F6D Missileer

F6D Missileer
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Artist's conception of the F6D-1 Missileer in flight.
Type	Fleet defense fighter
Manufacturer	Douglas Aircraft Company
Maiden flight	n/a
Status	Canceled December 1960
Primary user	United States Navy
Number built	0
Developed from	F3D Skyknight

The Douglas F6D Missileer was a proposed carrier-based fleet defense fighter aircraft, designed in response to a 1957 US Navy requirement.

Background

The F6D-1 would have weighed approximately 50,000 pounds (22,650 kg) and been powered by two Pratt & Whitney TF30-P2 non-afterburning turbofan engines optimized for fuel efficiency rather than speed. It would have had subsonic performance, but a loiter time of six hours on station 150 nm from its carrier. Of conventional design with straight wings, and the engines in pods at the root, it looked much like a larger version of the company's earlier F3D Skyknight (and has a similar configuration to more modern strike aircraft such as the Sukhoi Su-25 'Frogfoot' and Northrop A-9). The Missileer's radar was to be the Westinghouse AN/APQ-81 pulse Doppler set, with a range of 120 nm (220 km) and "track while scan" capability. It was to be able to engage up to six targets simultaneously with Bendix AAM-N-10 Eagle air-to-air missiles, with a range of 100 nm (185 km). The Eagle was to have a choice of conventional or nuclear warhead.

The Navy quickly developed doubts about the slow "missile truck" concept. The F6D-1 would have been helpless after launching its missiles, lacking defensive armament, speed, or maneuverability to defend itself, and despite its cost it was useless for any role other than air defense. It was cancelled in December 1960. The Navy was eventually forced to participate in the TFX joint-services program that resulted in the General Dynamics F-111B, and after the F-111B proved a non-starter, later launched the VFX program that produced the Grumman F-14 Tomcat. The failure of the F6D signaled a decade of troubles for Douglas, with lessening profits from both military and civilian aircraft, and it merged with rival McDonnell in 1967, forming McDonnell Douglas.

The Eagle missile was also cancelled, but after strenuous objections by the Navy, the technology was transferred to Hughes Aircraft for the AIM-54 Phoenix missile. The F6D-1's missile and radar technologies were both later used, in evolved form, in the Grumman F-14. However, the Phoenix, despite its advanced capabilities, would ultimately never be confirmed as shooting down any aircraft in its intended role.

Specifications (F6D-1, as designed)

General characteristics

• Crew: 3
• Length: 51 ft 2 in (15.60 m)
• Wingspan: 58 ft 5 in (17.80 m)
• Height: 17 ft 7 in (5.20 m)
• Max takeoff weight: 50,000 lb (23,000 kg)
• Powerplant: 2× Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-2 turbofans, 10,200 lbf (45.5 kN) each

Performance

• Service ceiling: 45,920 ft (14,000 m)
• Thrust/weight: 0.41

Armament

• Missiles: 6× AAM-N-10 Eagle air-to-air missiles

Related content

Related development

• F3D Skyknight

Comparable aircraft

• General Dynamics F-111B

Designation sequence

• XFD - F3D - F4D - F5D - F6D

Related lists

• List of fighter aircraft
• List of military aircraft of the United States (naval)

See also

• AIM-54 Phoenix

Douglas military aircraft

Naval Fighters: XFD · F3D · F4D · F5D · XF6D - Fighters: XP-48 · P-70 · F-6 · F-10

Naval Attack: DT · T2D · XT3D · BT · TBD · SBD · XBTD · XTB2D · AD · XA2D · A3D · A4D

Bomber: YB-7 · YB-11 · B-18 · XB-19 · XB-22 · B-23 · B-26 · XB-31 · XB-42 · XB-43 · B-66

Attack: XA-2 · A-20 · A-24 · A-26 · A-1 · A-3 · A-4

Reconnaissance: O-2 · OD · O2D · O-31 · O-35 · YO-44 · YOA-5 · PD · P2D · P3D

Transports: C-1 · C-21 · C-39 · C-47 · C-53 · C-54 · C-58 · UC-67 · C-74 · C-110 · C-118 · C-124 · C-133 · C-24

Naval Transports: RD · R2D · R3D · R4D · R5D · JD · R6D - Experimental: DWC · D-558-1 · D-558-2 · X-3