2023-08-17 13:09:20
The military aerospace industry is moving at a fast pace. There are more and better combat aircraft. In addition to the United States, other non-Western countries such as Turkey, India and China are joining forces in an attempt to develop aircraft capable of achieving air supremacy. But optimal results are not always achieved. History shows that some bets were a resounding failure.
On the website specialized in military affairs “19fortyfive” it has been discussed whether to include the F-35 in the list of the most controversial combat aircraft despite its high capabilities and being considered the best aircraft in the world today. “The cost per plane is so high that the United States Air Force made the decision to complement it with the Boeing F-15EX,” explains one of the experts from the aforementioned medium.
Controversies aside, these are some of the worst combat aircraft of all time according to experts from various specialized publications.
Yakovlev Yak-38
The Yak-39 was the Soviet Union’s answer to a similar Royal Air Force aircraft, the Harrier “Jump Jet”, capable of vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) operations. To reduce weight, the Soviet aircraft’s designers removed the radar and reduced fuel capacity. Although faster than the Harrier, it lacked the range and also required an experienced pilot to operate the aircraft. During its operational evaluation in Afghanistan in 1980, the Yak-38 demonstrated its limitations in terms of weapons capacity and range, difficult maintenance, and flight problems.
Sea Vixen
This 1950s two-seat fighter served in the British Royal Navy and became the first UK aircraft to break the sound barrier. However, his record is full of incidents. 38% of the units manufactured crashed by accident between 1952 and 1972. There were only 145 Sea Vixens in service during that time and 55 succumbed to some type of mishap and were lost. The prototype made its maiden flight on September 26, 1951, but the following year, at the Farnborough Air Show, the plane disintegrated as it broke the sound barrier, killing 31 people.
Convair F-102 Delta Dagger
This American interceptor was built in the 1950s as the backbone of the country’s air defense, its main objective being to intercept Soviet jet bombers. With its original Westinghouse J40 turbojet engine, the Delta Dagger could barely reach Mach 1 speed. Attempts to modernize the aircraft led to the development of a new, and ultimately improved Convair F-106 Delta Dart.
Heinkel He 162 Volksjäger
It was the third jet fighter to enter service with the German Luftwaffe in World War II. Much of the aircraft was made of wood due to the Third Reich’s lack of resources as the military contest progressed. As Peter Suciu explains, the biggest problem with the He 162 was that it was rushed in the design stage, resulting in a poorly conceived aircraft. Aside from the engine, which was produced by aviation professionals, the rest of the aircraft was designed to be built by semi-skilled and unskilled workers. Only about 120 aircraft were delivered and most never flew.
Messerschmitt Me-163 Comet
The Messerschmitt 163 Komet was one of the best World War II jet fighters developed by Third Reich Germany. Its design would be key to the birth of hang-wing aircraft in the 20th century. “The Me 163 was truly a cutting-edge aircraft. As the planned jet engine meant that the Komet was still years away, its designers fitted it with a Walter HWK 109 rocket engine,” writes Peter Suciu, adding that it was a very fast plane although it only participated in the last nine months of the war. “The plane did not save Germany from 24-hour bombing by the Allies, but it was also a difficult plane to fly, dangerous to land on and expensive to manufacture,” the expert said.
F-104 Starfighter
The F-104 Starfighter is one of America’s most disreputable fighters, nicknamed the “flying coffin” for a reason. The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter began operating for the United States Air Force in 1958. However, it did not reach 10 years in service. It was designed as an air superiority fighter, although it was actually put to more use as a supersonic interceptor. It lacked the necessary capability to effectively fulfill its role as an interceptor. Its limited range and insufficient cargo capacity were major drawbacks for this purpose-designed aircraft.
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