The Nuclear-Proof Jet America Ditched

The XF-90 was built like no fighter before… or since. At a time when no one knew what supersonic flight would do to metal, Skunk Works chose brute force over guesswork. They forged the strongest airframe on Earth: 75S aluminum over a steel spine, the fuselage braced until it was closer to armor than aircraft. It was forged to be at least 50 percent stronger than any warplane in the entire world. It was meant to ride with the giant B-36 Peacemaker, to dive beyond the speed of sound and deliver nuclear fire across the globe. Then, in 1952, a blinding flash lit up its aluminum skin. The tail quivered, and the landing gear trembled like Jell-O as a shockwave equal to thousands of tons of TNT smashed into its airframe, followed by a mushroom cloud rising into the sky. It was time to see if the strongest plane in the world could take a nuclear blast. --- Join Dark Skies as we explore the world of aviation with cinematic short documentaries featuring the biggest and fastest airplanes ever built, top-secret military projects, and classified missions with hidden untold true stories. Including US, German, and Soviet warplanes, along with aircraft developments that took place during World War I, World War 2, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf War, and special operations mission in between. As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Skies sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect and soundtracks for emotional impact. We do our best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Skies is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas.