What-if mid-1970s twin-engined air superiority fighter

[Rule of cool]

FWIW, I get Blue Dolphin Mk.4 as a direct Skyflash equivalent entering service in 1978.

Did that gave the reorganised innards of the Red Top, or still have the strange internal layout of the Firestreak?

 

[Yellow Palace]

Did that gave the reorganised innards of the Red Top, or still have the strange internal layout of the Firestreak?

You overestimate the level of detail in my workings. But broadly my assumption is that the SARH and IR missiles develop in parallel, so along the lines of Blue Vesta/Red Top.

 

[Rule of cool]

You overestimate the level of detail in my workings. But broadly my assumption is that the SARH and IR missiles develop in parallel, so along the lines of Blue Vesta/Red Top.

Fair enough, and I think a lot of Red Top's advances came from general advances n missiles during he development period. I think slapping a SARH nose onto a Red Top would make a viable weapon.

One thing I've noticed about Red Top itself and considered a drawback is the 2 minute warm-up time, however once warmed up their was air to keep the missile live for 30 minutes. Given even a big belly Lightning has a flight endurance of about 75 minutes it sounds as if the Lightning could fly 25 minutes to a CAP station, turn on the Red Top, stay on station for 25 minutes (with 5 minute combat reserve) with the missile ready to fire, and fly home 25 minutes.