Whilst perusing the back catalog of Hushkit.net, I ran across an interesting article on cancelled COunter INsurgency (COIN) aircraft. The aircraft in the top position seemed familiar somehow. Then it hit me: The Krant from Wing Commander!
Okay, maybe that’s a little bit of a stretch. The Krant is twin engine, with canards and massive vertical tails midspan on the wings, where the T-12 is mostly conventional, other than the cockpit layout. If anything, the T-12 seems to share a few common design elements with another Sukoi project begun around the same period, the Su-47 Berkut.
Granted, also, that the much more well known P-82 Twin Mustang, or even the various German twinning designs such as the Bf-109Z “Zwilling” were more than likely the inspiration when the game artists were coming up with the design for the Krant. Still, it’s a pretty good comparison. Forward swept wings, twin cockpits, lots of missiles, and the characteristic ugly and weird look that seems to be a favorite of both actual Russian designers and the various game artists who designed Kilrathi ships for the first three Wing Commander games.