I remember an article Hot Rod did back in the 80's concerning Top Fuel rails and fighter jets. It's obvious that a Top Fuel accelerates faster than a fighter jet on take-off, so they decided to see if it accelerated faster than a fighter launched on a catapult like you see on aircraft carriers.
They used an F/A-18A Hornet (very recent design at that point) versus Big Daddy Don Garlits new Aero-nose rail. Garlits had one of the quickest rails in the world at that point. The plane had the homefiled advantage as they ran 'em head-to-head on a Navy airfield., Said field had been modified with a catapult to allow pilots to train with the catapult in non-Carrier situations (carrier flight being for more advanced pilots). The bigger advantage for the jet was that a Navy airfield does not have the long section of old, sticky rubber laid on it like every drag strip on the planet. In essence, the plane was operating under optimum conditions, and the dragster was going to have major traction issues.
They made three passes with the pilot pouring it on and Garlits giving it as much as he could with poor traction. In each case, Big Daddy Don and his Aero-Rat slammed the Hornet.
I wonder if the new Super Hornets might turn better trap times, but the dragsters of today are even more bad-ass than Don's Aero-Rat of the 80's. Top Fuel drag racing truly is a sight, sound, and feeling (the engine noise vibrates your whole body) to experience. NASCAR has nothing on it.
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