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@GA2G
I was going to post this later, but since its been already mentioned, I will add the post now.
I'm a bit of a fan of British planes, and maybe some will say they weren't the best, but in at least one plane, they were. And that plane is the BAC English Electric Lightning. As an out-and-out interceptor, there was no plane in the world to match it.
Its rate of climb was 50,000 ft per minute, and in 1984 Flt Lt Mike Hale took the Lightning to 88,000 ft, where he intercepted a U-2 American spy plane in a joint military exercise. The U-2, was essentially a high altitude glider, with engines, and an extraordinary wingspan. It was designed to fly at a height that air-to-air, and many ground-to-air missiles could not effectively reach.
In other tests, [ame="http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showpost.php?p=17012859&postcount=1"]the Lightning was the ONLY fighter to be able to catch and overtake Concorde[/ame]. Saying alot about Concorde, and the Lighting. Its range was pathetic though, so as a fighter, many were better. But as a high speed interceptor, it was the best in the world. Many modern fighters still cannot match its climb rate. Way, way, way ahead of its time.
I'll let somebody else talk about the groundbreaking Hawker-Siddley Harrier.
By the way, the best site for comparing fighter plane specs is here.
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