Manned Hypersonic Test Vehicle

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Oct 242022

A photo of a wind tunnel model of a Republic Aviation design for a Manned Hypersonic Test Vehicle configuration. The photo was published in 1969, but the program was circa 1965. It used a configuration previously studied as both an Aerospaceplane (airbreathing SSTO) and Mach 10 recon. That latter design was written about and illustrated in US Research & Recon Projects #2. You can tell that this is the subscale demonstrator, rather than one of the full-scale operational vehicles, because of the additional fuel tanks, projection from the lower fuselage. The fuselage was conical and ringed with a scramjet engine; a rocket engine in the tail would, after separation from a B-52 carrier aircraft, accelerate the vehicle past Mach 7 or so to scramjet operational speed.

Aug 212020

How to carry your FISH

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Jun 092019

FISH (“First Invisible Super Hustler”) was a ca. 1958 Convair design for a Mach 4 ramjet powered recon aircraft. As ramjets are terrible at accelerating from the runway to cruise speed, the FISH was to be carried underneath a B-58 bomber. The FISH was a relatively small craft, but not *that* small; it actually didn’t quite fit underneath the B-58. Consequently it’s nose was designed to fold down and back while the B-58 was on the ground, providing clearance for the B-58’s nosegear. After liftoff and gear retraction the nose would fold up into its proper position. This would clearly have required fairly powerful actuators as the nose would basically be a substantial drag brake as it folded forward into position.

The FISH was described in the first issue of US Recon & Research Projects, available HERE.

The FISH was derived from the prior “Super Hustler” design study for a ramjet powered Mach 4 parasite bomber to be carried under the B-58. In the case of the Super-Hustler, a special booster stage was used, basically creating a three-stage vehicle. The FISH, if it worked, would have been a masterpiece of engineering, but the requirement for a carrier aircraft was cumbersome to say the least. It was followed by the single-stage “Kingfish,” but in the end the Lockheed SR-71 was chosen. Not quite as fast as FISH, but much more practical.

Bell STOL transport art

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Nov 232018

In 1972 Bell designed a STOL jet transport, a concept that competed for the Advanced Medium STOL Transport role that the McDonnell-Douglas YC-15 and the Boeing YC-14 were built for. The Bell aircraft appeared to be largely conventional in layout, but it was actually quite different from every other transport: the engine nacelles were not only fitted with Harrier-like thrust vectoring nozzles to redirect the core exhaust, the flow could be diverted from the fans to augmenters in the wings. These, it was hoped, would greatly increase static thrust, allowing the aircraft to lift off from unimproved runways in a short distance. As part of their proposal, Bell also designed a proof of concept demonstrator to be built from parts of a C-130. The demonstrator could itself be used as a fair cargo transport, though of course it would not be as well optimized as the all-new vehicles. Unfortunately, the augmenter-wing concept for vertical thrust turned out to be a major disappointment as it steadfastly refused to scale up well.

The demonstrator was recently diagrammed and described in detail in US Recon & Research Projects #03, and the operational version in US Transport Projects #08.

USRP #3 can be downloaded as a PDF file for only $4.25:

USTP #8 can be downloaded as a PDF file for only $4.25:

I’ve uploaded the full rez versions of these scans to the 2018-11 APR Extras folder on Dropbox, available to all APR Patrons at the $4 level and above. If this sort of thing is of interest, please consider signing up for the APR Patreon.

New: US Fighter, Transport, Launcher, Recon & Research Projects

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Nov 072018

Now available… four new issues in the US Aerospace Projects line.

US Fighter Projects #3

Cover art was provided by Rob Parthoens, www.baroba.be

US Fighter Projects #03 is now available (see HERE for the entire series). Issue #3 includes:

Vought Advanced Interceptor AI-0604R: a dart-winged ejector ramjet-powered concept
Convair Nuclear Powered Interceptor Configuration I: a single0seat interceptor with a nuclear reactor
General Dynamics F-111X-7: A stretched F-111 for bomber escort and interception
Bell Ramjet Fighter: A subsonic small fighter from the end of WWII
Convair XP-92: A post-war delta-winged ramjet powered supersonic interceptor
Rockwell D736-4 Supersonic Penetrator: the wings could sweep back entirely within the fuselage
Lockheed CL-362-2: A high-altitude hypersonic rocketplane
NASA-Langley TBF-1: an unusual supercruiser

USFP #3 can be downloaded as a PDF file for only $4.25:

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US Launch Vehicle Projects #5

Cover art was provided by Rob Parthoens, www.baroba.be

US Launch Vehicle Projects #5 is now available (see HERE for the entire series). Issue #5 includes:

North American Aviation 600K SSTO: an early concept for cheap space launch
Boeing “Windjammer” SSTO: A horizontal takeoff design form the early 70s
JSC Winged Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle: A giant SPS launcher
NASA Nova “Saturn C-8”: an early Apollo booster
Lockheed Reusable Ten-Ton Orbital Carrier: A logistics system from the early 60s
Chrysler Hot Air Balloon S-IB: An unusual approach to booster recovery
MSC Orbiter 042A Titan IIIL6: A shuttle design with a delta-winged orbiter on an enlarged Titan
General Dynamics Model 202: a preliminary design for a Brilliant Pebbles launcher

USLP #5 can be downloaded as a PDF file for only $4.25:

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US Recon & Research Projects #3

Cover art was provided by Rob Parthoens, www.baroba.be

US Recon & Research Projects #3 is now available (see HERE for the entire series). Issue #3 includes:

Lockheed A-2: An early design leading to the SR-71
Boeing NuERA 747: A nuclear powered 747
General Dynamics SX-109 “Pathfinder”: a subscale SSTO demonstrator
Northrop N-165: A giant U-2 alternate
Convair M-125: A high altitude/speed single seat recon plane with toxic fuel
Bell AMST STOL Prototype: A heavily modified C-130
Convair Nuclear AEW: unmanned, nuclear powered VTOL fleet defense recon platform
Boeing Model 818-300: an early 60s battlefield surveillance platform

USRP #3 can be downloaded as a PDF file for only $4.25:

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US Transport Projects #8

Cover art was provided by Rob Parthoens, www.baroba.be

US Transport Projects #8 is now available (see HERE for the entire series). Issue #8 includes:

NACA SST: a 1947 concept
Boeing CX-HLS: Boeings design for what became the C-5
Bell Operational Medium STOL Transport: vectored thrust for short takeoff
Convair Limited War Amphibian: A concept for a single plan to meet both land and sea plane requirements
Bell Hypersonic Transport 1980-1990:A two-stage turboramjet/rocket concept
Lockheed Hybrid Wing Body 757PF-Sized Freighter: a recent design for an advanced transport
Lear Liner Model 40:a small airliner/large executive transport
Boeing Model 759-153A Resource Carrier: A big flying wing natural gas “tanker”

USTP #8 can be downloaded as a PDF file for only $4.25:

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US VTOL Projects #2 and US Research & Recon Projects #2 NOW AVAILABLE

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Feb 132018

Now available: two new US Aerospace Projects issues. Cover art was provided by Rob Parthoens, www.baroba.be

US VTOL Projects #2

US VTOL Projects #2 is now available (see HERE for the entire series). Issue #2 includes:

SOS Interceptor: A US Navy Mach 3 aircraft with jettisonable wings
Lockheed GL-224-3: A small battlefield surveillance and ground attack plane
Phalanx Dragon MP-18: An unconventional small civilian transport
Lockheed L-161-1: An early concept for a variable geometry roadable helicopter
GE Supersonic V/STOL: A supersonic strike fighter with flip-out lift fans
Convair ANP-VTOL: A nuclear-powered ground-effect craft of the Navy of unusual configuration
Piasecki 16H-3: A compound helicopter for high speed passenger transport
Boeing Vertol Model 147: A tilt-wing close support fire support design for the US Army

USVP #2 can be downloaded as a PDF file for only $4:

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US Research & Recon Projects #2

US Research & Recon Projects #2 is now available (see HERE for the entire series). Issue #2 includes:

Lockheed A-1: The first true design leading to the SR-71
Bell MX-2147 Model 105: The high altitude “X-16”
Boeing/CRC/AMROC X-34 Reference Configuration: A reusable launcher test vehicle
Martin Model 159: A scout/observation float plane
NASA-Langley Low-Boom Demonstrator: a recent design to demonstrate quiet SST tech
McDonnell-Douglas DC-9 Super 80 Propfan Configuration 1: A fuel efficient transport demo
Convair “HAZEL” MC-10: An inflatable Mach 3 plane for the Navy
Republic Manned Hypersonic Reconnaissance Vehicle: an early scramjet concept

USRP #2 can be downloaded as a PDF file for only $4:

——–

US Transport Projects #07, US Recon & Research Projects #01

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Apr 152017

Now available: two new US Aerospace Projects issues:

US Transport Projects #07

US Transport Projects #07 is now available (see HERE for the entire series). Issue #07 includes:

Lockheed L-279-9: an early SST
Convair HST – Phase II Variable Sweep Configuration: A mid-1960’s hypersonic transport
Lockheed CL-1373: a short-haul turboprop liner
Boeing Model 702-134(4): a large nuclear-powered logistics hauler
McDonnell-Douglas Swept Wing Spanloader: a heavy cargo carrier
Lockheed Hybrid Wing Body: a current design for an efficient military transport
NASA Cut-Down 747 SCA: a 1973 idea for a Shuttle Carrier Aircraft
Rockwell Boost Glide Transport: An early 1970’s rocket transport

USTP #07 can be downloaded as a PDF file for only $4:

——–

Also available, the first in a new series:

US Recon and Research Projects #01

US Recon & Research Projects #01 is now available (see HERE for the entire series). Issue #01 includes:

General Dynamics “FISH”: 1958 concept for Mach 4 parasite
NACA-Langley X-Tail X-15: early hypersonic rocket plane concept
“Jake’s Jeep”: WWII-era motorjet design
Lockheed “Archangel”: The first step on the road to the SR-71
Boeing Model 853-21 “Quiet Bird”: A 1961 stealth platform
Northrop Tacit Blue: Operational version of the early stealth experiment
Convair Pilotless Airplane I-40 Inhabited: WWII-era design of a manned test for a flying bomb
Lockheed CL-278-1-1: a proto-U-2

USRP #01 can be downloaded as a PDF file for only $4:

——–

——

Almost there…

hypersonic, jetliner, nukes, Recon, research, rockets, space shuttle, spaceplane, stealth, transports, US Recon & Research Projects, US Transport Projects No Responses »

Apr 122017

So very, very close on the next two US Aerospace Projects issues. I’m only lacking cover “art”and have to deal with a bit of “dead air” in the middle of US Transport Projects #7. Usually I can shuffle things around well enough to not have this sort of thing, but this time it just hasn’t worked out. I suppose it doesn’t really matter all that much, but it does look kinda lazy like that.

It’s been about a year since I released the last USxP issue. That last issue was the first time where I used vector diagrams embedded within the issue, rather than raster images; getting the diagrams from AutoCAD into Word was a bit of a chore back then. And in the intervening months… I forgot how I did it. So I had to figure it out again, and the process is different. I have to walk the AutoCAD diagram through Rhino 3D and save as a WMF and blah, blah, blah; end result is it works just fine. I’ve done some further refinement… the main outlines are set at 0.25 mm width and the ends of the lines have been reset to rounded and mitered, so sharp corners now look more like sharp corners.

Hoping to have these two out in a day or two. The other three will be rather longer.

Apr 022017

I’m essentially done with the drafting portion of the exercise. Now to finish the writing. I had planned on releasing ll five at once, but due to external factors I’ll almost certainly have to split this up. So… which ones do people want more? The publications forthcoming are Fighters, Bombers, Transports, Launchers and Recon & Research. Comment below…

Mar 102017

Coming soonish: the return of USXP publications. Five are under current development and are mostly done. There is a new title in the bunch… USRP. Strictly speaking it should probably be USR&RP… United States Research and Recon Projects. Perhaps Recon and Research aren’t necessarily the most obvious categories to link together into a single title, but apart from the vitally important alliteration, there is this important fact: compared to, say, Bombers, there aren’t that many Recon and Research projects out there.

If there are specific proposals, or general categories you’d like to see in future publications, feel free to comment below.