The Soviet fighter MiG-15 proved to be a menace that the United States wasn't ready to take on.

In an effort to create an aircraft that could beat the Soviet fighter jet, the Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation started to redesign its existing fighter aircraft, the F9- Cougar.

In line with Grumman's tradition of naming their carrier-based fighters after felines, the Navy chose the name Tiger for the F11F.

This aircraft showed promise from its maiden flight, where it almost achieved Mach 1 speed. The Tiger was also the second Navy aircraft to later reach supersonic speeds.

In fact, this aircraft was so fast, it managed to shoot itself down...

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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.