AVIATION: Hail to the Chief

The missile-age budget presented by President Eisenhower for fiscal 1961 gave the makers of manned aircraft little to cheer about (TIME, Jan. 25). But to one old-line plane maker it brought a wide, and somewhat surprised, smile. Among the funds requested were $440 million for another 220 of Republic Aviation's F-IO5 supersonic fighter-bombers, the only fighter plane in the Air Force budget. Together with orders already in hand, it brings Republic's F-105 program to 358 planes, and the Air Force plans eventually to buy 900 planes worth a hefty $1.8 billion.

Republic...

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