Delete comment from: Elements Of Power
RE: The prop flying wing, first flight 6/46, and the jet flying wing, first flight 10/47 bracketed the B-36, first flight 8/46. The B-52 didn't fly till 4/52, much later than any of these planes. The flying wings were B-36 competitors, not B-52 competitors.
-- Here's a line from the National Museum of the US Air Force fact sheet on the F-108 "The North American F-108 was designed as a very high speed (Mach 3) interceptor and escort fighter for the B-70 "Valkyrie" bomber under development at the same time." So no, not just an interceptor.
1. Your reasoning by ‘first flight’ dates is simplistic: it overlooks relative complexities, varying development times, AND variants in development. The Flying Wing concept in various forms WAS a competitor to the B-52 as well as the aircraft you mention. Details here: http://elementsofpower.blogspot.com/2012/04/airpower-history-lesson-in-3-parts.html
2. You cite a ‘factsheet’ that states the Rapier was also to be an escort fighter. The factsheet more than slightly overstates the case. I asserted (and still do) that the Rapier was not an escort fighter--it was an air defense fighter. Details here: http://elementsofpower.blogspot.com/2012/04/airpower-history-lesson-in-3-parts.html
I did not say or imply it couldn’t or wouldn’t be an escort fighter if the need arose. I would assume it would do any ‘fighter’ mission it was assigned to varying degrees of success. I will say now that I would consider the ‘factsheet’ to be wrong in asserting an escort role (beyond possible for any fighter as a generic capability).
There can be little doubt that there was someone, somewhere in the entire AF command structure who thought it would be a good ancillary/alternate mission for the F-108, but it was not part of the F-108 design requirements NOR was it part of F-108’s operational concept. Most critically, given the nature of the operational concept envisioned for the F-108 and planned end strength, the use of the F-108 as an ‘escort fighter’ would probably be less likely than the F-106 it was designed to replace. This too is easily shown.
Details w/a blurb on why the B-70 was cancelled here:
http://elementsofpower.blogspot.com/2012/04/airpower-history-lesson-in-3-parts.html
Apr 22, 2012, 2:04:21 AM
Posted to The B-52 Turns 60: What IF? (Part 3)