The Top 10 Fighter Jet Flops

Throughout history, the quest to build the most advanced fighter jets has seen numerous amazing successes. But not every attempt ends up defining the future of aerial combat. In fact, some projects turn out to be lessons in how not to design a fighter jet. These are the stories of ambitious aircraft that promised much but fell short due to a variety of reasons – be it design flaws, budget cuts, or changing military needs. Let’s dive into the top ten fighter jet projects that didn’t quite make it off the ground, or if they did, didn’t manage to carve out a place in the skies.

Honorable Mention: General Dynamics-Grumman F-111B

The General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark was a strike aircraft that did pretty well for itself. Born out of a desire for a do-it-all plane for the US military, the fighter version, F-111B, didn’t quite hit the mark. It was made to take over from the F-4 Phantom and act as a flying shield and attacker from aircraft carriers. Unfortunately, it was too big, too heavy, and not swift enough. The Navy decided it was not the right fit in the late 60s, choosing instead the Grumman F-14 Tomcat and setting a new direction for the future of fighter jets. So, the F-111B ended up not making the cut but is still notable for what could have been if the trends in jet designs had kept leaning toward bigger and speedier planes.

10. FMA SAIA 90

In the 1980s, Argentina wanted to step into the fourth-generation fighter jet arena with the SAIA 90, a joint project with Dornier. This ambition aimed high, as the jet was to compete with the likes of the F-16 and Mirage 2000. However, a combination of an economic downturn, the fallout from the Falklands War, and international isolation made the project’s goals hard to reach. Despite the best efforts and massive investments, no prototype of the SAIA 90 ever took to the skies, and the project was eventually shelved, marking a significant what-if in Argentina’s aviation history.

9. IAI Lavi

Israel’s IAI Lavi was a project soaked in controversy from the start. Designed to be a state-of-the-art fourth-generation fighter, its development in the late 70s drained considerable resources from the country. Critics argued that buying an already proven fleet like the F-16s would have been cheaper. Its striking resemblance to the Chinese Chengdu J-10, which appeared years after the Lavi was canceled, added intrigue to its story. However, despite its promise and advanced design, the Lavi never moved past the prototype phase, becoming a hot topic of debate on what might have been for Israel’s air capabilities.

8. Northrop XP-79

The Northrop XP-79 was an audacious project from the start. Conceived in the early 40s, this plane was supposed to be a fast jet fighter that could smash into enemy bombers with its thick wing edges. It was a daring idea, and its design, featuring a flying wing, made it even more unique. However, controlling it proved to be a nightmare. Its first and only test flight ended in tragedy, leading to the project’s cancellation. The XP-79 remains a fascinating example of out-of-the-box thinking in aircraft design that ultimately proved too unconventional.

7. Heinkel He-162

The Heinkel He-162 was among the last fighter jet projects from Germany during World War II. Unlike many modern failures, this jet actually saw production, with over 300 units made. However, only a portion reached the military, and even fewer flew. There were rumors of one shooting down an enemy plane, but mostly, these jets struggled with reliability and performance issues. Designed to be a cheap, fast-to-produce fighter, the He-162 was an example of too much ambition with too little time and resources, making it a notable failure despite its numbers.

6. Lockheed L-133

Lockheed’s L-133 might claim the title of the first American attempt at a jet fighter. Proposed way back in 1939, it was light-years ahead of its time, featuring designs like canards, a blended wing-body, and not one, but two engines. However, its futuristic vision was also its downfall. The military, cautious about investing in such a radical and untested design, opted for the more conventional P-80 Shooting Star. The L-133 remains in history as a glimpse into a future that might have been.

5. McDonnell XF-85 Goblin

The Goblin is an example of a fighter jet that looks more like a work of fiction. Designed to fit inside the bomb bay of a bomber, this tiny jet was tricky to fly and couldn’t match the performance of planes from the previous war era. Its concept, though innovative, led to a dead-end, making the Goblin a spectacular failure in jet evolution. Yet, it stands out for its radically different approach and shows how creative ideas in aviation don’t always lead to practical outcomes.

4. EWR VJ 101

The EWR VJ 101 was Germany’s invitation to the era of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) jets. In the 60s, as planes grew faster and heavier, a VTOL jet seemed like the perfect solution. The VJ 101 was set to be a Mach-2 capable fighter with cutting-edge tech. With its sci-fi looks and articles showcasing its potential, it was a promising step into the future. However, its complexity, maintenance demands, and costs kept it from moving beyond prototypes. This led to a long hiatus in the pursuit of supersonic VTOL capabilities, making the VJ 101 a remarkable, yet ultimately unsuccessful, attempt in aviation history.

3. Sukhoi Su-47 Berkut

Despite common misconceptions, forward-swept wings have been successfully implemented on aircraft other than the Sukhoi Su-47 Berkut and the Grumman X-29, showing the feasibility of this design even on supersonic jets for enhanced maneuverability and performance. Initially anticipated to become Russia’s main fighter jet in the late 90s, the Su-47 Berkut was built as a prototype rather than a mere technology demonstrator. Its impressive performance was overshadowed by the significant drawbacks of its composite wings, which were expensive, difficult to manufacture, brittle, and unreliable, making mass production implausible. This led Russia to revert to more traditional aircraft designs, while the Su-47 served as a technology testbed and an attraction at air shows.

2. Leduc 022

The Leduc 022 and its predecessors, such as the 0.1 and the 0.21, could have radically transformed the aviation industry with their innovative designs that featured prone-position cockpits, massive ramjet engines, and round air intakes. Conceived by René Leduc in 1938, these fighters successfully took flight and garnered interest from the French military for their supersonic capabilities and missile armament. Despite their success, the radical nature of the design, high costs, and the tendency of the ramjet engine to catch fire led to the cancellation of the project in favor of the more conventional Mirage, leaving the industry to ponder what could have been.

1. Lockheed YF-12

Based on the A-12 and overshadowed by the iconic SR-71 Blackbird, the Lockheed YF-12 was a prototype of what could have been the ultimate interceptor, capable of sustained flight at speeds over Mach 3. This would have positioned it far beyond the capabilities of contemporary fighter jets, including the Mig-25. However, shifts in military strategy towards ballistic missiles, budget constraints due to the Vietnam War, and high costs led to the program’s cancellation. The YF-12 demonstrated unparalleled performance that matched its design goals, marking it as the ultimate “failed” fighter jet due to circumstances rather than a lack of capability.