Aerospace Projects Review Blog – Page 128 – Unbuilt aircraft and Spacecraft Projects

McDonnell Douglas series-burn booster for Shuttle

launch vehicles, space shuttle, spaceplane 1 Response »

Dec 132011

An early 1971 design from McDonnell Douglas for the Space Shuttle Phase B extension program. As an alternative to solid rocket boosters, this concept used a single liquid rocket booster underneath the external tank. Several concepts were studied, including pressure fed systems. This particular design used four F-1 rocket engines from the Saturn V, in an entirely new booster. The booster would be recovered at sea, splashing down nose first; large flaps would stabilize it nose-down during descent, and solid rocket motors would provide terminal deceleration.

North American Rockwell FX artwork in hi-rez: 2

fighter, hi-rez 2 Responses »

Dec 112011

Another piece of North American Aviation artwork depicting their FX design. Sadly, I only have this in B&W, but at least it’s gigantic.

You can download a 5 megabyte JPG file. The link to the JPG file is HERE. To access it, you will need to enter a username and password. The username: the first word in the body of the text on page 3 of APR issue V2N2. The password: the first word in the body of the text on page 16 of the same issue. Note that both are case sensitive.

RQ170 image tinkering

stealth No Responses »

Dec 092011

While the RQ170 photos from Iran remain in some dispute, it’s looking more and more likely that they show an actual aircraft (though likely patched up somewhat). I’ve adjusted the gamma on a few of the high rez photos previously linked to, and you can just barely make out what appears to be the face of a single jet engine behind the inlet grate.

North American Rockwell FX artwork in hi-rez

fighter, hi-rez 3 Responses »

Dec 092011

An artist impression of the North American Aviation FX design, the NA-335. This was a late 1960’s design concept entered into the competition that eventually produced the F-15. The NAR design was a particularly aesthetically pleasing one, with almost every line a curve.

You can download a 4 megabyte JPG file. The link to the JPG file is HERE. To access it, you will need to enter a username and password. The username: the first word in the body of the text on page 13 of APR issue V3N1. The password: the first word in the body of the text on page 21 of the same issue. Note that both are case sensitive.

If you want to read more on the NA-335 or see a three-view, I can’t recommend highly enough Tony Buttler’s “American Secret Projects: Fighters & Interceptors 1945-1978.”

RQ170 on display

Uncategorized 2 Responses »

Dec 082011

The Iranians have put on display what appears to be the RQ170 that went down. The color is odd, though. Could be a mockup. If it is the real thing, it’s in really good shape… indicating less of a shootdown and a crash than, perhaps, a hacking and rough landing.

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UPDATE: High rez photos.

Rockwell Shuttle Model Drawings

hi-rez, launch vehicles, space shuttle No Responses »

Dec 072011

An informational poster from Rockwell International showing the configuration of the Space Shuttle dating from, I believe, February 1983. Provides geometric data as well as coloration, mission profile and subcontractor data.

You can download a 9 megabyte ZIP file with 300 DPI scans of both front and back of this poster. The 1/200 scale drawings are particularly nice. The link to the ZIP file is HERE. To access it, you will need to enter a username and password. The username: the first word in the body of the text on page 8 of APR issue V3N2. The password: the first word in the body of the text on page 24 of the same issue. Note that both are case sensitive.

APR issue V3N2 now available

bomber, fighter, future projects, jetliner, launch vehicles, space shuttle, spacecraft, spaceplane, stealth, transports, VTOL 11 Responses »

Dec 032011

At long last, Aerospace Projects Review issue V3N2 is now available.

The main article, about 90 pages worth, covers the Lockheed STAR Clipper concept.This was a one-and-a-half stage space shuttle concept. Starting in 1968 for the USAF, the concept lasted well into Phase B of the Space Shuttle program for NASA, and in altered form into the 1990’s. This article has a very large number of detailed schematics of many different forms, including the original small 1.5 Stage To Orbit design, numerous variations on that concept, fully reusable two stage versions with manned boosters, giant concepts for Solar Power Satellite logistics and miniature versions for the USAF in the 1980s.

Also included is an article covering antecedents and derivatives of the Northrop F-23 stealth fighter. Included are early designs such as the “Christmas fighter” and several “platypus” concepts, the F-23A operational fighter design, the NATF-23 concept for the US Navy with aft mounted wings and canards, the single-engined Multi Role Fighter (from the competition that led to the F-35) and perhaps most interestingly, the F/B-23 regional bomber, of eBay infamy. This article is illustrated with a mix of photos of official Northrop display models, official Northrop diagrams, all-new scale diagrams and color artwork especially commissioned for this article.

Dennis R. Jenkins provides an article on a Convair concept for converting the F-106 interceptor into a small supersonic transport. Compare this to Convair idea of converting the B-58 Hustler into an SST!

And finally, two aerospace history “nuggets,” the Vanguard Model 18 VTOL transport and a Northrop laminar flow control multipurpose long-duration aircraft.

You can see the entire issue here:

It is available in three formats. Firstly, it can be downloaded directly from me for the low, low price of $10. Second, it can be purchased as a professionally printed volume through Magcloud; third, it can be procured in both formats. To get the download, simply pay for it here through paypal.

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To get the printed version (or print + PDF version), visit my MagCloud page:

http://scottlowther.magcloud

ALSO AVAILABLE: V3N2 Addendum, with 65 pages formatted for 11X17 sheets. Includes larger format (and higher rez images) along with additional artwork and diagrams that were not in issue V3N2 due to space constraints.
V3N2 Addendum download order: $5.00

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The Downloading FAQ

Meteor Jr.

launch vehicles, space shuttle, spacecraft, spaceplane 1 Response »

Nov 132011

In 1957, Darrell Romick of Goodyear produced the “Meteor Jr.” design for a three stage fully reusable manned launch vehicle, a smaller version of the “Meteor” design from 1954. The designs were straightforward, with simple but gigantic delta wings.

As with other, similar designs of the period, such as Werner von Brauns “Ferry rocket” and derivatives, the math behind the performance of the Meteor Jr. was sound. However, like those other designs, the physics underlying re-entry would have trashed the Meteor Jr. Thin sharp wings made out of steel simply cannot withstand the aerothermal heating. Additionally, the large bubble canopies would have been at best problematic.

The Air & Space Museum Udvar-Hazy facility has a Goodyear display model of the Meteor Jr. vehicle on display.

F-23 derivatives compared

fighter No Responses »

Nov 102011

From the forthcoming issue of APR:

A preview of issue V3N2

fighter 3 Responses »

Nov 062011

Rather badly delayed, but Aerospace projects review V3N2 continues to chug along. Below is a preview of one of the articles… covering antecedents and derivatives of the Northrop F-23.

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