>> Is there such a thing as a military plane called an F-3?  

>The UK has an airplane called the Tornado F-3, which they jokingly refer
>to as an air defence fighter. They have a couple at Pensacola, Elgin AFB?
>for weapons compatibility and development trials. Could be one of those.

>Look for a noisy and probably smoke emmiting gray VG airplane similar in
>size to an F-18 with about the same performace as a 172 with four aboard
>on a hot day.

Perhaps this is a discussion for a different news group? But anyway:

It is *not* referred to as a fighter, but as an interceptor.

It was designed to lurk around for long periods, all weather, to the
north and east of the U.K. killing long range soviet bombers and recce
aircraft like the Bear and Backfire etc, not mixing it with Mig-29s over
central Europe.

Personally, I’d rather the MOD had bought something like F-14/Phoenix
rather than developing the F3, but, hey, why buy something that works
when you can throw loads of money away developing something else?

O.K, on paper the latest generation fighters like the F-18 outperform
the F-3, but when you consider that the F-3 replaced things like the
Phantom and Lightning it was still a good step forward for the RAF.

Now they have to wait for the Eurofighter, to get their air superiority
fighter. Actually, I suspect that when the politicians talk about the
collaborative project to build the Eurofighter, they literally mean
*THE* Eurofighter. One of them. By the time the aeroplane is ready for
service it will cost so much we’ll only be able to afford one!

It’ll be based in each of the three countries for two days a week, and
be available for air shows on sunday.

Bill Chivers
‘my other signature file has something funny at the bottom of it’