Evolution of Fighter Aircraft

[EnlightenedMonk]

Shenyang J-5

General characteristics

Crew: One
Length: 11.36 m
Wingspan: 9.60 m
Leading edge sweep: 45°
Height: 3.80 m
Wing area: 25.00 m²
Empty weight: 2,130 kg
Loaded weight: 5,340 kg
Max takeoff weight: 6,000 kg
Powerplant: 1× WP-5 turbojet, 33.1 kN (7,452 lbf)

Performance

Maximum speed: 1,145 km/h at 3000 m
Cruise speed: 800 km/h
Range: 1560 km with secondary fuel tank, 1020 km without secondary fuel tank
Rate of climb: 75.8 m/s

 

[EnlightenedMonk]

Saab 21R

General characteristics

Crew: One
Length: 10.45 m (34 ft 3 in)
Wingspan: 11.37 m (37 ft 4 in)
Height: 2.90 m (9 ft 8 in)
Empty weight: 3,200 kg (7,055 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 5,000 kg (11,023 lb)
Powerplant: 1× De Havilland Goblin 2 turbojet, 13.8 kN (3,100 lbf)

Performance

Maximum speed: 800 km/h (497 mph)
Range: 720 km (450 mi)
Service ceiling: 12,000 m (39,400 ft)
Takeoff roll: 650 m (2,133 ft)

Armament

1x 20 mm Bofors Cannon
4x 13.2 mm M/39A Heavy machine guns
Centerline pod for an additional 8x 13.2 mm M/39A Heavy machine guns
Wing racks for either: 10x 100 mm or 5x 180 mm Bofors rockets, or 10x 80 mm anti-tank rockets.

 

[EnlightenedMonk]

Saab 29 Tunnan

General characteristics

Crew: One
Length: 11.0 m (36 ft 1 in)
Wingspan: 10.23 m (33 ft 7 in)
Height: 3.75 m (12 ft 4 in)
Wing area: 24.15 m² (260.0 ft²)
Empty weight: 4,845 kg (10,680 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 8,375 kg (18,465 lb)
Powerplant: 1× Volvo Aero RM2B turbojet, 6,070 lbf (27 kN)

Performance

Maximum speed: 1,060 km/h (660 mph)
Range: 1,100 km (685 mi)
Rate of climb: 32.1 m/s (6,320 ft/min)

Armament

4x Hispano Mark V 20 mm cannons
75 mm (3 in) unguided rockets
Rb 24 air-to-air missiles
145 mm (5.8 in) anti-armor rockets, 150 mm (6 in) HE (high-explosive) rockets, 180 mm (7.2 in) HE antiship rockets

 

[EnlightenedMonk]

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-9

General characteristics

Crew: One
Length: 9.83 m (32 ft 3 in)
Wingspan: 10 m (32 ft 10 in)
Height: 3.22 m (10 ft 7 in)
Wing area: 18.20 m² (195.9 ft²)
Empty weight: 3,420 kg (7,540 lb)
Loaded weight: 4,965 kg (10,945 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 5,500 kg (12,125 lb)
Powerplant: 2× Kolesov RD-20 turbojets [6], 7.8 kN (lbf)[7] each

Performance

Maximum speed: Mach 0.8, 910 km/h (565 mph) at 4,500 m (14,765 ft)
Range: 800 km (495 mi)
Service ceiling: 13,000 m (42,650 ft)
Rate of climb: 19.4 m/s (3,815 ft/min)
Thrust/weight: 0.40

Armament

1 × 37 mm NL-37 cannon
2 × 23 mm NS-23 cannons

 

[EnlightenedMonk]

Lavochkin La-15

General characteristics

Crew: one
Length: 9.56 m (31 ft 4 in)
Wingspan: 8.83 m (29 ft 0 in)
Height: 3.8 m (12 ft 5-39/64 in)
Wing area: 16.167 m² (173.83 ft²)
Empty weight: 2,950 kg (6,500lb)
Loaded weight: 3,850 kg (8,490 lb)
Powerplant: 1× Klimov RD-500 turbojet, 15.6 kN (3,495 lbf)

Performance

Maximum speed: 1,026 km/h (554 kn, 638 mph)
Range: 1,170 km (632 nmi, 730 mi)
Service ceiling: 13,500 m (44,290 ft)
Rate of climb: 31.7 m/s (6,240 ft/min)
Wing loading: 238 kg/m² (48.7 lb/ft²)
Thrust/weight: 1:2.4 (4.1 N/kg)

Armament

3 × 23 mm Nudelman-Suranov NS-23 cannon

 

[EnlightenedMonk]

Yakovlev Yak-17

General characteristics

Crew: one, pilot
Length: 8.70 m (28 ft 6 in)
Wingspan: 9.20 m (30 ft 2 in)
Height: 2.30 m (7 ft 7 in)
Wing area: 14.9 m² (160 ft²)
Empty weight: 2,081 kg (4,578 lb)
Loaded weight: 2,890 kg (6,358 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 3,240 kg (7,128 lb)
Powerplant: 1× Klimov RD-10A turbojet, 8.9 kN (2,000 lbf)

Performance

Maximum speed: 748 km/h (468 mph)
Range: 395 km (247 miles)
Service ceiling: 12,750 m (41,820 ft)
Rate of climb: 12 m/s (2362 ft/min)
Wing loading: 194 kg/m² (40 lb/ft²)
Thrust/weight: 0.31

Armament

2x 23 mm Nudelman-Suranov NS-23 machine guns with 60 rounds each

 

[EnlightenedMonk]

Yakovlev Yak-23

General characteristics

Crew: one
Length: 8.12 m (26 ft 8 in)
Wingspan: 8.73 m (28 ft 8 in)
Height: 3.31 m (10 ft 10 in)
Wing area: 13.50 m² (145 ft²)
Empty weight: 1,980 kg (4,356 lb)
Loaded weight: 3,384 kg (7,445 lb)
Max takeoff weight: kg (lb)
Powerplant: 1× Klimov RD-500 turbojet, 15.6 kN (3,500 lbf)

Performance

Maximum speed: 923 km/h (577 mph)
Range: 1,400 km (875 mi)
Service ceiling: 14,800 m (48,500 ft)
Rate of climb: 41.4 m/s (8150 ft/min)
Wing loading: 251 kg/m² (51 lb/ft²)
Thrust/weight: 0.46

Armament

Guns: 2 × 23 mm Nudelman-Rikhter NR-23 with 90 rpg

 

[EnlightenedMonk]

Yakovlev Yak-25

General characteristics

Crew: two
Length: 15.67 m (51 ft 5 in)
Wingspan: 10.94 m (35 ft 10 in)
Height: 4.4 m (14 ft 5 in)
Wing area: 28.94 m² (311.51 ft²)
Empty weight: 5,675 kg (12,510 lb)
Loaded weight: 8,675 kg (19,125 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 9,450 kg (29,760 lb)
Powerplant: 2× Mikulin AM-5 (RD-5A) turbojets, 23 kN (5,000 lbf) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 1,090 km/h (680 mph)
Range: 2,700 km with external tank (1,687 mi)
Service ceiling: 15,200 m (50,000 ft)
Rate of climb: 30 m/s (5,960 ft/min)
Wing loading: 327 kg/m² (67 lb/ft²)
Thrust/weight: 0.53

Armament

Guns: 2× 37 mm Nudelman NL-37 cannon (50 rounds per gun)

 

[EnlightenedMonk]

de Havilland Vampire

General characteristics

Crew: 1
Length: 30 ft 9 in (9.37 m)
Wingspan: 38 ft (11.58 m)
Height: 8 ft 10 in (2.69 m)
Wing area: 262 ft² (24.34 m²)
Empty weight: 7,283 lb (3,304 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 12,390 lb [12] (5,620 kg)
Powerplant: 1× de Havilland Goblin 3 centrifugal turbojet, 3,350 lbf (14.90 kN)

Performance

Maximum speed: 548 mph (882 km/h)
Range: 1,220 mi (1,960 km)
Service ceiling: 42,800 ft (13,045 m)
Rate of climb: 4,050 ft/min at sea level[13] (20.6 m/s)

Armament

Guns: 4 × 20 mm (0.79 in) Hispano Mk.V cannon
Rockets: 8 × 3-inch "60 lb" rockets
Bombs: or 2 × 500 lb (225 kg) bombs or two drop-tanks

 

[EnlightenedMonk]

de Havilland Venom

General characteristics

Crew: 1
Length: 31 ft 10 in (9.70 m)
Wingspan: 41 ft 8 in (12.70 m)
Height: 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Wing area: 279 ft² (25.9 m²)
Empty weight: 9,202 lb (4,173 kg)
Loaded weight: 15,400 lb (7,000 kg)
Powerplant: 1× de Havilland Ghost 103 turbojet, 4,850 lbf (21.6 kN)

Performance

Maximum speed: 640 mph (556 kn, 1,030 km/h)
Range: 1,080 mi (934 nmi, 1,730 km)
Service ceiling: 39,400 ft (12,000 m)
Rate of climb: 9,000 ft/min (45.7 m/s)
Wing loading: 56.17 lb/ft² (274.2 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 0.41

Armament

Guns: 4× 20 mm (.79 in) Hispano Mk.V cannon, 150 rpg
Rockets: 8× RP-3 "60 lb" (27 kg) rockets, or;
Bombs: 2× 1000 lb MC bombs

 

[EnlightenedMonk]

Gloster Meteor

General characteristics

Crew: 1
Length: 41.24 ft (12.57 m)
Wingspan: 43.01 ft (13.11 m)
Height: 12.99 ft (3.96 m)
Wing area: 350 ft² (32.52 m²)
Empty weight: 8,139 lb (3,692 kg)
Loaded weight: 13,819 lb (6,268 kg)
Powerplant: 2× Rolls-Royce W.2B/23 Welland turbojets, 1,700 lbf (7.6 kN) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 410 mph (660 km/h, Mach 0.55) at 10,000 ft (3,050 m)
Range: 500 mi (800 km)
Service ceiling: 34,000 ft (11,500 m)
Rate of climb: 2,155 ft/min (24.6 m/s)
Wing loading: 44.9 lb/ft² (149 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 0.45
Time to altitude: 9.0 min to 30,000 ft (9,145 m)

Armament

Guns: 4 × 20 mm British Hispano cannons
Rockets: Provision for up to 16 × "60lb" 3 in rockets under outer wings

 

[EnlightenedMonk]

Supermarine Attacker

General characteristics

Crew: 1
Length: 37 ft 1 in (11.3 m)
Wingspan: 36 ft 11 in (11.25 m)
Height: 9 ft 6.5 in (2.9 m)
Wing area: 227,2 ft² (21 m²)
Empty weight: 8,426 lb (3,822 kg)
Loaded weight: 12,211 lb (5,539 kg)
Powerplant: 1× Rolls-Royce Nene turbojet, 5,000 lbf st (2,313 kgf)

Performance

Maximum speed: 590 mph (950 km/h)
Range: 1,200 mi (1,900 km)
Service ceiling: 45,000 ft (13,716 m)
Wing loading: 51 lb/ft² (248 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 0.44

Armament

4 × 20 mm (.79 in) Hispano Mk V cannon in wings (125 rpg)
2 × 1,000 lb (454 kg) bombs

or

4 × 300 lb (136 kg) rocket projectiles under the wings

 

[EnlightenedMonk]

P-59 Airacomet

General characteristics

Crew: 1
Length: 38 ft 2 in (11.63 m)
Wingspan: 45 ft 6 in (13.87 m)
Height: 12 ft 4 in (3.76 m)
Wing area: 386 sq ft (35.9 m²)
Empty weight: 7,940 lb (3,600 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 12,700 lb (5,760 kg)
Powerplant: 2× General Electric I-A turbojets, 2,000 lbf (8.9 kN) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 413 mph (664 km/h)
Range: 240 mi (386 km)
Service ceiling: 46,200 ft (14,080 m)
Rate of climb: 3,200 ft/min (16,26 m/s)

Armament

1x 37 mm cannon
3x .50 cal (12.7 mm) machine guns

 

[F-14]

a bit of a triva the Attacker was the First jet of the RPAF

 

[EnlightenedMonk]

P-80 Shooting Star

General characteristics

Crew: One
Length: 34 ft 5 in (10.49 m)
Wingspan: 38 ft 9 in (11.81 m)
Height: 11 ft 3 in (3.43 m)
Wing area: 237.6 ft² (22.07 m²)
Empty weight: 8,420 lb (3,819 kg)
Loaded weight: 12,650 lb (5,738 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 16,856 lb (7,646 kg)
Powerplant: 1× Allison J33-A-35 centrifugal compressor turbojet, 5,400 lbf (24.0 kN)
Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.0134
Drag area: 3.2 ft² (0.30 m²)
Aspect ratio: 6.37

Performance

Maximum speed: 600 mph (965 km/h)
Cruise speed: 410 mph (660 km/h)
Range: 1,200 mi (1,930 km)
Service ceiling: 46,000 ft (14,000 m)
Rate of climb: 4,580 ft/min (23.3 m/s)
Wing loading: 53 lb/ft² (260 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 0.43
Lift-to-drag ratio: 17.7
Time to altitude: 5.5 min to 20,000 ft (6,100 m)

Armament

6 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns (300 rpg)
2 × 1,000 lb (454 kg) bombs
8 × unguided rockets

 

[EnlightenedMonk]

F-84 Thunderjet

General characteristics

Crew: 1
Length: 38 ft 1 in (11.60 m)
Wingspan: 36 ft 5 in (11.10 m)
Height: 12 ft 7 in (3.84 m)
Wing area: 260 ft² (24 m²)
Empty weight: 11,470 lb (5,200 kg)
Loaded weight: 18,080 lb (8,200 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 23,340 lb (10,590 kg)
Powerplant: 1× Allison J35-A-29 turbojet, 5,560 lbf (24.7 kN)

Performance

Maximum speed: 622 mph (540 kn, 1,000 km/h)
Cruise speed: 475 mph (413 kn, 770 km/h)
Range: 1,000 mi (870 nmi, 1,600 km) combat
Ferry range: 2,000 mi (1,700 nmi, 3,200 km) with external tanks
Service ceiling: 40,500 ft (12,350 m)
Rate of climb: 3,765 ft/min (19.1 m/s)
Wing loading: 70 lb/ft² (342 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 0.31 lbf/lb

Armament

6 × .50 in (12.7 mm) M3 Browning machine guns, 300 rpg
Up to 4,450 lb (2,020 kg) of rockets and bombs, including 1 × Mark 7 nuclear bomb

Avionics

A-1CM or A-4 gunsight with APG-30 or MK-18 ranging radar

 

[EnlightenedMonk]

F-84F Thunderstreak

General characteristics

Crew: 1
Length: 43 ft 4¾ in (13.23 m)
Wingspan: 33 ft 7¼ in (10.25 m)
Height: 14 ft 4¾ in (4.39 m)
Wing area: 325 ft² (30 m²)
Empty weight: 13,830lb (5,200 kg)
Loaded weight: lb (kg)
Max takeoff weight: 28,000 lb (12,701 kg)
Powerplant: 1× Wright J-65-W-3 turbojet, 7,220 lbf (32.2 kN)

Performance

Maximum speed: 695 mph (604 knots, 1,119 km/h) at sea level
Range: 810 mi (704 nmi, 1,304 km) combat radius with two droptanks
Service ceiling: 46,000 ft (14,000 m)
Rate of climb: 8,200 ft/min (42 m/s)
Wing loading: 86 lb/ft² (423 kg/m²)

Armament

6× .50 in (12.7 mm) Browning M3 machine guns,
Up to 6,000lb (2,727 kg) of rockets and bombs, including one Mark 7 nuclear bomb

Avionics

A-1CM or A-4 gunsight with APG-30 or MK-18 ranging radar

 

[EnlightenedMonk]

F-86 Sabre

General characteristics

Crew: 1
Length: 37 ft 1 in (11.4 m)
Wingspan: 37 ft 0 in (11.3 m)
Height: 14 ft 1 in (4.5 m)
Wing area: 313.4 sq ft (29.11 m²)
Empty weight: 11,125 lb (5,046 kg)
Loaded weight: 15,198 lb (6,894 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 18,152 lb (8,234 kg)
Powerplant: 1× General Electric J47-GE-27 turbojet, 5,910 lbf (maximum thrust at 7.950 rpm for five min) (26.3 kN)
Fuel provisions Internal fuel load: 437 gallons (1,650 l), Drop tanks: 2 x 200 gallons (756 l) JP-4 fuel

Performance

Maximum speed: 687 mph at sea level at 14,212 lb (6,447 kg) combat weight
also reported 678 mph (1,091 km/h) and 599 at 35,000 feet (11,000 m) at 15,352 pounds (6,960 kg). (597 knots, 1,105 km/h at 6446 m, 1,091 and 964 km/h at 6,960 m.)
Range: 1,525 mi, (1,753 NM, 2,454 km)
Service ceiling: 49,600 ft at combat weight (15,100 m)
Rate of climb: 8,100 ft/min at sea level (41 m/s)
Thrust/weight: 0.38
Stalling speed (power off): 124 mph (108 kt, 200 km/h)
Landing ground roll: 2,330 ft, (710 m)
Lift-to-drag ratio: 15.1
Time to altitude: 5.2 min (clean) to 30,000 ft (9,100 m)

Armament

Guns: 6 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns (1,602 rounds in total)
Rockets: variety of rocket launchers; e.g: 2 × Matra rocket pods with 18× SNEB 68 mm rockets each
Missiles: 2× AIM-9 Sidewinders
Bombs: 5,300 lb (2,400 kg) of payload on four external hardpoints, bombs are usually mounted on outer two pylons as the inner pairs are wet-plumbed pylons for 2 × 200 gallons drop tanks to give the Sabre a useful range. A wide variety of bombs can be carried (max standard loadout being 2 × 1,000 lb bombs plus 2 drop tanks), napalm bomb canisters and can include a tactical nuclear weapon

 

[EnlightenedMonk]

F-89 Scorpion

General characteristics

Crew: 2
Length: 53 ft 10 in (16.4 m)
Wingspan: 60 ft 5 in (18.4 m)
Height: 17 ft 6 in (5.3 m)
Wing area: 606 ft² (56.3 m²)
Empty weight: 24,200 lb (11,000 kg)
Loaded weight: 42,250 lb (19,200 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 46,800 lb (21,200 kg)
Powerplant: 2× Allison J35-A-35A afterburning turbojets
Dry thrust: 5,600 lbf (24.9 kN) each
Thrust with afterburner: 7,400 lbf (32.9 kN) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 636 mph (553 knots, 1,020 km/h)
Range: 1,367 mi (1,188 nm, 2,200 km)
Service ceiling: 49,200 ft (15,000 m)
Rate of climb: 8,360 ft/min (42.5 m/s)
Wing loading: 69.7 lb/ft² (340.4 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 0.35 (3.4 N/kg)

Armament

Rockets:
104× 2.75 in (70 mm) "Mighty Mouse" folding-fin aerial rockets
16× 5 in (127 mm) aerial rockets on underwing racks or
Bombs: 3,200 lb (1,500 kg)

 

[EnlightenedMonk]

F-94 Starfire

General characteristics

Crew: 2
Length: 44 ft 6 in (13.6 m)
Wingspan: 42 ft 5 in (12.9 m)
Height: 14 ft 11 in (4.5 m)
Wing area: 232.8 ft² (21.63 m²)
Empty weight: 12,708 lb (5,764 kg)
Loaded weight: 18,300 lb (8,300 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 24,184 lb (10,970 kg)
Powerplant: 1× Pratt & Whitney J48-P-5 turbojet, 8,750 lbf (38.9 kN)

Performance

Maximum speed: 640 mph (556 kn, 1,030 km/h)
Range: 805 mi (700 nmi, 1,300 km) combat
Ferry range: 1,275 mi (1,100 nmi, 2,050 km)
Service ceiling: 51,400 ft (15,670 m)
Rate of climb: 7,980 ft/min (40.5 m/s)
Wing loading: 78.6 lb/ft² (384 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 0.48

Armament

Guns: 4 × .50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns
Rockets: 24 or 48 × 2.75 in (70 mm) fin-folding aerial rockets

Avionics

AN/APG-40 radar