Convair VL-3A model photos

 aircraft, history, models, Patreon, projects, rockets, spacecraft, US Spacecraft Projects  2 Responses »
May 102018
 

The Convair VL-3A was a 1966 concept for a space station logistics spacecraft. It was a sleek, flat-bottomed lifting body featuring a twin tail and flip-out wings that would deploy shortly before landing to reduce the landing speed. It would be fitted with flip-out turbofan engines for range extension, self-ferry and control during landing. General Dynamics released sizable “educational” cards with information and photos of models of the spaceplane showing how the wings would deploy from within the lower fuselage.

I have uploaded righ-rez scans of both sides of this poster-sized card to the 2018-05 APR Extras folder on Dropbox for APR Patrons at the $4 level and up.

I also wrote about and illustrated the VL-3A in US Spacecraft Projects #2, showing the general arrangement of the design along with the disposable propulsion stage and the launch configuration atop the Titan III.

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

If you are interested in thes VL-3A model images and a great many other “extras” and monthly aerospace history rewards, please sign up for the APR Patreon. What else are you going to spend $4 a month on?

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 Posted by at 1:06 am

An interesting day for ballistics

 AARRRGH, awesomeness, Hmm..., news, politics, religion, rockets, ಠ_ಠ  4 Responses »
May 092018
 

HVO/USGS Volcanic Activity Notice

Volcano: Kilauea (VNUM #332010)

Current Volcano Alert Level: WARNING

Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE

Issued: Wednesday, May 9, 2018, 8:02 AM HST
Source: Hawaiian Volcano Observatory
Notice Number:
Location: N 19 deg 25 min W 155 deg 17 min
Elevation: 4091 ft (1247 m)
Area: Hawaii

Volcanic Activity Summary: The steady lowering of the lava lake in “Overlook crater” within Halemaʻumaʻu at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano has raised the potential for explosive eruptions in the coming weeks. If the lava column drops to the level of groundwater beneath Kīlauea Caldera, influx of water into the conduit could cause steam-driven explosions. Debris expelled during such explosions could impact the area surrounding Halemaʻumaʻu and the Kīlauea summit. At this time, we cannot say with certainty that explosive activity will occur, how large the explosions could be, or how long such explosive activity could continue….

BALLISTIC PROJECTILES
During steam-driven explosions, ballistic blocks up to 2 m (yards) across could be thrown in all directions to a distance of 1 km (0.6 miles) or more. These blocks could weigh a few kilograms (pounds) to several tons.

Smaller (pebble-size) rocks could be sent several kilometers (miles) from Halemaʻumaʻu, mostly in a downwind direction.

Yow. If’n yer on the big island… heads up. Also watch out for ash, which should do a dandy job of trashing aviation downwind of the volcano.

But wait! There’s more!

Iranian forces fire rockets at Israeli military in first direct attack ever, Israel’s army says

The Russians are backing Assad. The Iranians are backing Assad. If the Iranians keep up this sort of thing, the Israelis might well stomp right on in to Syria. And the Russian forces on the ground would be *really* well advised to tell Assad that he dun goofed, and to discretely back out the door.

I’ve long supposed that a century from now, Damascus might be one of the bigger cities in Greater Israel.

 Posted by at 7:23 pm

Submersible Nuclear Ramjet art: launch

 aircraft, art, awesomeness, Crazy, history, Hmm..., new products, nukes, projects, rockets, ships, US Bomber Projects  6 Responses »
May 032018
 

Artwork was created for USBP 21 by Rob Parthoens depicting the Convair Submersible Nuclear Ramjet launching vertically from the ocean. This is approximately the craziest design for a manned aircraft I’ve seen from the post-war period.

Be sure to check out US Bomber Projects issue 21 to read more about this design.

 

 Posted by at 2:16 am

Submersible Nuclear Ramjet art: Downtown Moscow

 aircraft, art, history, Hmm..., new products, nukes, projects, rockets, weapons  15 Responses »
Apr 292018
 

Artwork was created for USBP 21 by Rob Parthoens depicting the Convair Submersible Nuclear Ramjet paying a visit to 1970’s-era Moscow. If you think that this looks like Project Pluto, you’re not far off; this was also a Mach 4, treetop-level nuclear ramjet powered bomber. But there were a few minor differences. Notice that little bump above the nose? That’s the cockpit, a necessary addition because this design was manned. It was also designed to operate as a submarine, cruising the oceans of the world faster than 100 knots before launching upwards and taking flight. Because the 1950’s were rather more optimistic when it came to technological advancement.

Be sure to check out US Bomber Projects issue 21 to read more about this design.

 Posted by at 8:18 pm

APR Patreon April 2018 rewards issued

 aircraft, drawings, history, Nuclear Pulse Propulsion, nukes, Patreon, projects, rockets, spacecraft, weapons  1 Response »
Apr 292018
 

Rewards have been issued to APR Patreon patrons for April, 2018. This month, the “Diagram” is a Sikorsky lithograph of a Heavy Lift Helicopter concept. The Documents include a US Army catalog of airborne weaponry; a paper describing possible additional missions for the Saturn launch vehicles, and BOAC brochure extolling the virtues of the Comet 4 jetliner. The CAD diagram is of the British Interplanetary Society’s “Deadalus” starship design.

 

If you are interested in helping to preserve (and get copies of) this sort of thing, consider signing up for the APR Patreon.

 

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 Posted by at 3:06 pm

US Bomber Projects #21 and Spacecraft Projects #05

 aircraft, history, new products, nukes, projects, rockets, spacecraft, US Bomber Projects, US Spacecraft Projects, weapons  9 Responses »
Apr 262018
 

US Bomber Projects #21 and Spacecraft Projects #05 are now available.

US Bomber Projects #21

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

US Bomber Projects #21 is now available (see HERE for the entire series). Issue #21 includes:

  • Convair Submersible Nuclear Ramjet: a Mach 4 manned nuclear powered flying submarine
  • Bell MX-776: an early post-war pilotless airplane
  • Convair Manned Flyback Atlas: an unconventional recoverable ICBM
  • DTNSRDC PAR-WIG Strategic Deterrent: a low-flying aircraft packing 4 Trident ballistic missiles
  • Boeing Model 464-197: a supersonic B-52
  • Martin Model 151-K: a pre-war twin-engined medium bomber
  • Boeing Cruise Ballistic Missile: an entire aircraft packed into a silo, carrying an ICBM
  • MC-747 Air Mobile System: a 1973 concept for carrying up to seven ICBMs in a modified cargo jet

 

 

USBP #21 can be downloaded as a PDF file for only $4.25:

——–

US Spacecraft Projects #5

US Spacecraft Projects #05 is now available (see HERE for the entire series). Issue #05 includes:

  • Project HORIZON Lunar Lander: a late 1950’s US Army concept for a manned Lunar lander
  • Lockheed-Martin Mars Ascent/Descent Vehicle: A very recent concept for a future manned Mars vehicle
  • JPL Interstellar Precursor: a 970’s design for a space probe to interstellar space
  • Lockheed Modular Rotating Space Station: a truly gigantic design circa 1970
  • Lockheed Payload Carrier: an early 1960’s spaceplane for space station logistics
  • Martin-Marietta Winged NIMF: a nuclear powered “hopper”
  • Lockheed CL-414: a capsule for Man in Space Soonest
  • NASA HAVOC: High Altitude Venus Operational Concept, a 2015 project for manned exploration of the atmosphere of Venus

USSP #05 can be downloaded as a PDF file for only $5.25:

——–

 

The previous releases of US Aerospace Projects:

US VTOL Projects #2

  • 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 $4.25:

——–

 

US Research & Recon Projects #2

  • 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 $4.25:

——–

 

 Posted by at 11:18 pm

Extras added for APR Patrons

 aircraft, drawings, history, Patreon, projects, rockets  2 Responses »
Apr 212018
 

APR Patrons contributing more than $10 per month were today sent a 1969 diagram of a preliminary design for what would become the AWACS plane… close, but with eight engines rather than four. This design was illustrated in color artwork from time to time.

And for APR Patrons at the $4 and above level, a diagram of the 777 and scans of a McDonnell-Douglas brochure on the “Med-Lite Family” of launch vehicle concepts have been uploaded to the 2018-04 APR Extras folder on Dropbox:

If you are interested in these and a great many other “extras” and monthly aerospace history rewards, please sign up for the APR Patreon. What else are you going to spend $4 a month on? Taxes?

patreon-200

 Posted by at 8:50 am

Lunar Exploration Systems for Apollo

 APR, awesomeness, blather, books, eBay, history, news, Patreon, projects, rockets, spacecraft  No Responses »
Apr 192018
 

For the APR Patreon I try to acquire as much interesting aerospace documentation as I can, and these items fall into two categories:

  1. Stuff that I can afford. This stuff winds up in the APR Patreon catalog of potential monthly rewards for patrons.
  2. Stuff I can’t hope to afford.

There’s a lot of the latter category of stuff. Sometimes it’s because the item has a ridiculously high Buy It Now price or starting bid, or because the item will be popular among bidders, or because it’s *really* good/big and thus worth every penny. But unaffordable is unaffordable.

However, there is an option for “stuff I can’t afford:” crowdfunding. I’ve done this a number of times with considerable success, and I’ve just done so again, winning a trio of General Dynamics documents describing a 1965 program to develop a logistics system for extending the Apollo lunar exploration program:

This set of documents was just much too expensive for an individual (well, I’m sure Jeff Bezos or Elon Musk wouldn’t have flinched), but with a group of like-mined funders it came in at $30 per person. So what happens now:

1: I wait for it to show up in the mail.

2: I make a complete set of scans in 300 DPI grayscale (and color, where appropriate) and convert to PDFs

3: I make the scans and PDFs available to funders, generally via Dropbox

4: I find an appropriate archive for the documents, and then donate the originals to them.

5: And that’s it. The files are shared with the funders, but do not appear on future APR Patreon catalogs or as purchasable, downloadable “Diagrams and Documents.” What the funders choose to do with their scans & PDFs is up to them.

APR Patrons get alerted to each of these occasional “crowdfunding opportunities.” So if you’d like to participate, please considered signing up for the APR Patreon.

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 Posted by at 12:11 pm

TESS Success

 awesomeness, news, rockets, science, spacecraft, youtube  2 Responses »
Apr 182018
 

SpaceX has launched the TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) planet-hunter satellite and recovered the first stage booster on a recovery barge out at sea. TESS will be put into an unconventional orbit with a perigee of 108,000 km and an apogee of 375,000 km. if it works, it should find a *lot* of exoplanets, around the order of 20,000 of them.

Note: When I first entered college, there were *nine* known planets. There are currently 3800 or so. There may soon be 24,000 or so.

 Posted by at 8:21 pm
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