North American YF-93

Last updated
YF-93
North American YF-93A on lakebed.jpg
The first YF-93A with NACA inlets
RoleFighter
Manufacturer North American Aviation
First flight24 January 1950
Retired1956
Primary users United States Air Force
NACA
Number built2
Developed from F-86 Sabre
Top view of 48-317, the first YF-93A, after having conventional intakes fitted North American F-93 -1 48-317.jpg
Top view of 48-317, the first YF-93A, after having conventional intakes fitted

The North American YF-93 was an American fighter development of the F-86 Sabre that emerged as a radically different variant that received its own designation. Two were built and flown before the project was eventually canceled.

Contents

Design and development

In 1947, North American Aviation began a design study, NA-157, to create a true "penetration fighter" to meet the requirements of a long-range version of its F-86A Sabre. In order to accommodate more fuel, a much larger F-86A was envisioned, eventually able to carry 1,961 US gallons (7,420 l), both internally and with two 200-US-gallon (760 l) underwing drop tanks. The new variant possessed a theoretical unrefuelled range of over 2,000 nmi (2,300 mi; 3,700 km), twice that of the standard production F-86A. The resultant fighter originally designated the F-86C was intended to compete with the XF-88 Voodoo and Lockheed XF-90 to fulfill the USAF's Penetration Fighter requirement for a bomber escort.

The F-86C was much larger and heavier, weighing in at 10,640 lb (4,830 kg) more than its antecedent. The increased weight and girth necessitated a dual-wheel main landing gear, increased wing area and a more powerful engine, the Pratt & Whitney J48 rated at 6,250 lbf (27.8 kN) static thrust and 8,750 lbf (38.9 kN) thrust available in afterburner. With the SCR-720 search radar and six 20 mm (.79 in) cannon mounted in the nose where the air intake was on the F-86A, the engineers designed a novel set of flush-mounted NACA inlets.

In December 1947, the Air Force ordered two prototype NA-157s and, considering the many changes to the F-86, redesignated it YF-93A. Both prototypes were built with NACA inlet ducts; the first, (48-317), was later retro-fitted with more conventional intakes. Six months later, the initial contract was followed up with an order for 118 F-93A-NAs. In 1949, the production order was abruptly canceled as priorities had shifted dramatically following the testing of the ground-breaking Boeing B-47 which reputedly would not need an escort due to its high speed capabilities. With the prototype YF-93As just coming off the production line, the USAF took over the project.

Operational history

The first YF-93 in flight North American F-93 in flight.jpg
The first YF-93 in flight

The prototypes, serial numbers 48-317 and -318, began flight tests in 1950 and were entered in a flyoff against the other penetration fighter projects, the XF-88 and XF-90; the XF-88 Voodoo was declared the winner. None of the projects would be ordered. The YF-93As were turned over to the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) AMES facility for further testing before being utilized as chase aircraft until 1956. Flight with the NACA ducts proved troublesome at high angles of attack, restricting air flow to the engines. NACA Research Memorandum A7I06 'An experimental investigation of NACA submerged air inlets in a 1/5-scale model of a fighter airplane', Donald E Gault, Dec 1947 (from Cranfield repository) [ citation needed ] By this time, however, higher performance aircraft were available and both aircraft were eventually declared surplus and scrapped.

Operators

Flag of the United States.svg  United States

Variants

F-86C
Original designation for a re-engined variant of the F-86A, two built.
YF-93A
Two prototype F-86Cs redesignated,
F-93A
Production variant, order for 118 cancelled.

Specifications (YF-93A)

3-view line drawing of the North American YF-93A North American YF-93A 3-view line drawing.png
3-view line drawing of the North American YF-93A
cross section drawing of the North American YF-93A North American YF-93A cross section line drawing.png
cross section drawing of the North American YF-93A
Cut-away illustration of the YF-93A. NAA YF-93A cutaway.jpg
Cut-away illustration of the YF-93A.

Data from The American Fighter [1]

General characteristics

Performance

Armament

See also

Related development

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McDonnell F-101 Voodoo</span> Family of 1950s jet fighter aircraft

The McDonnell F-101 Voodoo is a supersonic jet fighter which served the United States Air Force (USAF) and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McDonnell XF-88 Voodoo</span> Prototype fighter aircraft

The McDonnell XF-88 Voodoo was a long-range, twinjet fighter aircraft with swept wings designed for the United States Air Force. Although it never entered production, its design was adapted for the subsequent supersonic F-101 Voodoo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McDonnell F3H Demon</span> US Navy fighter aircraft

The McDonnell F3H Demon is a subsonic swept-wing United States Navy carrier-based jet fighter aircraft. The successor to the F2H Banshee, the Demon was originally designed to use the Westinghouse J40 engine, but had to be redesigned to accept the Allison J71 after the J40 suffered severe problems and was ultimately abandoned. Though it lacked sufficient power for supersonic performance, it complemented day fighters such as the Vought F8U Crusader and Grumman F11F Tiger as an all-weather, missile-armed interceptor until 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Republic XF-91 Thunderceptor</span> Experimental interceptor aircraft

The Republic XF-91 Thunderceptor is a mixed-propulsion prototype interceptor aircraft, developed by Republic Aviation. The aircraft would use a jet engine for most flight, and a cluster of four small rocket engines for added thrust during climb and interception. The design was largely obsolete by the time it was completed due to the rapidly increasing performance of contemporary jet engines, and only two prototypes were built. One of these was the first American fighter to exceed Mach 1 in level flight.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lockheed F-94 Starfire</span> Series of all-weather interceptor aircraft

The Lockheed F-94 Starfire was a first-generation jet powered all-weather, day/night interceptor of the United States Air Force. A twin-seat craft, it was developed from the Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star trainer in the late 1940s. It reached operational service in May 1950 with Air Defense Command, replacing the piston-engined North American F-82 Twin Mustang in the all-weather interceptor role.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northrop F-89 Scorpion</span> An American jet-powered all-weather interceptor aircraft

The Northrop F-89 Scorpion was an American all-weather, twin-engined interceptor aircraft built during the 1950s, the first jet-powered aircraft designed for that role from the outset to enter service. Though its straight wings limited its performance, it was among the first United States Air Force (USAF) jet fighters equipped with guided missiles and notably the first combat aircraft armed with air-to-air nuclear weapons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lockheed YF-12</span> American prototype interceptor aircraft

The Lockheed YF-12 was an American Mach 3+ capable, high-altitude interceptor prototype, developed and manufactured by American aerospace company Lockheed Corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curtiss-Wright XF-87 Blackhawk</span> Prototype all-weather interceptor

The Curtiss-Wright XF-87 Blackhawk was a prototype American all-weather jet fighter-interceptor, and the company's last aircraft project. Designed as a replacement for the World War II–era propeller-driven P-61 Black Widow night/interceptor aircraft, the XF-87 lost in government procurement competition to the Northrop F-89 Scorpion. The loss of the contract was fatal to the company; the Curtiss-Wright Corporation closed down its aviation division, selling its assets to North American Aviation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan XF2R Dark Shark</span> Experimental aircraft built for the United States Navy

The Ryan XF2R Dark Shark was an American experimental aircraft built for the United States Navy that combined turboprop and turbojet propulsion. It was based on Ryan Aeronautical's earlier FR Fireball, but replaced the Fireball's piston engine with a turboprop engine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North American XF-108 Rapier</span> Canceled interceptor aircraft project

The North American XF-108 Rapier was a proposed long-range, high-speed interceptor aircraft designed by North American Aviation intended to defend the United States from supersonic Soviet strategic bombers. The aircraft would have cruised at speeds around Mach 3 with an unrefueled combat radius over 1,000 nautical miles, and was equipped with radar and missiles offering engagement ranges up to 100 miles (160 km) against bomber-sized targets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Convair XF-92</span> Experimental interceptor aircraft

The Convair XF-92 was an American, delta wing, first-generation jet prototype. Originally conceived as a point-defence interceptor, the design was later used purely for experimental purposes and only one was built. However, it led Convair to use the delta-wing on a number of designs, including the F-102 Delta Dagger, F-106 Delta Dart, B-58 Hustler, the US Navy's F2Y Sea Dart as well as the VTOL FY Pogo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lockheed XF-90</span> Experimental aircraft

The Lockheed XF-90 was built in response to a United States Air Force requirement for a long-range penetration fighter and bomber escort. The same requirement produced the McDonnell XF-88 Voodoo. Lockheed received a contract for two prototype XP-90s. The design was developed by Willis Hawkins and the Skunk Works team under Kelly Johnson. Two prototypes were built. Developmental and political difficulties delayed the first flight until 3 June 1949, with Chief Test Pilot Tony LeVier at the controls. Embodying the experience gained in developing the P-80 Shooting Star, the XF-90 shared some design traits with the older Lockheed fighter, albeit with swept-wings; however, this latter design choice could not sufficiently make up for the project’s underpowered engines, and the XF-90 never entered production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North American F-107</span> 1956 prototype fighter aircraft

The North American F-107 is North American Aviation's entry in a United States Air Force tactical fighter-bomber design competition of the 1950s. The F-107 was based on the F-100 Super Sabre, but included many innovations and radical design features, notably the over-fuselage air intakes. The competition was eventually won by the Republic F-105 Thunderchief, and most of the F-107 prototypes ended their lives as test aircraft. One is on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force and a second at Pima Air and Space Museum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allison J35</span>

The General Electric/Allison J35 was the United States Air Force's first axial-flow compressor jet engine. Originally developed by General Electric in parallel with the Whittle-based centrifugal-flow J33, the J35 was a fairly simple turbojet, consisting of an eleven-stage axial-flow compressor and a single-stage turbine. With the afterburner, which most models carried, it produced a thrust of 7,400 lbf (33 kN).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North American F-86D Sabre</span> USAF all-weather interceptor

The North American F-86D/K/L Sabre was an American transonic jet fighter aircraft. Developed for the United States Air Force in the late 1940s, it was an interceptor derivative of the North American F-86 Sabre. While the original F-86 Sabre was conceived as a day fighter, the F-86D was specifically developed as an all-weather interceptor. Originally designated as the YF-95 during development and testing, it was re-designated the F-86D before production began, despite only sharing 25% commonality of parts with the original F-86. Production models of the F-86D/K/L differed from other Sabres in that they had a larger fuselage, a larger afterburning engine, and a distinctive nose radome. The most-produced Sabre Dog variants also mounted no guns, unlike the Sabre with its six M3 Browning .50 caliber machine guns, instead mounting air-to-air rockets.

The Grumman G-118 was a design for an all-weather missile-armed interceptor aircraft for use on US Navy aircraft carriers. Originally conceived as an uprated F11F Tiger, it soon evolved into a larger and more powerful project. Although two prototypes were ordered in 1955, development was cancelled the same year in favor of the F4H Phantom II before any examples were built. Grumman's next carrier fighter would be the F-14 Tomcat, ordered in 1968.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hawker P.1081</span> Prototype British fighter aircraft

The Hawker P.1081, also known as the "Australian Fighter" was a prototype British jet aircraft from the mid-twentieth century. The single example built was destroyed in a crash in 1951.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadair Sabre</span> Type of aircraft

The Canadair Sabre is a jet fighter aircraft built by Canadair under licence from North American Aviation. A variant of the North American F-86 Sabre, it was produced until 1958 and used primarily by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) until replaced with the Canadair CF-104 in 1962. Several other air forces also operated the aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lockheed XF-104 Starfighter</span> Experimental fighter aircraft

The Lockheed XF-104 Starfighter was a single-engine, high-performance, supersonic interceptor prototype for a United States Air Force (USAF) series of lightweight and simple fighters. Only two aircraft were built; one aircraft was used primarily for aerodynamic research and the other served as an armament testbed, both aircraft being destroyed in accidents during testing. The XF-104s were forerunners of over 2,500 production Lockheed F-104 Starfighters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">General Electric J73</span> 1950s American turbojet engine

The General Electric J73 turbojet was developed by General Electric from the earlier J47 engine. Its original USAF designation was J47-21, but with innovative features including variable inlet guide vanes, double-shell combustor case, and 50% greater airflow was redesignated J73. Its only operational use was in the North American F-86H.

References

Notes

  1. Angelucci and Bowers 1987, p. 352.

Bibliography

  • Angelucci, Enzo and Peter Bowers. The American Fighter. Sparkford, UK: Haynes Publishing Group, 1987. ISBN   0-85429-635-2.
  • Davis, Larry. F-86 Sabre in action. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1992. ISBN   0-89747-282-9.
  • Pace, Steve. X-Fighters: USAF Experimental and Prototype Fighters, XP-59 to YF-23. Osceola, Wisconsin: Motorbooks International, 1991. ISBN   0-87938-540-5.
  • Sgarlato, Nico and Franco Ragni. U.S. Fighters of the Fifties. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1979. ISBN   0-89747-090-7.
  • Wagner, Ray. The North American Sabre. London: Macdonald, 1963. No ISBN.