This aircraft was designed to operate at high speed and altitude and featured a radical design wing. The prototype performed its initial flight in December 1952, and the test pilot described the initial flight as “comfortable” with “no anxieties”. This prototype was lost in a crash in July 1954 while on a low-level run. The second prototype flew successfully in September 1954. The first flight of a production aircraft was in February 1956, and it “accidentally” broke the sound barrier in a shallow dive in June 1957, making it the largest aircraft to that time to exceed Mach 1. It reached operational status in April 1958.
This was an aerodynamically clean aircraft, made mostly of aluminum aircraft alloys, held together with spot welding. The wing had large flaps and a sweptback tee tail. It initially proved too responsive to control inputs and production aircraft had “heavier” controls. This aircraft was fitted with four turbojet engines, in a configuration that made servicing difficult. It carried a crew of five and had nuclear weapons capability but never fired a shot in anger.
Name this aircraft. Answer by PM only. Do not answer " Was It " or with a question mark. No changing of an answer after your original submission. Any answer submitted after 1200 hrs E.S.T on the day the answer will post will not count. Answer will post on 01/22/07 at 1200 hrs E.S.T.
Brian [C):-)]