Martin XB-51 A proposed 3-jet medium bomber from 1949. Two prototypes were built, and the USAF cancelled the project in 1952. Here's what it may have looked like in service during the Viet Nam War. Markings are for the 13th Bomb Group circa 1970, Ubon, Thailand, which actually flew B-57s.

North American F-107A Only three of this prototype fighter were built in the late 1950s, before the design was rejected by the Air Force Here's what it may have looked like in service during the Viet Nam War. Markings are for the 44th Tactical Fighter Squadron circa 1970, which actually flew F-105s.

General Dynamics F-16XL GD's in-house proposal for a heavier attack version of the F-16, which lost in competition to the McDonnel Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle. Click the picture to launch a page showing several of my F-16XL models.

Northrop F-20 Tigershark Northrop's proposal for a lightweight fighter. I painted this 1/72 Hasegawa kit in spurious operationa markings, hung Mavericks under the wings, and added a crew from Hasegawas accessary sets.

Northrop F-20 Tigershark As it may have appeared in Republic of China markings, in defense of Taiwan The Freedom Models 1/48 kit with a healthy air defense loadout of Sidewinders and AIM-120s. Conjectural paint scheme with home made decals.

Northrop F-20C Tigershark As it may have appeared on an anti-tank sorti, in "Euro-1" camo in a NATO/USSR conflict over the Fulda Gap, circa 1982. True Details ejection seat, kit and home made decals.

Lockheed YF-22 Lightning II Lockheed's winning entry in the Advanced Technology Fighter competition. The production aircraft was radically redesigned from this prototype.

Northrop YF-23 Black Widow II Northrop's Entry into the Advanced Technology Fighter competition. The 1/72 DML kit, painted in spurious operational markings for Mountain Home AFB.

Northrop YF-23 Black Widow II Northrop's Entry into the Advanced Technology Fighter competition. The 1/48 Hobby Boss kit, built out of the box.

Boeing X-32 Joint Strike Fighter Boeing's losing entry into the Joint Strike Fighter competition. Italeri 1/72 Scale.

Lockheed F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Lockheed's winning design. 1/48 Scale Panda Models kit - a nice model, but fairly inaccurate to the real airplane. I rendered it in notional markings for VMA-223, currently a Marine Harrier squadron, using SuperScale decals.

American Atomic Bomber A 1955 proposal presented in Life Magazine for a plane powered by an atomic reactor Fantastic Plastic's 1/144 scale resin kit

Ragnarok Orbital Interceptor Aurora Models' fictional nuclear-powered interceptor The classic kit with some resin replacement parts and replacement decals

Convair NX-2 Nuclear Powered Bomber A 1959 proposal for an intercontinental bomber using nuclear jet engines. Fantastic Plastic's 1/144 resin kit with some home-made decals

Testors F-19 Stealth Fighter Testors Model Company's totally fictional design, released before we knew what the real Stealth Fighter looked like. I modified it by rounding the tails and adding rounded canards to match the "wing" planform. This model made it into Fine Scale Modeler's readers' gallery a long time ago. 1/48 scale.

Boeing's Proposed Blended-Wing Bomber A recent concept for a giant lifting body/flying wing bomber/transport/tanker Fantastic Plastic's 1/144 scale resin kit

Hawker/BAE P.1214 Harrier II The rejected 1980 proposal for a supersonic successor to the classic Harrier. Fantastic Plastic's 1/72 resin kit, painted as if operational in Afghanistan in 2006.