Jet Age Warriors: 1950-1960 Fighter Jets
The 1950-1960 era, a decisive decade in the annals of aviation, showcasing iconic fighter jets like the F-86 Sabre, MiG-15, Hawker Hunter, and the Dassault Mirage III. This era marked the full transition into the jet age, characterized by supersonic speeds, advanced radar systems, and the introduction of missile technology in aerial warfare.
Ready to explore these jet-powered marvels? Click on the name of any fighter jet to uncover its detailed legacy. Or, navigate through our articles to explore the technological advancements and strategic milestones of fighter jets in the 1950s.
X-15, North Amrica’s Leap into Hypersonic Legacy
On the limit of aircraft and spacecraft, the X-15 reached Mach 6.72 and an height of 107960 m. The X-15 was designed to resist the heat and friction of atmospheric reentry. It was powered by rocket engines. The X-15A-2 version could carry two large external fuel tanks. Three X-15s were built, one was lost in…
Lockheed U-2 Dragon Lady
The U-2, a high-flying reconaissance aircraft, was camouflaged by this inoccent ‘utility’ designation. Ironically, it has become the most famous U-designated aircraft… The extremely high-flying U-2 spyplane became infamous in 1960 by being shot down over the Soviet Union. After that, the U-2 was claimed to be restricted to meteorological and environment control flights, but…
J29 Tunnan, Saab
The Saab 29 was the first European, post WWII, swept-wing jet fighter in service (the Messerschmitt Me262 being the first ever). It had a short, barrel-like fuselage and swept wings. The J29 had high performance and heavy armament. The last versions had dogtooth wing extensions, an afterburner, and carried Sidewinder AAMs. 661 were built. Some obsolete J-29s…
F-8 Crusader, Vought
Before the introduction of the ‘tri-service’ designation system this aircraft was known as the F8U. It originally was a fast dayfighter, but later models were capable of all-weather operations. The problem of putting a powerful, heavy supersonic fighter on a carrier deck was solved by giving the F-8 a variable incidence wing, and it could…
J32 Lansen, Saab
The Saab 32 was a swept-wing attack aircraft, looking like a enlarged Lockheed P-80 with swept wings. Despite its bulk and relatively low power, it was supersonic in a shallow dive. There were also all-weather fighter (J 32B) and reconaissance versions (S 32C). About 450 were built. In 1999 some of them (21?) where still in service…
F-101 Voodoo, McDonnell
The F-101 was a larger and more powerful development of the F-88. It was heavy and large, but also powerful and fast, with an impressive range. Due to continuously changing requirements, the F-101 had a checkered development. Its original role was to be that of a ‘deep penetration’ long-range escort fighter. Instead, it served as…
B-52 Stratofortress, Boeing
The B-52 is an intercontinental jet bomber, with a large and flexible swept wing, a fuselage incorporating enormous bomb bays, and eight engines in pairs of two. Later the B-52 was modified to carry stand-off missiles, including the large ‘Hound Dog’, on pylons under the wing. The ‘Big Belly’ modification enabled it to carry huge…
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 Fishbed
This supersonic tailed-delta fighter was in production for more than twenty years, and the final production aircraft were very different from the initial version. The early MiG-21Fs were simple good-weather interceptors with only a ranging radar, inadequately armed and with a very short operational range. The MiG-21P(F) introduced a limited all-weather capability, with a longer…
G.91, Fiat / Aeritalia
The Italian G.91 was declared winner of a NATO-competition for a lightweight strike aircraft, but of course most NATO members had second thoughts after their own aircraft had lost the competition, and the G.91 was used only by Germany and Italy. It is a small swept-wing subsonic aircraft, similar in appearance to the F-86K. 450…
CF-105 Avro Arrow
The CF-105 was a delta-winged, big, fast interceptor. The production aircraft would have had 11700kg Orenda Iroquois engines, but the prototypes were powered by the far less powerful J75. The Arrow was a very promising aircraft, but was cancelled for political reasons, together with the Iroquois engine and the Sparrow 2 missile. Six built. Technical…
Hunter, Hawker
The Hunter was a progressive development of the P.1081 swept-wing subsonic fighter. It was one of the most beautiful fighters ever built, and probably also one of the most long-lived. The Hunter provided the RAF with a long-awaited transsonic fighter, but it was later also much used as trainer and ground attack aircraft. Some airforces…
F-84 Thunderjet and F-84F Thunderstreak, Republic
The F-84F was a major redesign of the F-84, with sweptback wings and a new engine, and kept the same number only for political reasons. (It would have been the F-96 at first.) The F-84F was not easy to fly, but it potential was big enough to secure large orders and world-wide export. The RF-84F…
F102 Delta Dagger, Convair
This delta-wing interceptor was amongst the first to be designed as part of a ‘weapons system’ and to employ the area rule — the latter refinement necessitated a total redesign after the first pre-series aircraft had failed to attain Mach 1. The effort paid off, and the F-102 became the main home-defence interceptor of the…
Super Mystere B2, Dassault
The French Super Mystère began life as a development of the Mystere IV but became an entirely different aircraft, easily recognizable by the oval nose intake. It was the first series-built West-European fighter that was supersonic in horizontal flight. A total of about 180 Super Mystère B.2 were built, of which 24 for Israel, which…