The F-43 Starcat is an aircraft carrier capable fighter/interceptor developed in the mid 1980s to counter the growing threat of low-earth-orbit reconnaissance and communications satellites during the Cold War. The Starcat is the fastest aircraft to ever operate from an aircraft carrier, and despite its large size, was a formidable fighter, capable of spreading its wings for air-to-air maneuvering. Dubbed the “Blackcat” by crews due to its gunship grey color, the F-43 was the first aircraft to feature retractable canards and an experimental “full glass” digital cockpit and heads-up display. 

Additional Info: Due to its size, for arrested landings, the Starcat would land in wings-mid with canards extended. Wings and canards can be set to auto or manual.

The Starcat was first featured in MI101, where DEV4 pilot C.B. Thomspon intercepted an Sk-70 over the southern Mediterranean Sea.

GOUGE

AR101 card material was cut from the following source vehicles: F-14A Tomcat; SR-71 Blackbird; YF-12. Part numbers and their corresponding source vehicles will be posted prior to shipment.