F-204

 aircraft, drawings, history, projects  No Responses »
Apr 232020
 

In 1974 Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm studied a twin-engine derivative of the F-104 Starfighter, largely because West Germany had themselves some F-104’s that were showing their age. At first glance the design looks pretty much like a stock F-104, but from above it’s clear that it has two engines.

This illustration came from a 1983 paper about the development of the TKF/J-90, an early competitor for what would become the Eurofighter.

 

The paper that the above illustrations came from has been scanned and made available to above-$10 APR subscribers and Patrons.

 

 Posted by at 12:46 pm

Unknown Bomber

 aircraft, drawings, projects  No Responses »
Apr 212020
 

Published in the German “Der Flieger” magazine in 1967, this diagram depicts a strategic bomber seemingly of the AMSA variety. But the minimal text accompanying the diagram gives no indication *who* designed it. Boeing? Lockheed? Tupolev? Volkswagen? If anyone recognizes it, I’d appreciate any info.

 Posted by at 12:43 am

Early NASA Shuttle Art

 art, history, nukes, projects, rockets, spacecraft  No Responses »
Apr 182020
 

Sold on ebay a while back, a piece of NASA color art depicting a Shuttle orbiter dropping off a satellite (more likely a deep-space probe given the bizarrely-located RTGs). The orbiter, however, does not seem to be closely based on an actual design. It has some similarity to a North American Rockwell concept, but I’d wager that it’s mostly artistic license.

 Posted by at 1:31 am

Lighter Than Air heavy lifter

 aircraft, art, history, projects  No Responses »
Apr 162020
 

Every few years people rediscover the Zeppelin and decide that it’s the future of aviation. And then… not much happens. Shown below is a mid-1970’s piece of NASA artwork depicting a heavy lift cargo dirigible that uses four CH-54 Skycranes for added lift and control. It’s shown here transporting an M-60 main battle tank to or from a cargo ship. Such an arrangement *could* work and has been tried, though it was hardly an unqualified success.

The full-rez scan of this cutaway has been made available to all $4 and up APR Patreons and Monthly Historical Document Program subscribers. It was uploaded to the 2019-12 APR Extras folder on Dropbox for Patreons and subscribers. If interested in this piece or if you are interested in helping to fund the preservation of this sort of thing, please consider becoming a patron, either through the APR Patreon or the Monthly Historical Document Program.

 Posted by at 6:43 am

Sikorsky ABC troop carrier

 aircraft, art, history, projects  No Responses »
Apr 142020
 

A concept circa 1968 for a Sikorsky “Advancing Blade Concept” troop transport. The ABC rotor system theoretically permits notably higher forward speed than is normal for helicopter, since the lift generator at high forward speeds is balanced (not the case for conventional choppers). The ABC rotor system was tested extensively in the 70’s with the Sikorsky S-69, but the design and materials of the time were not quite up to the challenge and the craft suffered from excessive vibration. In recent years the tech seems to have been more or less perfected with the S-97 Raider, which hopefully will go into production and finally fulfill the promise of the ABC rotor system.

 Posted by at 12:46 am

More Bad News For Boeing

 AARRRGH, Gah., Hmm..., news, projects, rockets, spacecraft, ಠ_ಠ  No Responses »
Apr 122020
 

NASA does not seem to have thought highly of the Boeing proposal for the Lunar Gateway…

 

Source Selection Statement for the Gateway Logistics Services Contract

Particularly within the Technical Approach subfactor (the most important within the Mission Suitability factor), Boeing’s proposal was the lowest rated of the four offers, with the inadequacy of its cargo stowage design identified as a significant weakness. I further note that Boeing took several exceptions to the RFP and predicated its fixed price on several key assumptions/exceptions. This made it impossible for the SEB to determine whether Boeing’s offered price was reasonable. From a Past Performance standpoint, Boeing did very well, having earned a High Level of Confidence rating (along with NGIS and SpaceX). However, Boeing’s High rating cannot overcome its Mission Suitability ratings and the significant issues present in its Price proposal. That is, since Boeing’s proposal was the highest priced and the lowest rated under the Mission Suitability factor, while additionally providing a conditional fixed price, I have decided to eliminate Boeing from further award consideration. This offeror’s evaluation results and my assessment thereof, combined with the relative order of importance of the RFP’s evaluation factors, have led me to conclude that Boeing is not competitive for award.

It’s Not Boeing And They Ain’t Going.

Gone are the days when Boeing was run by engineers and ruled the world.

 Posted by at 3:47 am

“Almost” the Shuttle

 aircraft, art, history, projects, rockets, spacecraft  No Responses »
Apr 122020
 

Rockwell’s Space Shuttle design as of November, 1972. Obviously very similar to the final product, but a few notable differences, including the retro-rocket on the nose of the ET (meant to make sure the tank fell into the Indian Ocean), the sleeker OMS pods, fairings extending onto the cargo bay doors; the External Tank being about 2 feet narrow in diameter and this notably longer; the slightly repositioned boosters; and a myriad of slight differences in contours.

 Posted by at 2:52 am

Sikorsky stowed-rotor aircraft ad

 aircraft, history, projects  No Responses »
Apr 092020
 

A mid-1960’s magazine ad, selling Sikorsky’s experience at developing stowed-rotor technology. The design used was a concept for a CARA (Combat Aircrew Recovery Aircraft), intended to dash at high speed over the jungles of Viet Nam, hover like a helicopter and winch up a downed pilot, then dash back to base. To do this the aircraft used a rotor that was spun up not by a mechanical drive system, but by tapping off the exhaust of the turbojet engines and routing it through ducts to the rotor tips. Doubtless it would have worked… and doubtless the transition phase would have been interesting and exciting.

 Posted by at 12:06 pm
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