North American F-107A

North American Aviation · United States · first flew 1956 · fighter

The North American F-107A Ultra Sabre was a Mach 2-capable supersonic fighter-bomber developed as a competitor to the Republic F-105 Thunderchief. Its most distinctive feature was an engine air intake located dorsally above and behind the cockpit.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, swept
E — Engines	1 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	Unique dorsal engine inlet above the cockpit — intake sits on top of the fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Unique dorsal engine inlet above the cockpit — intake sits on top of the fuselage
Supersonic US fighter with variable-incidence horizontal tail
Lost the tactical fighter competition to the F-105 Thunderchief

Unmistakeable dorsal air intake sitting immediately behind and above the cockpit is the single most distinctive recognition feature; the variable-incidence all-moving tailplane and area-ruled fuselage are secondary identification points.

Specifications

The North American F-107A has a length of 18.85 m (62 ft).
It has a wingspan of 11.15 m (37 ft).
Its maximum speed is 2084 km/h (1295 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

First flown in September 1956, the F-107A competed in the USAF tactical fighter competition but lost to the F-105. Only three prototypes were built before the programme was cancelled; the aircraft were subsequently transferred to NASA for research.

Variants

Only three F-107A prototypes were completed; no production aircraft were built.

Where you'll see it

Never entered USAF service; used briefly by NASA for supersonic research before retirement.

Related aircraft

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