Editing Heavy fighter (section)

== After World War II ==

Like other military types, piston-engine heavy fighters such as the de Havilland Hornet and [[Sea Hornet]], as well as the North American F-82 Twin Mustang continued in service in the years immediately after the war. All were developed at the end of World War&nbsp;II for use in the Pacific theatre, though none reached operational squadrons until after VJ day, the Hornet in 1946, the Sea Hornet in 1947 and the Twin Mustang in 1948.

[[File:North_American_XP-82_Twin_Mustang_44-83887.Color.jpg|thumb|The XP-82 prototype of the [[F-82 Twin Mustang]].]]

[[Fourth-generation jet fighter|4th-generation]] and [[Fifth-generation jet fighter|5th-generation]] [[air superiority fighter]]s are designed to wrest [[air superiority]] from the enemy in hostile territory, and thus usually have greater range than tactical fighters or interceptors. They therefore typically have two engines,{{citation needed|date=January 2020|reason = technically incorrect.}}<ref>The Breguet Range Equation shows range is independent of size and engine count (twin jets get slightly less due to more boat-tail drag). To a first order range depends on fuel fraction, relative drag (per pound), and engine efficiency. That is why the single engine F-16 had superior range to every other American fighter when it was introduced. See [[Range (aeronautics)]].</ref> and often carry a larger number of air-to-air missiles than their smaller brethren. They typically also have more capable and complex radar and electronic systems, with the result that in older air-superiority fighters such as the [[McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II]] or [[Grumman F-14 Tomcat]], a second dedicated crew member was carried to manage radar and weapon-systems.