-
Quest for Performance: The Evolution
of Modern Aircraft
-
-
- Part II: THE JET AGE
-
-
- Chapter 11: Early Jet
Fighters
-
-
- Background
-
-
-
- [277] A little more
than a quarter of a century separated the endings of World Wars I
and II. During this time, the maximum speed of propeller-driven
fighter aircraft increased from 134 miles per hour for the SPAD
XIII to 437 miles per hour for the North American P-51D.
Integration of the jet engine with an airframe incorporating
selected design innovations such as discussed in chapter 10 resulted in a quantum increase in the capability
and performance of fighter aircraft in the decade following the
end of World War II. For example, maximum speeds had reached about
1500 miles per hour by 1955. Further increases in the capability
of jet fighters and their engines have continued to the present,
albeit at a slower pace than that which characterized the first 10
years following the end of World War II.
-
- The missions of fighter aircraft have also
changed drastically since they first appeared in World War I. In
that conflict, the role of the fighter was described in
chapter
2 as follows: "The primary purpose
of fighter-type aircraft is to destroy other aircraft, either in
offensive or defensive modes of operation, or to pose such a
compelling threat that enemy air operations are effectively
curtailed." In the 60-plus years since that great conflict, the
role of the fighter has so expanded that today this class of
aircraft might be described as an all-purpose combat machine. In
addition to the air-superiority and interception roles defined
above for the World War I time period, the modern fighter may be
employed for ground-attack operations, long-range interdiction
missions, and photoreconnaissance duties. Indeed, some modern
fighter aircraft can carry a greater bomb load than the World War
II Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress four-engine bomber. The fighter may
be designed and equipped for daylight, clear-weather operations or
for night, [278] all weather missions. Frequently, a fighter
optimized for one particular type of mission is adapted for other
types of operations through changes in design and alterations of
armament and mission-oriented electronic gear; thus, for example,
an aircraft initially intended as an air-superiority fighter may
later be modified for ground-attack missions, and with other
alterations, for interceptor use.
-
- The fighter aircraft incorporating jet
propulsion form the subject of the present chapter. Beginning in
March 1942 with the first flight of the Messerschmitt Me 262
twin-engine jet fighter, the technical evolution of this class of
aircraft is traced to the modern fighters of the early eighties.
Described and illustrated are 19 jet fighters that show the
progression of the state of the art for this type of aircraft over
the past 35plus years. As with most successful aircraft, many
versions of most of these fighters were developed and used over a
period of years. Only one version of each aircraft is described.
Works such as reference 200 give the characteristics of most versions of a
particular aircraft. Finally, some design trends are discussed in
the concluding section.
-
- A number of the physical and performance
characteristics of the 19 aircraft described are presented in
table
V in appendix A. The quantities
given in the table are defined in the list of symbols given in
appendix
B and, in most cases, require no
further explanation. Some further clarification of certain of the
characteristics, however, seems desirable. Empty weight, normal
gross weight, and maximum gross weight are given for many of the
aircraft. The normal, or design, gross weight of the aircraft is
the maximum weight at which the aircraft can be maneuvered to its
design load factor. The maximum gross weight is limited by some
design or performance characteristic other than the maximum design
load factor. So many range-payload combinations are possible on
modern fighter aircraft that no attempt has been made to delineate
them in the table. The unrefueled ferry range, however, is given
to provide some idea of the capability of the aircraft in this
respect. Values of the subsonic minimum drag coefficient and
maximum liftdrag ratio given in table V for some of the aircraft are based on information
taken from various industrial sources. Finally, the first-flight
dates given are for the first prototype of the entire series of
aircraft, not necessarily for the particular version for which
data are given in the table.
-
-
-