# U.S. combat aircraft that were never used in combat? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 15, 2013, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-combat-aircraft-that-were-never-used-in-combat/668917 "2013-09-15T15:47:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-combat-aircraft-that-were-never-used-in-combat/668917/1 "2013-09-15T15:47:51Z")
The Boeing B-47 Stratojet was a bomber, but it never dropped a bomb in anger. The closest it came to ‘combat’ was in its reconnaissance variant. Since it was a bomber, I’m not counting recon missions; so by that criterion, the B-47 was a combat aircraft that was never used in combat. (Of course it was very important as a deterrent.) Another one I can think of that never saw combat was the Convair F-106 Delta Dart. What other U.S. combat aircraft were never used in combat? Note that by ‘combat’ I mean some sort of ‘killer’ mission, and not reconnaissance, AEW, etc. Also, I’m asking about production aircraft that were accepted into service. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-combat-aircraft-that-were-never-used-in-combat/668917/2 "2013-09-15T15:54:11Z")
The [B-36](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convair_B-36), for one. I’m sure there are plenty of others. The wikipedia article mentions it being developed for hawaii-japan-hawaii missions without refueling, but I’ve read elsewhere its impetus was the ability to fly from the US to Europe and back - in case England fell in WWII. It wasn’t ready before the war ended, and was outclassed by jets by the time it was in service. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-combat-aircraft-that-were-never-used-in-combat/668917/3 "2013-09-15T16:18:34Z")
Ryan FR Fireball > **[Ryan FR Fireball](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryan_FR_Fireball)** > > The Ryan FR Fireball was an American mixed-power (piston and jet-powered) fighter aircraft designed by Ryan Aeronautical for the United States Navy during World War II. It was the Navy's first aircraft with a jet engine. Only 66 aircraft were built before Japan surrendered in August 1945. The FR-1 Fireball equipped a single squadron before the war's end, but did not see combat. The aircraft ultimately proved to lack the structural strength required for operations aboard aircraft carriers and w ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-combat-aircraft-that-were-never-used-in-combat/668917/4 "2013-09-15T16:18:57Z")
Pretty much the entire combat-aircraft output of the US between late WW2 and early Vietnam qualifies. And that’s a whole lotta types. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-combat-aircraft-that-were-never-used-in-combat/668917/5 "2013-09-15T16:19:29Z")
F-105s were famously never deployed to Vietnam. Did they see combat anywhere before they were mothballed? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-combat-aircraft-that-were-never-used-in-combat/668917/6 "2013-09-15T16:25:19Z")
Was that a typo? Something like half the entire production run of F-105’s were shot down in Vietnam. Maybe you meant F-104’s? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-combat-aircraft-that-were-never-used-in-combat/668917/7 "2013-09-15T16:25:52Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > F-105s were famously never deployed to Vietnam. Did they see combat anywhere before they were mothballed? They were used as the primary attack aircraft in the early part of the war in Vietnam. They also flew ‘Wild Weasel’ missions. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-combat-aircraft-that-were-never-used-in-combat/668917/8 "2013-09-15T16:26:53Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Maybe you meant F-104’s? F-104s flew nearly 3,000 combat sorties in Vietnam. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-combat-aircraft-that-were-never-used-in-combat/668917/9 "2013-09-15T16:27:57Z")
Currently, the F-22. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-combat-aircraft-that-were-never-used-in-combat/668917/10 "2013-09-15T16:30:12Z")
My bad, I meant F-106s. Which a quick gooja turns up the leading phrase “never used in combat.” ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-combat-aircraft-that-were-never-used-in-combat/668917/11 "2013-09-15T16:31:26Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > F-104s flew nearly 3,000 combat sorties in Vietnam. Unmemorable ones, apparently. :smack: OK, F-102’s and F-106’s, then. They were apparently a popular choice among ANG pilots who didn’t want their asses shot off, I understand. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![SanDiegoTim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@SanDiegoTim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanDiegoTim)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-combat-aircraft-that-were-never-used-in-combat/668917/12 "2013-09-15T16:53:46Z")
The RA-5 Vigilante, which was not originally designated (RA) as a reconnaissance aircraft, was conceived to be a carrier-launched nuclear-capable bomber. Matter of fact it was the largest jet aircraft ever launched from the USS Midway. All that said, with missile technology advancing as it did, it was converted to a reconnaissance aircraft with additional duties as a tanker. Not sure, but I don’t think it was otherwise armed. Obviously, it never saw any combat action. ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-combat-aircraft-that-were-never-used-in-combat/668917/13 "2013-09-15T17:37:15Z")
The [P-3 Orion](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_P-3_Orion) I think should get an honorable mention. It was introduced in 1962 and is very much a combat aircraft having flown thousands and thousands of armed anti-submarine sorties, but I think an attack on a Libyan gun boat back in 2011 was the first time it’s actually fired a weapon in earnest, meeting the definition of “combat” in the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Glazer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a88e57/32.png) [@Glazer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glazer)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-combat-aircraft-that-were-never-used-in-combat/668917/14 "2013-09-15T17:37:58Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Pretty much the entire combat-aircraft output of the US between late WW2 and early Vietnam qualifies. And that’s a whole lotta types. Dude. Korea? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-combat-aircraft-that-were-never-used-in-combat/668917/15 "2013-09-15T17:46:46Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Currently, the F-22. There’s still time. I think we should exclude current front-line aircraft. > [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > OK, F-102’s and F-106’s, then. F-102s were used in Vietnam, and engaged in air-to-air and air-to-ground combat. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-combat-aircraft-that-were-never-used-in-combat/668917/16 "2013-09-15T18:02:04Z")
I don’t think the B-58 ever saw combat. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-combat-aircraft-that-were-never-used-in-combat/668917/17 "2013-09-15T18:32:19Z")
The Sparrowhawk, flown from Navy airships, fits the bill: [Curtiss F9C Sparrowhawk - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_F9C_Sparrowhawk) And the very cool-looking B-58 Hustler, despite its starring role in both versions of _Fail-Safe_: [Convair B-58 Hustler - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-58_Hustler) ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-combat-aircraft-that-were-never-used-in-combat/668917/18 "2013-09-15T18:50:01Z")
The US never used the P26 in combat, but the Chinese and Spanish Republicans did. It’s main defense against Zeroes was that it was [so cute,](http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Peashooter.arp.750pix.jpg) I mean, come on, how could you shoot it? ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-combat-aircraft-that-were-never-used-in-combat/668917/19 "2013-09-15T19:20:26Z")
The [B 36](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convair_B-36), thankfully, never dropped it’s bombs in earnest. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-combat-aircraft-that-were-never-used-in-combat/668917/20 "2013-09-15T19:20:37Z")
Keystone B3, B4, B5, B6. And quite a few other aircraft built and designed 1918-1930something. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-combat-aircraft-that-were-never-used-in-combat/668917.md?page=2)