The pursuit of flight has been dreamed ever since the age of Ancient Romans. This time around, the said goal has been achieved where planes, rockets, and even choppers are staying high up in the sky, and beyond. However, man’s thirst for reaching the unreachable and achieving the impossible cannot be satiated, which wrought the creation of planes that goes faster than the speed of sound. This year, there are planes that have broken records that are made by the aircraft of the past and following is the list of 10 fastest aircraft in 2012
Known to be as the world’s fastest strategic bomber, the F-111 Aardvark, being created by General Dynamics, goes at a top speed of 1,850 miles per hour, or Mach 1.3. When it was first made as an Air Force Fighter, there were different errors and deficiencies found, which made it to be a land based aircraft.
Reaching maximum speed of over 1,875 miles per hour or Mach 2.35, the F-15 Eagle is the speediest US Jet Fighter to fly the skies. Despite of carrying over a maximum weight of 24,500 lbs, which consists of bombs, missiles, and fuel load, the plane, can go at top speed with ease.
The Valkyrie, as created by the North American Aviation during the 1950s was made to avoid interceptors and other jet fighters, as it can fly to over 1,890 miles per hour, or can go Mach 3.05. Working as a strategic bomber, its existence was to prepare the B-70, a nuclear-armed strategic bomber for the US.
Apart from most planes included on this list, the Bell X-2 is actually a research plane that is used to study and advance research in aerodynamics, temperature control, maneuverability, and control, which made way for better and faster planes to be made. It can go for as fast as 1,900 miles per hour, or Mach 3 to 3.2.
Getting head to head with the F-15, the Mikoyan MiG-25 is famed to be the world’s fastest jet fighter, which flies at a speed of over 2,000 miles per hour, or Mach 3.2 at maximum speed. It had two versions: the reconnaissance type that flew in 1969 and the interceptor in 1972. Even though maneuverability is an issue for the said aircraft, it was able to get over F-15 missiles with no problem, dodging 10 missiles altogether during the Gulf War.
Posed to be the predecessor of the SR-71 Blackbird, the Lockheed YF-12A first flew in August 7, 1963 within the territory of Area 51, in concealing the A-12 from the world. It was seen at the Edwards Air Force Base in California, which made the said aircraft public. It flew at 2,070 miles per hour, or overlapping the Mach 3.2.
On July 27, 1976, the SR-71 Blackbird has set a world record for the fastest still standing speed record of 2,193.17 miles per hour, and it is able to reach a max speed of 2,200 mph or Mach 3.5 to 3.7. Due to its fast flight, its body has been made of titanium, instead of the usual aluminum, for it to withstand heat that can go as high as 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit that impacts the wings and the fuselage. Just imagine that this is the fastest manned jet aircraft conquering the skies.
The X-15 was made by North America and was destined to be a plane that makes its pilots cross the borders of being plane pilots to astronauts, because it has consistently reached and gone beyond the 50 mile-height with ease. With a speed of 4,520 miles per hour or Mach 6.7, it was perfect for space training as this plane was used by the famous astronaut, Neil Armstrong, before he went on the mission for the moon.
Over the years since 2004, the X-43A Scramjet created by NASA has reached the record of being the fastest aircraft in the world, considering its design, aesthetics, and flight limitations. With a top speed of over 7,000 miles per hour, or being 9.3 times faster than the speed of sound, this unmanned plane can reach the top speed in just 11 seconds, which is amazing at any degree.
The Falcon HTV-2 or Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 2 can fly at a crazy speed of 13,000 miles per hour, making it 3.6 miles per second or being 20 times faster than sound. It can travel from London, England to Sydney, Australia in just 60 minutes. This plane is created to address terrorist attacks by sending a plane directly from American bases in a matter of minutes.