"Ralph Savelsberg" wrote in message

Bill Silvey wrote:

wrote in message


Another interesting tidbit about the Vigilante is that the AF
considered putting it back into production for use as an
interceptor.


During what time period?


It was somewhere during the late 'sixties/early 'seventies, as part
of the almost never-ending quest for an F-106 replacement.
`Considered putting it back into production' is a bit of a stretch,
but at the time North American Rockwell proposed a derivative of the
Vigilante, with a third engine inserted between (and slightly above)
the two already installed, fed by two dorsal intakes. I have an
artist's impression of the thing (in Planes of Fame 19) in USAF
markings and armed with 6 Phoenix-like missiles (no less) under the
fuselage. If built it would have been quite a beast.

Aha, Hughes Missile Systems strikes again. During that timeframe I'm going
to take a WAG and say that this was mayhap the AIM-45 (not -54) precursor to
the Phoenix. Or perhaps it was Phoenix itself.

Were they thinking about a whole redesign (e.g., redesigned for
land-versus-carrier use undercarriage, without tow bar etc.) or just
painting USAF on the fins?

--
http://www.delversdungeon.dragonsfoot.org
Remove the X's in my email address to respond.
"Damn you Silvey, and your endless fortunes." - Stephen Weir
I hate furries.