Originally Posted by
ORAC
...
If you want bad design read up on the F4D Skyray. Large wing, small(ish) tail. Apparently flying a carrier circuit was like trying to balance a marble on a greased tray...
Don't confuse the
F4D with the later A4D (A-4) Skyhawk or "Scooter". The F4D was a tail-less (modified delta) design, and didn't last long in the USN. The A-4 is still in service.
I worked with a guy who flew the XF4D for systems development work. He confirmed its unstable nature - you didn't want to do anything in a hurry, and had to fly it 100% of the time. He later flew F-104's and found that ship very much to his liking - although it too demanded respect.
And - Before the F-104's downward ejection seat, the B-47 radar-bombardier-navigator seat in the nose was a downward design.