On Thu, 03 Jul 2003 16:24:57 +0200, Ralph Savelsberg
wrote:



Bill Silvey wrote:

wrote in message


Another interesting tidbit about the Vigilante is that the AF
considered putting it back into production for use as an interceptor.


During what time period?


It was somewhere during the late 'sixties/early 'seventies, as part of
the almost never-ending quest for an F-106 replacement.
`Considered putting it back into production' is a bit of a stretch, but
at the time North American Rockwell proposed a derivative of the
Vigilante, with a third engine inserted between (and slightly above) the
two already installed, fed by two dorsal intakes. I have an artist's
impression of the thing (in Planes of Fame 19) in USAF markings and
armed with 6 Phoenix-like missiles (no less) under the fuselage. If
built it would have been quite a beast.

Regards,
Ralph Savelsberg




I've also read they kicked around the idea of one with two J-58s.