X-Plane-of-the-Day

[YoeriCookie]

Whos task is it to make a new craft?

[qzgy]

4 hours ago, YoeriCookie said:

Whos task is it to make a new craft?

@NorthAmericanAviation was suposed to make the X-30 NASP. and post it here. He hasn't been on though since July 26th.

[NorthAmericanAviation]

ok so this sounds stupid enough plus it's coming from the OP, but I LEGITIMATELY FORGOT THIS THREAD EXISTED
I am so sorry to everybody here, I don't even know if I can do an X-30, it was a late addition. I'll give it a shot but I will respond whether I can make it or not
Oh my god how did this happen I am legitimately sorry

[Exothermos]

A functional x-30 in the late "surfboard" configuration is going to be a challenge with the current aero.  KSP doesn't like the hypersonic wave-rider / compression ramp structure at all.  Huge drag.  The early concept art with the pointed nose should be easier to achieve by far.  

The X-30 is one of my favorite concept aircraft and most of my early SSTOs were based off of it.  I was super bummed when the new aero made it mostly nonviable.

 

I'm excited to see what you can come up with!

[Servo]

I've been busy as of late, but I finally had time to top off one of my big projects (well, two actually. More on that later). Also, have a double-header to tide you over until the next time we have a chance to post

September 1988 - McDonnell Douglas F-15 STOL/MTD ACTIVE  Technology Demonstrator

By the end of the 1980s, the F-15 had already been proven a versatile airframe, so it was a natural base for a variety of experiments. Beginning in 1988, a modified F-15 was used for short takeoff and landing tests, as well as testing maneuverability augmenting canards. The resulting aircraft could rapidly accelerate and decelerate, as well as take off and land on shortened runways.

The same aircraft was later used as the testbed for the ACTIVE program (Advanced Control Technology for Integrated VEhicles). This was primarily a software-proving program, so no further airframe modifications were made. The airframe was used for a number of smaller projects until its retirement in 2009, including research on compression shockwaves as well as for acoustical tests at high speeds.

Download Link

https://kerbalx.com/servo/F-15-ACTIVE

 

June 1991 - Northrop YF-23 ATF Demonstrators "Black Widow II" and "Gray Ghost"

The YF-23 was Northrop’s submission to the USAF’s Advanced Tactical Fighter design competition, competing against the YF-22. Two YF-23s were built, under the monikers Black Widow II and Gray Ghost. In combat trials against the YF-22, the YF-23 proved to be faster and stealthier, although the USAF valued the agility of the YF-22 above all else.The AFT competition resulted in the first fifth-generation fighters to enter service. Fifth-generation fighters incorporated advanced stealth stemming from advanced computing techniques, supersonic cruise speeds, high maneuverability, and advanced connectivity with other aircraft and ground systems.

The YF-23 is a new and striking design for fighters. The trapezoidal wing is unique in a field dominated by delta winged fighters. Additionally, the YF-22 has the ability to cruise at mach 1 without using afterburners, allowing for extreme range.

Outside of that, it handles pretty well from everywhere from approach speed to supersonic, and looks awesome doing it.

Download Link:

https://kerbalx.com/servo/YF-23-Mark-II

Tomorrow's Craft:

Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor

[RunsWithScissors]

On 7/29/2017 at 9:29 PM, qzgy said:

A day late, but here nonetheless. Sorry about that.

February 1982: Northrop Tacit Blue

Tacit Blue was a technology demonstrator aircraft to show tat a stealthy surveillance craft with sensors could operate near the front lines without dying. Essentially, it is what Have Blue was to fighter-bombers as it is to surveillance craft. It one component in a larger program dealing with better targeting, reconnaissance and munitions technologies. Tacit Blue also helped validate a number of new stealth developments.

Nickanmed 'The Whale', it had two turbofan engines with a flush intake on top, and was controlled by a fly-by-wire system to improve stability. After 135 flights over about 3 years, it was retired to the National Museum of the United States Air Force. Technology developed on Tacit Blue is being used nowadays in the E-8 Joint STARS aircraft

Download: https://kerbalx.com/qzgy/Tacit-Blue

Tommorow's craft: @Servo's F-16XL

By god that plane is ugly. What where they thinking?

[qzgy]

27 minutes ago, RunsWithScissors said:

By god that plane is ugly. What where they thinking?

Stealth. Or something.

[MatterBeam]

1 hour ago, qzgy said:

Stealth. Or something.

Exactly this. They used smaller wings and compensated for the reduced lift with lifting body surfaces on the main fuselage. The V-shaped tail removed the big flat empennage which reflected radar right back to the source.

[Munbro Kerman]

This is my last craft for this thread and I want to say that I had great fun working with everyone and building all the experimental jets. I spent a little extra time to make this craft a little more special than previous ones - an aesthetic cockpit and realistic thrust vectors. Without further ado - I present my YF-22 Raptor.

September 1990: Lockheed YF-22 Raptor

A winner of the Advanced Tactical Fighter competition against the YF-23, the YF-22 would enter production as the F-22 which would go on to be the most feared fighter in the world. The US Air Force was looking to update its arsenal of fighter aircraft specifically the F-15 and F-16 fighters. Multiple companies made into teams proposed two aircraft: one design being the YF-23 and the other the YF-22.

The YF-23 had slightly greater speed and a smaller radar cross-section, but the YF-22 was agiler than its counterpart, which is the main reason it was picked over the YF-23. The YF-22 took advantage of multiple new technologies such as using composite material, stealth technology, and more powerful propulsion systems. It was designed to meet the USAF requirements: survivability, easy maintenance, and supercruise. 

The YF-22 demonstrated its maneuverability with its thrust vectoring nozzles, firepower by being able to fire missiles from an internal weapons bay, and speed by supercruising. The YF-22 won the contract and production would begin. When production of the F-22 began, slight details in the design were changed. The canopy was moved forward several inches, the wing design was changed slightly, and the size of vertical stabilizers was changed. 

Download Link:

https://kerbalx.com/MunbroKerman/YF-22-Raptor

Tomorrows' Craft:

@Triop's X-31

Thank you for allowing me to participate in this thread @Servo and @NorthAmericanAviation.

[Abpilot]

Would Russian X planes be allowed?

 

[qzgy]

9 hours ago, Abpilot said:

Would Russian X planes be allowed?

 

No.... I believe not sine this thread is about American X-planes. As in the OP.

[Abpilot]

22 hours ago, qzgy said:

No.... I believe not sine this thread is about American X-planes. As in the OP.

Nawww i want to do the Caspian Sea monster but if you will then ok

[eagle92lightning]

2 hours ago, Abpilot said:

Nawww i want to do the Caspian Sea monster but if you will then ok

The Caspian Sea monster wasn't built for Roscosmos like the X-planes wwee built for NASA. The Caspian Sea Monster was a military prototype not an expirmental aircraft.

[Abpilot]

9 hours ago, eagle92lightning said:

The Caspian Sea monster wasn't built for Roscosmos like the X-planes wwee built for NASA. The Caspian Sea Monster was a military prototype not an expirmental aircraft.

Oops oh thx for the facts!

[eagle92lightning]

1 hour ago, Abpilot said:

Oops oh thx for the facts!

Your welcome, I never mind telling people about any kind of aircraft. 

[Galane]

Lots of beautiful planes in this thread.

What the NASA lifting body program contributed to the Space Shuttle was proving that a fast and steep 'glide' path could be ended with a landing instead of a crash*. Their aerodynamics had little if any influence on the final design for the Shuttle. The Shuttle design ended up being a brick set atop a delta wing with forward strakes. It's what they had to do to accommodate the Air Force's demands for a huge cargo bay to launch big spy satellites and whatever secret stuff we still don't know about from flights of Atlantis.

*Except for the one where Bruce Peterson crashed the M2-F2. He lost vision in his right eye due to a staph infection contracted while in hospital. The aerodynamic deficiencies of the design contributed to his survival. The center of mass was so far behind the center of lift, the only way to 'fix' it was to add a huge amount of weight to the front. They seriously considered 'borrowing' a lot of gold from Fort Knox, then returning it after the flights were done. Someone involved with the program had the connections to do that. (Dunno why they didn't think of tungsten, it's >thisclose< to gold in density.) But they decided it would be more practical to reinforce the frame structure around the pilot, a lot, with enough steel to get the center of mass forward. After the crash, it was calculated the frame could withstand a 300G impact. That's why it was able to be rebuilt as the M2-F3 instead of having to be scrapped.

[eagle92lightning]

@Servo @NorthAmericanAviation THIS THREAD IS MISSING ONE OF THE FIRST SUPERMAUNVERABLITY AIRCRAFT EVE! THE X-31