User talk:Hartbreaker11

Andrew Hart The Rapier, The Fighter That Never Was

In the Mid 60's the North American Aircraft company created an experimental bomber called the XB-70 Valkyrie. It was a Mach 3 bomber capable of altitudes in excess of 90,000 ft. Its purpose was to launch strategic nuclear attacks on the Soviet Union. But with the advent of the Mig 25 Foxbat. A high altitude interceptor capable of the same speeds America needed a fighter that could escort the bomber to safety. So North American started work on its next generation fighter. The company had already build a wonderful reputation with such aircraft before like the P-51 and the F-86. Both served with great distinction. This new airplane would have the range, speed, altitude, and weapons to escort the Valkyrie to its targets and back much like the fighters before it. North American had just completed it first prototype when the Defense Department announced that they where canceling both projects. They where going to put their stock in the ICBM which where becoming more accurate with much longer ranges. It was also believed that the missle defense network of the USSR was to sophisticated and that our airplanes would be readily shot down. So with these two major projects cancled North American fell to a memory in the Aircraft company. And the Rapier a Mach 3 escort never came to be.