set a record for single-engine production
fighters,
with a top speed of Mach 2.32, and that this was (at the time I heard)
still
a record for single engine production fighters.

Is this true, or did it set a record when it first flew that was passed
later? I know that an F-16's top speed is lower, but....

Also, I have seen websites saying the -106 was phased out in 1988, but I
seem to recall the order being given around then, but the process taking
a
while, with Atlantic City, NJ featuring them flying/on the ramp up until
the
Desert Storm timeframe or soon thereafter....

What I wouldn't give for some of the books I read as a kid. The library
in
town was full of books on the USAF written in the early 1960s. Truly a
step
into a different perspective on things. Seeing the old school planes and
pressure suits, as well as the cheerful prose. (Especially the sections
on
survival training, with USAF pilots cheerfully cooking alligators caught
in
the Everglades.)