"Aerospace Projects Review, back issues, Volume 4"
Issue V4N1, January - February 2002
Bell D-171, by Dennis R. Jenkins
Bells bid for the X-15 program was an aerodynamically simple three-engined craft, designed to considerable detail. This article presents the design through text and many very detailed illustrations showing internal structures as well as variants.
Lockheed Model L-153, Part 2 by Bill Slayton
A series of immediately post-War fighter designs leading from the P-80 to the F-90. This part covers four "W-Wing" designs as well as an unmanned design.
Huey Cobra as an Agricultural Aircraft
In 1979, Bell Helicopter looked at using modern helicopters as cropdusters. Included in that was a highly modified AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter. Several designs shown.
Issue V4N2, March - April 2002
Douglas Model 684, by Dennis R. Jenkins
Douglas Aircraft entered the Model 684 design in the X-15 competition. This bullet-shaped vehicle was capable of very high speeds and very high altitudes. This article includes a wealth of detail and many illustrations, including an inboard profile (top and side views) for the magazine center spread and details of the pilot capsule and separation system.
Rockwell D-575
A series of unconventional designs for fighters capable of cruising supersonically. Four craft were designed and are shown in detailed 3-views, giving a good look at the curved wings to be used.
Radial Engine P-51 Mustang
A North American Aviation design for a P-51 with an air-cooled radial engine is shown with a page of drawings and art.
The Martin "Spacemaster"
One of the more unusual configurations proposed during Phase A of the Space Shuttle design competition, with a delta-winged orbiter and a catamaran booster. Eight full-page drawings of various component vehicles and stacks.
Lockheed Model L-153, Part 3 by Bill Slayton
A series of immediately post-War fighter designs leading from the P-80 to the F-90. This part covers both conventional and unconventional (3-engined) designs.
Book Reviews
"Project Orion" by George Dyson and "The X-Planes," 3rd Edition, by Jay Miller, are reviewed.
Issue V4N3, May - June 2002
Republic AP-76, by Dennis R. Jenkins
Republic's entry into the X-15 competition was the heaviest of the designs, and came in last. However, it was in many ways on of the more interesting and unusual designs, with a movable canopy with a large periscope to allow the otherwise enclosed pilot to have a good field of view for landing. This article is well illustrated with many technical drawings.
Boeing Super Clippers
Boeing has designed a number of extremely large passenger aircraft over the years. This article lays out several of them... from the 100 passenger Model 326 from 1936 to the 600 passenger Model 2020A C-Wing from 1993 to the 1250 passenger Super Clipper from 1993.
Issue V4N4, July - August
North American ESO-7487, by Dennis R. Jenkins
North American's winning entry into the X-15 competition was not quite what was eventually built. The last in the X-15 competitor series, Mr. Jenkins presents the NAA design in great detail, showing overall views, interior structures and details about how the craft was to be carried by a B-36. And as always for a Jenkins article, it is incredibly well-researched and documented.
HFB 530 Ranger, by Mike Hirschberg
A 1960's VTOL strike fighter project (using flip-down lift fans) from Germany is shown, with layouts, inboard profiles and model photos. An interesting competitor to the VAK 191B, using technology from the Ryan XV-5.
Lockheed Model 153, Part 4, by Bill Slayton
The final article in the series on immediately post WWII jet fighter studies shows several variable geometry designs.
Issue V4N5, September-October, 2002
COIN Competitors
In the early 1960's, the Navy wanted an all-purpose ground attack/troop transport/helicopter escort plane. This eventually became the OV-10 Bronco; but before the Bronco was built, eight major competing designs were produced. This article describes the designs from Beech, Douglas, Helio, Lockheed, Goodyear, Martin, Convair and North American, with data and drawings.
Sonic Cruiser Update
New drawings have become available of the Boeing Sonic Cruiser transonic jetliner. These include layouts of the previously displayed design, a s well as faster versions, business jet versions and seating layouts.
MUSTARD
An early 1960's British concept for a multi-unit space transport and recovery device - basically a small fully reusable Space Shuttle. MUSTARD used three largely identical lifting bodies, stacked back-to-belly to launch a crew into orbit. Article includes numerous drawings of the MUSTARD design, as well as airbreathing competitors and derivatives.
The NACA's First Jet
In 1941, engineers at NACA-Langley were hard at work on an advanced jet engine... which was already obsolete. This article describes the engine and the plane that was to fly with it.
Issue V4N6, November-December, 2002
Sea Dragon
The first in a series on Megaboosters, this article covers the design of the Aerojet Sea Dragon from 1962. The monstrous 2-stage, partially reusable vehicle would have been able to put more than a million pounds of payload into orbit in one shot... and it was designed to do it cheaply. This article shows how, with many drawings.
Lockheed Multibodies
One way to reduce the weight of a wing is to spread the load across the span. One way to spread the load across the span is to use several fuselages. In the fuel-starved 1970's, NASA paid Lockheed to study just that. This article presents the results.
Hopeless Diamond
Recently released patent drawings show what the very first design of a marginally flyable stealth fighter might have looked like.
North American NA-116
A little-known and poorly documented long-range bomber project.
Ordering Back Issues: Price is $6.50 per issue for non-subscribers, $5.50 for current subscribers, US, Canada, Mexico. As there is additional postage for overseas orders, use the following website to calculate international postage: US Postal Service International Calculator. Each issue weighs 3 ounces; add an extra 1 ounce for packaging for ten or fewer issues; add 6 ounces for packaging for 11 or more back issues. All overseas orders are shipped airmail.
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