It was the era of sounded-like-a- good-idea-at-the-time designs. Airplanes that took off straight up, hanging from enormous contra-rotating props or climbing a beanstalk of jet thrust. Jets launched from flatbed trucks, flung into the air by rockets. Inflatable airplanes. Flying wings. Tailless deltas. Jet seaplanes. Jet seaplane fighters. So there was nothing unusual about taking an early jet fighter, the Republic F-84 Thunderjet, and putting a propeller on it. But wasn't aviation trying to get rid of propellers? Never mind, we're going to drive this propeller with an enormous turbine engine―two engines, in fact, coupled through a common gearbox―and we'll spin it so fast that the prop tips will be traveling at 9,01 mph―Mach 1.18, At least the prop will be supersonic.
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