Northrop X-4 Bantam

Northrop X-4 Bantam
Země	SPOJENÉ STÁTY
Roli	Prototyp bezocasého letadla
První let	15. prosince 1948
Postaven	2

Tá Northrop X-4 Bantam byl prototyp malého dvouproudového letounu vyrobený společností Northrop Corporation v roce 1948. Neměl žádné vodorovné ocasní plochy, místo toho byl závislý na kombinovaných ovládacích plochách výškovky a křidélek (nazývaných elevony) pro ovládání náklonu a náklonu, téměř přesně ve stylu raketového Messerschmittu Me 163 podobného formátu nacistické německé Luftwaffe. Někteří aerodynamici navrhli, že odstranění vodorovných ocasních ploch by také odstranilo problémy se stabilitou při vysokých rychlostech (nazývané shock stall), které jsou výsledkem interakce nadzvukových rázových vln z křídel a horizontálních stabilizátorů. Tato myšlenka měla své opodstatnění, ale systémy řízení letu v té době zabránily X-4 v jakémkoli úspěchu.

Zdroj: Northrop X-4 Bantam na Wikipedii

Northrop X-4 Bantam Walk Aroundd
Photographers	John Heck, Randy Ray
Localisation	National Museum of the USAF
Photos	50

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General Characteristics and Role

The Northrop X-4 Bantam was an experimental jet aircraft developed for the U.S. Air Force and the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA, the precursor to NASA) in the late 1940s. Its primary role was to investigate the aerodynamic properties of a tailless aircraft design at transonic speeds (speeds approaching the speed of sound, or Mach 1). It utilized a semi-tailless configuration, meaning it lacked a horizontal tail stabilizer but retained small vertical fins. The tailless design was believed to reduce the shock waves and control issues experienced by conventional aircraft as they approached the sound barrier. The Bantam was built as a small, swept-wing jet to minimize costs and complexity during the high-risk transonic research phase.

Property	Typical Value (X-4)
Roli	Experimental Aircraft (Transonic Stability Research)
National Origin	Spojené státy americké
Výrobce	Northrop Corporation
First Flight	15. prosince 1948
Posádky	1 Pilot
Wing Sweep	35 degrees
Délka	7.01 m (23 ft 0 in)
Rozpětí křídel	8.23 m (27 ft 0 in)
Výška	4.52 m (14 ft 10 in)	Gross Weight	3,524 kg (7,770 lb)

Powerplant and Flight Controls

Engine: 2 x Westinghouse J30 turbojet engines.
Thrust (Total): Approximately 1,600 lbf (7.1 kN).
Maximum Speed: 1,032 km/h (641 mph, or approx. Mach 0.85).
Control Surfaces: All control was handled by elevons (control surfaces that combine the functions of elevators and ailerons) on the trailing edge of the wing, and twin vertical rudders.
Stability Issue: Testing confirmed that while the X-4 was stable at low speeds, it experienced severe longitudinal stability issues when flying faster than Mach 0.88, leading to a tendency to pitch up and lose control.

Program Outcome and Legacy

Test Program: The X-4 completed 81 research flights at the NACA Muroc Flight Test Unit (later Edwards AFB).
Discovery: The program proved that a simple tailless design was unsuitable for sustained transonic flight due to the poor stability characteristics encountered.
Influence: This finding was crucial, convincing designers to use a conventional horizontal stabilizer (tailplane) or the all-moving stabilator on high-speed jets, which became the standard design for supersonic aircraft.
Preservation: Both prototypes built are preserved: one (46-676) is at the U.S. Air Force Museum in Ohio, and the other (46-677) is at the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History in New Mexico.

Zobrazení : 2011