Top 5 Military Aircraft That Never Went Into Production

Following on the heels of multiple "Top" aviation threads I offer this latest installment. However, to include in the list, the plane has to have been in at least full mockup before it was killed.


1) XB-70 Valkyrie: Huge and fast sums up the Valkyrie. Capable of cruising at Mach 3, this 6 engine intercontential bomber has to be one of the hands down best looking aircraft of all time. Stainless steel honeycomb construction, and wing tips that pivoted down to harness the supersonic shockwaves known as compression lift. 2 were built and a third never got beyond the basic airframe. Killed by Mac the knife

2) YF-12: Kelly Jhonson developed a fighter / interceptor variant of the A-12 spy plane. Mach 3 cruise speeds, armed with a huge A2A missile the AIM-47. The foreward chine is notched to allow the installation of a infrared tracking system. Missile were launced from extreem high altitude and high mach numbers. Killed by mac the Knife. A bomber variant was also considered.

3) YF-23: Lost the ATF competion to the F/B-22 Raptor in a move that many consider political. Hands down one of the greatest looking aircraft ever

4) TSR.2: Concieved to replace the aging fleet of Canberra's, the TSR.2 was a high speed strike platform. Capable of over Mach one at sea level and almost cruise at Mach 2 at altitude. Politics killed this most excellent strike aircraft. The engines technology developed would go on to power the Concord.

5) CF-105 Arrow: Designed as a supersonic interceptor by the Canadian firm Avro, the Arrow was an advanced Mach 2 capable craft that was as so many other killed by politics

[edit on 11/24/05 by FredT]

Personally, I think the YB-49 should be up there. It was an amazing plane for its time, and could have been a great one if it went into production.

Was a mockup ever built of the Ta183?

Pretty good list Fred This is such a big subject though. Thanks to UK Govt idiocy we could even make this a 1 nation only thread and I would struggle to narrow it to 5

Many will expect a British list to include the P1154, the original twin engined supersonic Harrier, and the HS.681, a sort of four pegasus powered VTOL Hercules sized C-17 look alike, but with my head ruling over my heart these aircraft could not have been successful with the technology of the day, they were just TOO advanced.

All the ones you have listed would have worked perfectly well if followed through I think and I agree with your list. Therefore with this in mind I reckon I could add to that list and make it a top ten by saying;

6 Avro 730 - Original planned replacement for the Vulcan, a sort of British B-70, it was under development slightly earlier in 1954 and was cancelled in 1957 with work well advanced.

7 Boeing YC-14 - the original USB transport that inspired the An-72, was supposed to replace the Hercules in the 1970's but hey, money needed saving, as per.

8 Saro SR.177 Ugly but high performance fighter for RAF, RN and Luftwaffe, its death allowed the F-104 to become the sales success it really didn't deserve to be.

9 VFW-Fokker VAK 191- the worlds second V/STOL combat aircraft in 1970, its adoption combined ewith the Harrier many have led to the V/STOL layout becoming more widely acceptable and air forces turning away from their unhealthy obsession with laying concrete.

10, Hawker P.1083 - Although little known this was the UK Industry's really big calamity. Basically a supersonic version of the Hawker Hunter with a thinner and more highly swept wing, its performance was in the F-100/MiG 19 class and the plug was pulled in July 1953 with the Prototype complete but unflown. This not only left Britain without a 'transitional' supersonic fighter at all but it also ensured that all Britains traditional export customers turned to the USA or France when their Hunters, Venoms and Meteors etc needed replacing. Customers that never came back and are now mainly operating F-16's - thats how critical a blow the P.1083's loss dealt to the UK industry.

edit for the usual typo's

[edit on 25-11-2005 by waynos]

The German fighter from WWII? If that's the one, it actually flew in 1950 in Argentina.

Originally posted by Zaphod58
The German fighter from WWII? If that's the one, it actually flew in 1950 in Argentina.

No, you must be thinking of the FMA Pulqui II which I posted a picture of in the 'unwanted fighters' thread. It was designed by Kurt Tank and he naturally used his Ta-183 formula and experience but it wasn't the same plane.

I agree with most of the previous posts. The YF-23 is still one of my all time favorites.

If they had been able to upgrade the engine performance in time, I would've loved to have seen the XP-67 make it to production.

I also liked the F-16XL.... would've been the F-16E. Engineers even claim the F-16XL was superior to the F-15E.

Oh, and I always thought the F-20 was a good light attack jet.

[edit on 11/25/2005 by CyberianHusky]

Good list Fred, It’s a shame that one bad flight and a Secretary of Defense who sucked would kill one of the best supersonic bombers of all time in my opinion. Not to mention it was a good looking bird.

Wahts up with the "top 5" nowadays..

I agree, the valkyre was a great bomber, and the Y/F-23 is also one of the best planes on this planet... I belive that it would have been even better than the Raptor...

Originally posted by Figher Master FIN
Wahts up with the "top 5" nowadays..

I think its just a little phase the board is going through.... like teething in babies

Among the Russian ones I think the Mig MFI will top the list..wasnt it a promising fighter?