PDF Review: Unconventional Submarine Propulsion Systems

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Feb 212015

Modern submarines (like the Seawolf and Virgina classes) are often propelled not by propellers, but by pumpjets. These are shrouded turbines with a number of blades, looking much like the inlets and compressors of modern high bypass turbofans. They provide propulsive improvement, but apparently more importantly they are quieter than exposed propellers. However, the details of their designs are often obscure, for the obvious fact that they make submarines stealthier vehicles.

One of the few pumpjets I’ve seen shown in any detail comes from a 1963 General Dynamics report covering unusual propulsion system options for submarines. At this early date it’s safe to assume that the resemblance to a modern pumpjet is probably fairly minimal beyond the overall concept and configuration, but it’s still an interesting look at a rarely seen technology Additionally, the pumpjet is about the *least* unconventional of the concepts shown in detail, which include props that are fitted to a ring at the maximum diameter of the hull and separate, podded propulsion systems (a common enough design feature on many surface vessels today) and cycloidal propulsion systems. All of the systems are compared by assuming they are applied to SSB(N)-616 USS Lafayette, a ballistic missile sub.

DESIGN STUDY REPORT: A SURVEY OF CONVENTIONAL AND UNCONVENTIONAL SUBMARINE PROPULSION SYSTEMS

This report can be downloaded from the Defense Technical Information Center website.

The link to the abstract is here.

The direct link to the PDF file is here.

Support the APR Patreon to help bring more of this sort of thing to light!

Boeing 733 SST artwork

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Feb 212015

A B&W version of a Boeing artists concept of their 733 Supersonic Transport.

I’ve made a high-rez version of this available at the APR Patreon, available to all patrons.

All prior APR Patreon Rewards

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Feb 192015

I’ve been pondering how to go about making the APR Patreon rewards available in a reasonably fair way. What I’ve come up with… patrons can now purchase the rewards bundled by the month they were made available. in other words… if you want the diagram from October, 2014, it comes with the documents and CAD diagram made available in October 2014, all in a single ZIP archive.

The documents and diagrams are available in the full-rez 300 (or better) dpi format. The CAD diagram is included in the 18X24 format. All bundles are $10 each. I’m not making the web address of the order form publicly known, but for simplicity it’s not being password protected. If you are interested in any of the prior APR Patreon rewards, either because you signed up several months in or because you were signed in for lower-rez rewards, you can now access the full-rez items.

The link to the order form is now available on the APR Patreon page for all patrons (as low as $0.75/month).

XB-70 Cutaway

bomber 1 Response »

Feb 182015

I have been busy with a number of things recently (some good, some bad), which has clearly reduced my Aerospace History blogification substantially. So… here’s a cutaway of the XB-70:

Granted, it’s tiny. However, a far bigger version of this illustration, created Way Back When for “Flight” magazine, is available on the Flight archives, right HERE. From back when such bits of beauty were created by hand.

Bell VTOL Artwork

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Feb 062015

Last night I went to upload the monthly catalogs of diagrams & documents for the $10-level Patreon patrons to choose from… and found that something screwy is going on with the file attachment system. After much useless flailing I determined that the system, which has worked fine until now, is just plain broken. However, an alternate system seems to have presented itself which should work just fine. And additionally I wound up adding two pieces of high-rez artwork for $4-and-up-level patrons… an X-14C VTOL ground attack plan weapons loadout display, and the Bell “Mighty Mouse” small assault transport tiltrotor. If you would like to become a patron and get occasional bonus goodies like these (as well as the regular monthly rewards), please consider signing up to become a patron. For a pittance per month, you get all kinds of aerospace history goodies.

The full-size versions (available to $4 patrons under the “Creations” tab) are much bigger:

My diagrams…

American Nuclear Explosive Devices, US Bomber Projects, US Spacecraft Projects, US Transport Projects No Responses »

Feb 042015

I’ve started posting my diagrams created for APR, USBP, etc. over on “Deviantart.” Unless I get bored and wander away (gosh, what are the chances of *that*), the plan is to eventually post virtually *all* of my diagrams, at a rate of about one a day.

Check it out:

scott-lowther.deviantart.com

Feel free to tell anyone you care to tell.

Saturn I Booster Parawing (Paraglider) Recovery System Test 1961

launch vehicles No Responses »

Feb 042015

A Ryan concept for recovery of the Saturn I first stage. Somewhere around here I have a report on using such a system to recover a Saturn I used to launch a Dyna Soar…

The idea was that the stage could glide back to a runway landing in Florida. As memory serves, in order to pull that off some propulsive capability was needed, such as restarting the engines and doing a retro-burn while still above the sensible atmosphere. The stage would return unmanned.

Falcon 9 Heavy animation

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Jan 272015

Coming soon to a sky near you, hopefully:

US Spacecraft Projects #2: Spaceplanes

Dyna Soar, rockets, space shuttle, space station, spacecraft, spaceplane, US Spacecraft Projects 1 Response »

Jan 222015

Now available: US Spacecraft Projects #02, the “Spaceplane Special.” This is done in the same style as the other US Aerospace Projects publications, but this issue is focused specifically on lifting spacecraft… and is more than twice as long as usual with more data and more diagrams.

USSP #02 includes:

Boeing Personnel/Cargo Glider: When you have space industry, you need a space bus
Convair Manned Orbiting Reconnaissance System: A 1958 concept for a recon spaceplane
North American D435-1-4: The delta winged X-15A-3 (not a true spaceplane… but still, relevant)
General Electric R-3 Lenticular Apollo: A 1962 Apollo concept for a lifting body lunar ship
General Dynamics VL-3A: a 1966 space station logistics transport
SRI Space Cruiser: An early 1980’s minimum manned spacecraft for the military
Boeing Model 844-2050E Dyna Soar: The almost-built spaceplane from 1963
Rockwell MRCC Orbiter: the do-everything concept, modified with additional rockets and propellant

USSP #02 can be downloaded as a PDF file for only $6:

———

DEIMOS

Recon, research, rockets, space station, spacecraft No Responses »

Jan 212015

Illustrations of a Martin concept from 1961 called “DEIMOS” (Development and Investigation of a Military Orbital System). Pitched to the Air Force, this entailed a modified Titan II launch vehicle, a standard cargo hauler and a scaled-up two-man Mercury capsule (this was before Gemini was finalized). The result was something akin to a smaller version of the later MOL (Manned Orbiting Laboratory). The Titan II described here (modifications unknown) could put a 10,000 pound payload into a 300 nautical mile orbit.

Capabilities and roles of DEIMOS were not provided, but it would presumably serve much the same role as MOL, though simpler and lighter weight: basic science as well as reconnaissance and intelligence gathering. The claim as of August 1961 was that if work began soon DEIMOS could begin flying in 1963.

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