BadKharma

There are two primary contenders for the highest speed ever reached by an aircraft carrying a single jet engine. The first is the American F-106 Delta Dart air defense fighter. In late 1959, the manufacturer Convair joined the US Air Force in taking one F-106 with the serial number 56-0459 and modifying it to maximize the plane's record-setting potential. The goal of this effort, called Project Firewall, was to break the world absolute speed record of 1491.26 mph (2,399.95 km/h) that had been set by a Soviet Ye-152-1 on 7 October 1959. The Ye-152-1 was a special test version of the MiG-21 fighter that had also been customized to set speed, altitude, and climb records.
Dave Lurkins answer made me look that aircraft up.
NASA's X-43A is already headed for the record books, but Guinness World Records officials had better be prepared for an update. In October, NASA hopes to bump its recently set world speed record for a jet-powered aircraft from Mach 7 to Mach 10. Mach 10 is ten times the speed of sound, or approximately 7,200 mph.

dave lukins

The world's fastest flying machines:


1. X-15 4,520 mph world record. Fastest manned aircraft. Not only is the North American X-15 the fastest piloted aircraft ever, it is the highest flying. The X-15 was launched from under the wing of a B-52. Thrust was obtained from one engine that produced 70,400 lbs. at maximum altitude. Click here to read more about the X-15, see pictures and hear its roar.
2. SR-71 Blackbird 2,293 mph world record. The fastest jet aircraft in the world.
3. MC-72 440.68 mph world record. Fastest single prop driven seaplane.
4. F-8F Bearcat 528.33 mph world record. Fastest single prop driven aircraft.
5. XA2D Skyshark 500 mph. The fastest single engine turboprop.
6. MiG-25 Foxbat 2,115 mph. The fastest jet fighter in the world.
7. F-15 Eagle 1,875 mph. Fastest United States jet fighter.
8. FB-111 Aardvark 1,850 mph. Fastest U.S. strategic bomber.
9. Boeing 747 605 mph. Fastest operating commercial jet.
10. Citation X 607 mph. Fastest business jet.
11. Tupolev Tu-114 545.07 mph world record. Fastest turboprop transport.
12. Tupolev Tu-144 1,553 mph. Fastest supersonic passenger jet.
13. P180 Avanti 460 mph. Fastest FAR 23 certified turboprop.
14. L-188 Electra 445 mph. Fastest initial attack air tanker in service today.
15. Tupolev Tu-160 1,380 mph. Fastest heavy bomber.
16. Convair F-106 1,525.95 mph world record. Fastest single engine aircraft.
17. Lynx ZB-500 249.09 mph world record. Fastest helicopter.
18. Bell 206 L-1 150 mph. Set around the world helicopter speed record.
19. Mi-24 Hind 210 mph. Fastest attack helicopter.
20. Tu-95 Bear 575 mph. Holds the unofficial record as the fastest multi-engine propeller aircraft.
21. Ilyushin IL-76 560 mph. Fastest operational air tanker.
22. XB-47D 598 mph. Fastest combined propeller and jet driven aircraft.
23. X-43A Scramjet 7,000 mph. The fastest drone aircraft.
24. Me-163 Komet 596 mph. Fastest ever World War II aircraft.
25. Do-335 Pfeil 474 mph. Fastest WW II propeller driven airplane.

7thsfsniper

Good job Badkharma! And congrats to Dave for answering my next 24 questions

There is ONE not mentioned there. I'll save it though.

Your question BK.

__________________
"Moral courage is the most valuable and usually the most absent characteristic in men."- General George S. Patton, Jr

RustyBattleship

Just a couple of comments on the X-15: In other posts I had referred to the old Groucho Marx TV show "You Bet Your Life" where he had pairs of contestents collaborating to answer questions. I had mentioned that John Glenn was one of the contestants.

On one show a contestant was introduced as a test pilot. Groucho asked him what kinds of planes he tested and he answered "Mostly jet planes."

Groucho asked, "What's the fastest a man has ever flown?"

Contestant answered, "4,520 miles per hour".

Groucho shook his head and said, "A guy would have to be CRAZY to try to fly THAT fast. How fast have YOU ever flown?"

"4,520 miles per hour". Yep. The contestant was William J (Pete) Knight who set that world record with the X-15.

Funny thing is, one of the other test pilots in the program later went a lot faster and a lot higher. His name was Neil Armstrong.

__________________
Able to leap tall tales in a single groan.

7thsfsniper

I would LOVE to see that! Think I'll check you tube, Thanks RB!

glyn

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Semper in excretum. Solum profunda variat.

dave lukins

Sir, you "Bumped" down first ..Please end this sterility and post a question

BadKharma

Sorry was busy making a style for VBulletin.
The Midway class aircraft carrier was designed specifically for the operation of what airplane? And what was the prototype that preceeded it?

Probably to easy but at the spur of the moment all I could think of.

GAU-8

With all due respect Sir, this humble airman doubts the U.S. Navy would design a carrier for a specific aircraft type. I've seen U.S. Navy personnel do incredibly stupid things while on shore, but I don't think those lapses in judgment bleed over into fleet acquisitions.

Are there any Squids here that can help me back up this position?

Ships tend to stay in service longer than specific aircraft types.

(That's a sideways way of saying I couldn't find any hard data to answer your question).

From the F.A.S. web site:

"The ability to adapt to new technologies, systems, platforms, and operational needs is nowhere better exemplified than in the design and 50-year operational history of the USS Midway. Designed during World War II, in 1945 this "flattop" initially operated piston-driven propeller aircraft, yet returned from her last deployment in 1991 with the Navy's most modern, multipurpose strike-fighters. Her original axial-deck design was modified to an angled-deck layout, her original hydraulic catapults were replaced with more powerful steam catapults, and the most basic electronics replaced by advanced sensors and communications equipment. Her air wing included four squadrons of F/A-18 Hornets and two squadrons of A-6 Intruders (a strike capability of 68 attack aircraft)."

RustyBattleship

GAU-8: Ummm, I believe it was the STEAM catapaults we did away with in favor of HYDRAULIC catapault. You could always tell when a steam cat was used because it's launch would end in a loud BANG. All Carriers I worked on (including the Midway) had hydraulic catapaults.

Well, almost all. I did do some work on an old Casablanca Class Escort carrier that still had her steam drums aboard. But we were getting her ready as a target ship for an IRBM test.

As for what type of aircraft, the Navy knew that jets were eventually going to be the last word though propeller fighters (F4U Corsairs) were used to a certain extent in the Korean War.

The Panther jets were perhaps the first operational planes that could be used in quantity and the Navy even had its own version of the F-86 Sabre (but with folding wings for hangar deck stowage).

I could take a trip down to San Diego where the Midway is now berthed as a museum to check this out. It's only 118 miles South of me.

But I can't afford the gas.

BadKharma

Gau, yes it does seem incredible perhaps the wording is dubious however I have found it worded that way on numerous sources. But I shall demur and change it to what aircraft was designed specifically for the Midway Class aircraft carrier because the aircraft were too large to operate from earlier decks. And what prototype that never saw production proceeded it.
Rusty, yes the venerable Corsair was used off of carriers and land based during the Korean War but it is not the aircraft the question refers to. The question does involve a prop aircraft however.
Here is a clue Early in the _______ flight-test program, the flight-test group informally dubbed it "Tomcat." So _______ proffered it to the BuAer fighter desk in Washington D.C. and was surprised when the name was denied. The Navy letter stated, "The name 'Tomcat' is unacceptable. It denotes feline promiscuity."

GAU-8

Rusty,
Thanks. I read about the catapult refit, but I didn't make a connection to a specific aircraft. I pull regular overnights in San Diego. I'd like to see that museum.

BK,
Could you mean the P2V-3C? I found this on the Global Security site. Impressive record:

In a demonstration of carrier long-range attack capabilities, a P2V-3C Neptune took off from USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVB 42) off the coast of Jacksonville, FL on 07 February 1950 . The Neptune flew over Charleston, SC, the Bahamas, the Panama Canal, up the coast of Central America, over Mexico, and landed on Feb. 8, at San Francisco's Municipal Airport. The flight, covering 5,060 miles in 25 hrs. 59 min., was the longest ever made from a carrier deck.

BadKharma

No, although that is an interesting aircraft and looks somewhat similiar.
Another clue:
Quote from the test pilot

BadKharma

Rusty you might find this interesting on the F4U

Bent-wing versus swept-wing

Although the Korean War proved to be the showcase for the new jet age, it also gave a few outstanding WW II-- era aircraft a chance to extend their careers and prove that they could slug it out with the best of them. Only two of these aircraft (fighter types) were used in large numbers during the conflict: the F4U Corsair (flown by the U.S. Marines and Navy) and the F-51 Mustang (flown by four countries). Both slugged it out with the MiG-15. Capt. Jesse G. Folmar, flying the Corsair with VMF-312, tangled with one and took advantage of it, but he paid a price! At the time, the squadron, operating from the carrier USS Sicily, had the heavy responsibility of daily interdiction and close air support missions.
At medium to high altitudes, conventional aircraft did not stand a chance against the fast MiG. But, if you could drag a MiG down to a much lower altitude, the playing field became more level. In numerous clashes between Corsairs and MiGs, the Corsairs' most successful confrontations were below 4,000 feet. The Corsairs could turn on a dime down where the air was heavier, and the MiGs' fuel consumption rate was horrendous at that altitude.

glyn