The AADF, dissatisfied with Arixo Airworks previous two attempts at aircraft design, really put the pressure on the company to make the definitive Arixo fighter. The plane in question would have a high service ceiling, good maneuverability, durability, and a strong offensive punch. And it had to be inexpensive enough for more than a few dozen to be made. Basically, the AADF wanted the perfect plane. The designers tried a number of different approaches from their last endeavors. They started with trying to maximize the plane's altitude, so they went with a "flying wing," similar to the Navajo Nation's Coyote, which had proven quite a menace to the AADF before. They found it was too sluggish without a proper tail assembly, though, and so they basically cut a third of the wing off the back, and added a traditional rudder/elevator arrangement. Also taking a cue from the Coyote, the designers gave their prototype a pusher engine, which also helped maneuverability. They added an array of the now more reliable Arixo Arms weapons, deciding on four .50-cal cannons, and in an over-under arrangement one each of a .30-cal gun and a .70-cal cannon. All of the weapons were clustered in or very near the nose, which gave the new plane a very precise firing pattern. This placed all the main weight along the centerline, helping to negate the effect of the wide wings on its agility. The designers carved out a space for the cockpit, fitted it with a bubble canopy for greater visibility, and capped it off with some decent armor protection.  Late in 1936, the Airworks declared the plane, now called the AA-3A Rattlesnake, ready for production, and it began active service shortly thereafter.
     The Rattlesnake is far from the perfect plane, but it certainly sufficed. Its service ceiling is a quite respectable 29,000 feet, with a range of 400 miles. A few problems became immediately evident; the bubble canopy, while providing excellent visibility, leaves the pilot a bit vulnerable, and its placement over the wing severely limits visibility below the craft. Also, the engine tends to rattle the the rudder and elevators a lot (an unintentional similarity to the plane's namesake). This hasn't yet caused any serious problems in flight, but the Rattlesnake does require constant maintenance because of it. 
    The biggest problem is that the designers overcompensated for the large wing surface; the Rattlesnake can easily turn more tightly than the wings can handle. This was a real threat at first, as pilots didn't know or forgot about this design flaw, but eventually they got used to it. Arixo Airworks still decided to fix it; by dropping two of the .50-cals, they not only strengthened the wing spars, but increased the acceleration and evened out the armor as well. The newer 3B variant became the popular plane of new recruits, though experienced Rattlesnake pilots decided they didn't like the loss of those guns. Another small problem is that the 3A was never equipped with a zeppelin hook, since Arixo-owned zepps were still pretty rare; the 3B does carry one, though. Both types are seen in equally increasing numbers in the AADF militias. Arixo Airworks has also started selling Rattlesnakes to other nations, so far with only marginal interest.

Class:  Fighter (Pusher) 
Manufacturer: Arixo Airworks, Phoenix, Arixo 
Engine:  16-cylinder Guiberson Model 60 (992 hp) 
Wing Span:  29 ft., 10 in.    Length:  21 ft., 1 in.     Height: 13 ft., 4 in.
Loaded Weight:  9,500 lbs     Service Ceiling:  29,000 ft     Range:  400 miles Max. Speed:  250 mph     Max. Accel: 65.6 fps/s     Max. Decel:  65.6 fps/s 
Weapons: (1) Arixo Arms 30-caliber machine gun, (4) Arixo Arms 50-caliber cannons, (1) Arixo Arms 70-caliber cannon