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Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!harvard!godot!ima!haddock!stevel
From: stevel@haddock.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.aviation
Subject: Re: Re: Yet more on the B-1B and F-20
Message-ID: <240@haddock.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 7-Oct-84 23:43:08 EDT
Article-I.D.: haddock.240
Posted: Sun Oct  7 23:43:08 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 9-Oct-84 19:40:32 EDT
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Nf-ID: #R:hou4b:-117800:haddock:9800008:000:1050
Nf-From: haddock!stevel    Oct  6 23:08:00 1984

The FX fighter program was suppose to be the ONLY fighter many of
our allies could buy. Then along came people demanding and
getting exceptions.  At this point anybody can buy the F-16A
fighter, all you have to do is demand it. The Air Force will not
consider looking at the F-20. The office that is suppose to know
about it says they don't, even though the person in charge of the
office has flown one. See New York Times Magazine for all the
details. If anyone wants to know the issue drop me a line, they
are all at home and I am at work.

The whole situation is very much like the P-51 in WWII. North
American built it for the British with an Allison engine. It did
okay but was no wonder plane. A couple of people at a British air
base in England stuck a Merlin engine inside and presto super
plane.  When England said they wanted to buy them with the
Merlin, with lend lease money, the US said we don't make one like
that you can't have it. This was the US army saying NO.

The F-20 is dying the same type of death. The Air Force is saying NO.