Nation of Origin: Iosia
Role: Fighter
First Flight: July 14th 1975
Introduction: April 9th 1978 (D variant January 17th 1984)
Status: In service
Number Built: 4,801

The Elevair Aeronautics F-50 Mako is a single-engine multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by Elevair Aeronautics for the Iosian Federation Air Force (IFAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,600 aircraft have been built since production was approved in 1976. Although no longer being purchased by Iosia, improved versions are being built for export customers such as Nordenvok, El Salvorco Del Mauno and Dieswen.

Experiences in the Hon-Kain crisis revealed the need for air superiority fighters and better air-to-air training for fighter pilots. Based on his experiences in the crisis and as a fighter tactics instructor in the early 1960s, Colonel Oscar McCarty with mathematician Chris Pherson-Vaughan developed the energy–maneuverability theory to model a fighter aircraft's performance in combat. McCarty's work called for a small, lightweight aircraft that could maneuver with the minimum possible energy loss and which also incorporated an increased thrust-to-weight ratio. In the late 1960s, McCarty gathered a group of like-minded innovators, and in 1969, they secured Department of Defense funding for Elevair Aeronautics to study design concepts based on the theory.

The F-50 Mako is described as a three surface aircraft, with canards, forward-swept wings, and aft strake control surfaces, using three-surface longitudinal control. The canards and wings result in reduced trim drag and reduced wave drag, while using the strakes for trim in situations where the center of gravity is off provides less trim drag than relying on the canard to compensate.

The Elevair Aeronautics F-50 Mako is also outfitted with four onboard computers that process 57 corrections per second to correct any instabilities in the aircraft. To assist with landing and take off to prevent over-rotating and wing warping, a fifth computer assists in near automatic landing, making the F-50 Mako one of the most advanced aircraft of it's era.

The F-50D is an upgraded variation of the F-50B with advanced avionics, strengthened pylons, and upgraded engines.

Inspired off the F-16 and X-29

Performance

Maximum Speed: 1,208 Mph (1944.088 kph)
Cruise Speed: 597 Mph (959 kph)
Never Exceed Speed: 1534.54 mph
Maximum Ceiling: 59,500 ft
Maximum Range: 2,277 nmi (2,620 mi, 4,217 km) with drop tanks

Armament

1 × 20 mm (0.787 in) M61A1 Vulcan 6-barrel rotary cannon, 511 rounds
6 × AIM-9 Sidewinder
2 × AIM-120 AMRAAM

Action Groups:
1 - Afterburner
2 - Navigation Lights and interior
3 - Drop tanks
4 -
5 -Eject
6 -
7 - Flap control / (VTOL up) Canopy open, Drag Chute at >120 MPH
8 - Lock cannards/ CPU assisted autopilot

Special Thanks to:
CheeseTruffles - engine
Universal delay - edensk
BangRou - help with FTs