Highlighting some similarities where features of an older design can sometimes, if squinting right, be found in newer designs. Sometimes it’s fairly obvious, sometimes slightly surprising. (All images created with Gemini)
Ramp inlets
F-15 is iconic, but everyone knows it resembles the Mig-25 which resembles the A-5 Vigilante. The A-5 in turn was influenced by North American’s cancelled XF-108 Rapier:
The Lightweight Fighter Program
YF-16 vs YF-17. Convair had become General Dynamics by the time F-16 rolled out, and even though the B-58 was an aircraft for a completely different mission, there’s still something similar between them. The drooping nose, the dropping waistline, the tail. The F-16 inlet is also somewhat similar to B-58’s pod:
YF-17 and thus the F/A-18 had perhaps some Northrop F-5 influence:
The ATF competition
The stealth fighter prototypes evolved from different lineage
If you squint a lot, Northrop’s YF-23 resembled their Tacit Blue stealth demonstrator:
While Lockheed’s YF-22 had evolved from something F-117-like:
In the end, YF-22 won, but F-22 took some influence from YF-23 in the front fuselage
AI Disclaimer
I’ve used AI as a tool, and it’s mentioned up front what content is created with it. AI did not write any of the text. It has been used as a tool to communicate an idea, to help in styling.
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