Quote:
Originally Posted by edslunch
That was one damn sexy plane
|
Visually? You bet.
Damned straight she's a beauty.
Operationally?
Not so much.
While it looked really good and the time to climb figures were exceptional? The problem is that once it is established at FL50 heading North out of North Bay (or Cold Lake, or Bagtown, or wherever) it has less than 1 hour on internal fuel before it needs to find a perch. This is a significant issue with the design.
The reality of the matter is; The CF-105 was designed to meet an O/R (operational requirement) that no longer existed.
At the same time the RCAF was faced with the challenge of re-defining the role of 1 CDN Air Division and re-equipping it to meet the new tasking.
Concurrently, the RCAF had to look at a major purchase of medium range transport aircraft (C-130's) to replace/obviate the inadequacies in the current fleet. Above and beyond this is the #### ton of money which was already allocated to building RCAF Cold Lake, RCAF Bagotville, etc...
The deal for the F-101's to do the NORAD thing was good. Forcing us into the BOMARC was money we never spent.
The offsets in the deals for the Northern Radar lines paid for the whole Bomarc thing.
The money (offsets) could have been better spent.
I am an RCAF kid, dating back to my DOB. Born in Bagottville, QC. in 1964