One of the most stubborn of design origins in the SWORD fleet os PROBE FORCE 2, which is shown here in both it's Century 21 and Tarheel boxes [Moonbase collection].
The toy space-plane and the box art in close-up above and below show the PF2's distinguishing features including a thick main body, deltoid wings and two top rockets/foreplanes.
Although not wholly convincing there are some similarities with the 1961 AQM-37 Jayhawk missile of the US Navy as seen below.
The Jayhawk is popular with modern rocketry enthusiasts as shown here.
I feel that there's something here but it's not enough to pin down PF2. This drawing of the Jayhawk show that the rear wing fins [proper name?] are clearly an important feature and oddly enough one which we associate not with Probe Force 2 but with Task Force 3 pictured at the bottom. Interesting but not conclusive for either. The search goes on!
PF2 has a distinct lack of vertical stabilizers. The design is completely impractical without an anti-gravity drive. ;-) Sean
ReplyDeleteCould those front missiles on PF2 be fuel tanks instead, as per the U.S. Starfighter?
ReplyDeleteThere'll be several descriptions of the PF2 in the comic strips, the Manual and the Annual. The one I like is in the TV21 1969 Annual, which describes the armed forplanes Andy. Have a look
ReplyDeletehttp://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RsCCizsWvNw/S0Na7eIu74I/AAAAAAAAGys/Z9hRDuUcvyc/s1600-h/tv21+annual+1969+SWORD+028.JPG
Thanks for the reference.
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