Also fun fact: the F-104 Starfighter also had dart in the nick name here in Europe. It was called the lawn dart because so many of them crashed. This was due to the lesser pilot experience but also the change in role from interceptor to multirole fighter + ground support for which it was uniquely unsuited with its tiny wings. So low and slow was not a good role for it.
Actually, the F-104 aerodynamics were quite well-suited to the low-level strike mission. Small, highly-loaded wings reduce the effects of low-level turbulence. A dedicated low-level strike airframe like the TSR-2 has similarly tiny wings.
What led to the high crash rate for some operators (other operators had much lower losses) was the jump in aircraft complexity and performance combined with an inherently challenging and dangerous low-level strike mission.
Starting in the late twentieth century, the safety of metal-tipped lawn darts was called into question in several countries. After thousands of injuries and at least three children's deaths were attributed to lawn darts, the sharp-pointed darts were banned for sale in the United States and Canada.
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Also fun fact: the F-104 Starfighter also had dart in the nick name here in Europe. It was called the lawn dart because so many of them crashed. This was due to the lesser pilot experience but also the change in role from interceptor to multirole fighter + ground support for which it was uniquely unsuited with its tiny wings. So low and slow was not a good role for it.
Actually, the F-104 aerodynamics were quite well-suited to the low-level strike mission. Small, highly-loaded wings reduce the effects of low-level turbulence. A dedicated low-level strike airframe like the TSR-2 has similarly tiny wings.
What led to the high crash rate for some operators (other operators had much lower losses) was the jump in aircraft complexity and performance combined with an inherently challenging and dangerous low-level strike mission.
Another fun fact about lawn darts:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawn_darts
Over in the UK in the 80s, as kids, we played lawn darts and not once did we manage to injure ourselves.
Not once have I, nor any family member, died in a car accident.