Many thanks dude, there is light indeed at the end of the tunnel - and not simply because it is on fire!
The whole concept of 'Supercruise' is quite stunning and the thought occurs; was it played for, or a happy outcome of the way the design froze?
They never did. The original TU 144 engine was an apalling lump, and the intake was crude, both aerodynamically and in terms of it's control system. One of the major problems with the TU144 was it;s inabity to supercruise without the use of afterburning, due entirely to inadequate control on inlet airflow as well as a far too simple NK144 engine.
Your comments about the Tu144 are astonishing and quite unexpected. I had heard, over the years, that Concordski was a triumph of the Soviet state and a very close competitor to Concorde. You are saying though, that it could not maintain Mach 2 without reheat?
Having said that, I also read that there were external clues - to those that really know aeroplanes - that Concordski was actually a donkey. The canards, for example?
Thanks again for the extra info about the intake.
Roger.