To this day, I'm baffled why the F-16XL wasn't given a limited production order by the USAF. This would have been a beast in the Desert Storm air campaign.
They bought the F-15E Strike Eagle instead. There is no sensible reason to procure a limited number of what would have been a more expense aircraft that did not offer superior performance.
@@kpal2946 The XL had superior performance over the F-16 in range as a fighter-bomber, mostly due to more internal fuel. It did not have superior performance over the F-15E that won the competition. It also did not outperform the F-16 in sustained maneuverability, which is what that airplane had been designed for and was why it didn't have a delta wing in the first place. It's not like the delta wing was a new invention that was not considered for the original F-16 design.
SCAMP was a research program to gain information for future aircraft. Supercruise is useful at higher altitudes in the air to air mode. The airplane would never supercruise when loaded down with external stores. The XL didn't achieve much in the way of supercruise until many years later when NASA installed more powerful engines. The XL would have been a good fighter bomber, but it was not superior to the F-15E, which was less expensive, less risky, and more capable.
@@TypicalBritishperson4972 they've been looking into it recently. With the advent of better materials, they can put a better engine in it and composites and make it even better. Very good possibility cuz they've already got the production tools just sitting in a warehouse.
It looks like the same delta wing design like the 3 copies might 21 I . I'm a Northrop person, even jack Northrop had a great delta wing design for the f-20 tiger shark on the back burner 2 wing application for the tiger shark. I never cared for anything that was made in the state of Texas, includeing the bush, Cheney, rumfields, . You can have them all. General dynamics, contain the whole god dam bunch.
Its a racket. Its not about the best design its about the most expensive you can get it to help the industrial complex. Simple. Happens in Russia,China, USA. Just a tax payer racket. They get rich we pay for it.
"Its not about the best design its about the most expensive you can get it to help the industrial complex." If that ignorant old saw were true they would have wanted to waste money on this unneeded airplane that would have been more expensive to develop than the F-15E they chose instead because it was more cost-effective.
@@gort8203 Every aircraft is expensive to start production but once up and running the XL would have been less expensive than the F-15 STRIKE EAGLE without doubt.
@@kpal2946 No, it would not have been less expensive. Development and pre-production costs would have been much more than for the F-15, which had already been developed into a fighter-bomber and required no substantive changes. You guys just refuse to accept the official facts and think you get more accurate information from internet conspiracy theorists.
Should’ve given it a cool name like “Draken”. Oh…wait a sec…
Great video. It has a 70s training video note to the commentary. I love it. Takes me back. Thanks
my new favorite channel.
Wings almost like the Saab f 35 Draken.
Exactly what I was thinking.... Fact, I just watched a video on that very plane!! They called it a Double Delta wing bk then?? 🤔😉
To this day, I'm baffled why the F-16XL wasn't given a limited production order by the USAF. This would have been a beast in the Desert Storm air campaign.
They bought the F-15E Strike Eagle instead. There is no sensible reason to procure a limited number of what would have been a more expense aircraft that did not offer superior performance.
@@gort8203 XL had far superior performance over the F-16.
@@kpal2946 The XL had superior performance over the F-16 in range as a fighter-bomber, mostly due to more internal fuel. It did not have superior performance over the F-15E that won the competition. It also did not outperform the F-16 in sustained maneuverability, which is what that airplane had been designed for and was why it didn't have a delta wing in the first place. It's not like the delta wing was a new invention that was not considered for the original F-16 design.
Welcome to the club. Definitely a missed opportunity!
🔥🔥🤲🙏✨👑 outstanding work thank you much greatful
Couldn’t have called it the F-15 Beagle I bet
As a Saab dragon from the fifties and sixties
SCAMP was a research program to gain information for future aircraft. Supercruise is useful at higher altitudes in the air to air mode. The airplane would never supercruise when loaded down with external stores. The XL didn't achieve much in the way of supercruise until many years later when NASA installed more powerful engines.
The XL would have been a good fighter bomber, but it was not superior to the F-15E, which was less expensive, less risky, and more capable.
We shall see, this might get reinvented.
Will it?
We never know@@TypicalBritishperson4972
I'm surprised that it hadn't been put in production, it would be cool to have in the inventory.
@@TypicalBritishperson4972 they've been looking into it recently. With the advent of better materials, they can put a better engine in it and composites and make it even better. Very good possibility cuz they've already got the production tools just sitting in a warehouse.
@@JSFGuy Why have ‘they’ been looking into it?
It looks like the same delta wing design like the 3 copies might 21 I . I'm a Northrop person, even jack Northrop had a great delta wing design for the f-20 tiger shark on the back burner
2 wing application for the tiger shark. I never cared for anything that was made in the state of Texas, includeing the bush, Cheney, rumfields, . You can have them all. General dynamics, contain the whole god dam bunch.
Speaking about MIG-21 I ,FULL DELTA WING DESIGN. ONLY 3 COPIES EVER BUILT
Well, bless your heart.
You win funniest comment.
I bet Israel would have considered the XL.
too many ads, every 4 minutes!!! fuck this
Its a racket. Its not about the best design its about the most expensive you can get it to help the industrial complex. Simple. Happens in Russia,China, USA. Just a tax payer racket. They get rich we pay for it.
"Its not about the best design its about the most expensive you can get it to help the industrial complex."
If that ignorant old saw were true they would have wanted to waste money on this unneeded airplane that would have been more expensive to develop than the F-15E they chose instead because it was more cost-effective.
@@gort8203 Every aircraft is expensive to start production but once up and running the XL would have been less expensive than the F-15 STRIKE EAGLE without doubt.
But far less capable.
@@kpal2946 No, it would not have been less expensive. Development and pre-production costs would have been much more than for the F-15, which had already been developed into a fighter-bomber and required no substantive changes. You guys just refuse to accept the official facts and think you get more accurate information from internet conspiracy theorists.
@@MarniBrown-no3or Yes, for sure.