XF-103 USAF Serial Number Possibilities

[Steve Pace]

Six Fiscal Year 1954 USAF serial numbers were assigned to cancelled aircraft contracts - three numbers each - 54-759 to 54-761 and 54-4044 to 54-4046. Could one of these sets of numbers belong to the three cancelled XF-103 airplanes? -SP

 

[Stargazer]

I have only TWO XF-103 serials, which are 53-7824/7825.

 

[Steve Pace]

My USAF serial number document just says that the numbers 53-7824/-7825 were cancelled with no other info. I believe the USAF ordered three XF-103 airplanes in July 1954 (FY54) - thus, the speculative 54- serial numbers I'm curious about. Sure wish we knew for sure... -SP

 

[Bill Walker]

Joseph Baugher's web site reports 53-7824/7825 as cancelled XF-103s. No further info on 54-759/761 or 54-4044/4046. Those last three are in a middle of MDAP aircraft plus some transfers from the USN to the USAF, including some Neptunes for the CIA.

 

[Steve Pace]

Joseph Baugher's web site reports 53-7824/7825 as cancelled XF-103s. No further info on 54-759/761 or 54-4044/4046. Those last three are in a middle of MDAP aircraft plus some transfers from the USN to the USAF, including some Neptunes for the CIA.

I saw that but I doubt if Baugher has documented proof that 53-7824/-7825 belonged to the XF-103 airplanes. -SP

 

[Stargazer]

Steve, the Encyclopedia of U.S. Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems concurs with your version of THREE aircraft ordered, and gives JULY 1954 as the date of the contract.

This might help if you know the contract dates of the planes immediately before and immediately after the unaccounted for batches.

 

[Steve Pace]

Something to go on - I'll look in to it - thanks for the lead. -SP

 

[Jos Heyman]

You mentioned 54-759/761 as cancelled aircraft. Actually that batch is 54-759/861, ie another 100 additional aircraft. Now, I am not suggesting that there is a possibility that that batch consisted of two different design of 3+100 aircraft but, unless somebody comes up with good documented proof, they stay a cancelled batch, as far as I am concerned.
With respect to Joe Baugher's records, I would humbly suggest that it is not fair to question his data. I would expect that Joe has relied on a multitude of sources over the many years he has been doing this and it would be unfair to expect him have evry source of every serial 'documented'. True, at times Joe gets misinformed by people who come up with "brilliant" ideas that they then spread as 'truth", and when pointed out Joe corrects it.

 

[Steve Pace]

You mentioned 54-759/761 as cancelled aircraft. Actually that batch is 54-759/861, ie another 100 additional aircraft. Now, I am not suggesting that there is a possibility that that batch consisted of two different design of 3+100 aircraft but, unless somebody comes up with good documented proof, they stay a cancelled batch, as far as I am concerned.
With respect to Joe Baugher's records, I would humbly suggest that it is not fair to question his data. I would expect that Joe has relied on a multitude of sources over the many years he has been doing this and it would be unfair to expect him have evry source of every serial 'documented'. True, at times Joe gets misinformed by people who come up with "brilliant" ideas that they then spread as 'truth", and when pointed out Joe corrects it.

My mistake - yes it is 54-759 to 54-861 not 54-759 to 54-761 as I had mistakingly read it. -SP

 

[Vahe Demirjian]

Someone ought to go to the F-103 entry in John Andrade's outdated but still-authoritative book US Military Aircraft Designations and Serials Since 1909 to see if the XF-103 contract used the serials 54-4044/4046 because the serials 53-7824/7825 were issued a year before the XF-103 prototype contract was issued, and 54-4044/4046 would make a numerical fit for the three F-103 prototypes.