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Boeing 818: A History of the TFX Program

Introduction

The Boeing 818 was a proposed supersonic fighter aircraft that was developed by Boeing in the 1960s. It was one of five aircraft that were submitted to the United States Air Force and Navy as part of the TFX program, a competition to develop a new fighter aircraft that would be used by both services. The Boeing 818 was not selected as the winner of the TFX competition and the program was eventually canceled.

TFX Program

In the late 1950s, the United States Air Force and Navy began to explore the development of a new supersonic fighter aircraft. The new aircraft would be used to replace the aging F-100 Super Sabre and F-4 Phantom II fighters. The Air Force and Navy had different requirements for the new aircraft, but both services agreed that it should be supersonic, have a long range, and be able to carry a variety of weapons. In 1961, the Air Force and Navy issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the new fighter aircraft. Five companies submitted proposals: Boeing, General Dynamics, Lockheed, McDonnell, North American, and Republic. The proposals were evaluated by a group of Air Force and Navy officers, and the Boeing 818 was one of the two aircraft that were selected for further development.

Boeing 818

The Boeing 818 was a single-seat, twin-engine supersonic fighter aircraft. It was designed to have a maximum speed of Mach 2.4 and a range of 2,000 miles. The aircraft was armed with a variety of weapons, including air-to-air missiles, air-to-ground missiles, and bombs. The Boeing 818 was a well-designed aircraft, but it was not without its problems. One of the biggest problems was the aircraft's weight. The Boeing 818 was overweight, which made it difficult to meet the Air Force and Navy's performance requirements.

Conclusion

The Boeing 818 was a promising aircraft, but it was not able to meet the Air Force and Navy's requirements. The aircraft was overweight and had a number of other problems. The Boeing 818 was not selected as the winner of the TFX competition and the program was eventually canceled.

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