- Yes
- No
Hi guys. :)
Today i want to suggest a very special Plane that i would love to see in War Thunder in some form. The Lockheed YF-12A.
History.
The YF-12 Project began when the CIA, Kelly Johnson discussed an Interceptor variant of the A-12 Spy Plane intended for the US Air Force. First called the AF-12. The aircraft was intended to engage high speed Soviet bombers from long range. And to be able to fire GAR-9 Long Range Air to Air missiles later renamed Aim-47 Falcon.
One of the interesting things about the production of the YF-12 and the other Black Bird aircrafts was that the US had difficulties getting acces to Titanium in the late 1950,s. So one of the ironic ways the US wanted to get this type of rare raw material for these Aircraft. Was by buying the Titanium directly from it’s main geopolitical rival the USSR. Which was the same country the US intended to use the Aircraft against.
The YF-12 later renamed YF-12A was first test flown on August 7th 1963 by Jim Eastham. And during one of many test flights. The YF-12A reached the record speed of 3,331.505 km/h. The highest of any Aircraft capable of Intercepting and shooting down other aircrafts.
On the 14th of May 1965. The US Air Force Placed an Order of 93 F-12B variants of the YF-12/F12 Aircraft. However due to the lack of funds due to the increasing tensions of the Vietnam War. And with the USSR fielding more nuclear capable intercontinental ballistic missiles. Like the R-7 Semyorka - Nato reporting name SS-6 Sapwood. And the R-16 - Nato reporting name SS-7 Saddler. The YF-12/F-12 was considered obsolete.
But the YF-12A would end up being tested by NASA in the later years to come. All the way up to June 24th 1971. Today only 1 YF-12A survives at the National Museum of the United States Air Force.
Specifications.
- Construction: Titanium (Beta-120/Ti-13V-11Cr-3A1) monococque w/some super-high- temperature plastics.
- Length: 101 feet, 8 inches
- Wingspan: 55 feet, 7 inches
- Wing Area: 1,795 square feet
- Height: 18 feet, 6 inches
- Landing Weight: 68,000 pounds
- Maximum Gross Take-off Weight: 124,000 pounds
- Maximum Speed: 3.2 Mach above 75,000 feet
- Operational Ceiling: Classified, but probably over 80,000 feet
- Maximum Unrefueled Range: Classified
- Armament: 3 Hughes GAR-9/ AIM-47A air to air radar guided missiles (maximum speed 4 Mach)
- Powerplant Data: 2 Pratt & Whitney J58 (JT11D-20A) High-bypass-ratio turbojets
YF-12A Missile Firing Tests.
| Mar 1965 | 65,000ft | 2.19 | 40,000ft | Target destroyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1965 | 64,800ft | 2.18 | 20,000ft | Missile Gyro failure |
| Sep 1965 | 75,200ft | 3.22 | 20,000ft. | Target destroyed |
| Mar 1966 | 74,000ft | 3.16 | 1,700ft | Target destroyed |
| Apr 1966 | 75,200ft | 3.20 | 1,100ft | Target destroyed |
| May 1966 | 76,000ft | 3.20 | 20,000ft | Target destroyed |
| Sep 1966 | 74,400ft | 3.20 | 500ft | Target destroyed |
Datasheet main source. A-12, YF-12A, & SR-71 Specifications
In War Thunder.
In War Thunder The YF-12A would be one of the most hard Aircraft to balance in a standard matchmaker. So i suggest that this aircraft would become the first Single Player / Custom Battle only vehicle to be implemented into the game. The player would find the plane in the US Premium Air Tree market in a Yellow Box. Where it can be gained Trough purchase of a Special Pack.
I hope you like this suggestion. And i also hope we one day are going to see the SR-71 Black Bird or The U2 Spy Plane. Though these aircraft would most probably not going to be seen in any regular airbattle ingame.
Anyways see you in the Battlefields of War Thunder. :)
Sources.
https://www.amazon.com/Lockheed-Blackbird-Missions-Revised-Aviation/dp/1472815238
https://www.nasa.gov/centers/armstrong/news/FactSheets/FS-047-DFRC.html
https://www.blackbirds.net/sr71/srspec.html
https://www.sr-71.org/blackbird/yf-12/
http://area51specialprojects.com/yf-12.html
http://sr71.com/Flt_Manual.htm
“Old Suggestion”
Lockheed YF-12A Blackbird - Worlds fastest interceptor. - USA - War Thunder - Official Forum