Northrop X-4 Bantam

Northrop X-4 Bantam
Krajiny	Spojené štáty americké
Úlohu	Prototyp lietadla bez chvosta
Prvý let	15. december 1948
Postavený	2

Komisia Northrop X-4 Bantam bolo prototypom malého twinjet lietadla vyrobeného spoločnosťou Northrop Corporation v roku 1948. Nemal žiadne horizontálne chvostové povrchy, v závislosti od kombinovaných výťahových a aileronových riadiacich plôch (nazývaných elevony) na ovládanie v postojoch rozstupu a valčeka, takmer presne v podobnom formáte, raketovo poháňaný Messerschmitt Me 163 nacistického Nemecka Luftwaffe. Niektorí aerodynamici navrhli, že odstránenie horizontálneho chvosta by tiež odstránilo problémy so stabilitou pri vysokých rýchlostiach (nazývané šokový stánok) vyplývajúce z interakcie nadzvukových nárazových vĺn z krídel a horizontálnych stabilizátorov. Myšlienka mala zásluhu, ale systémy riadenia letu tej doby zabránili X-4 v akomkoľvek úspechu.

Zdrojový: Northrop X-4 Bantam na Wikipédii

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)
Úlohu	Experimental Aircraft (Transonic Stability Research)
National Origin	Spojené štáty americké
Výrobca	Northrop Corporation
First Flight	15. december 1948
Posádky	1 Pilot
Wing Sweep	35 degrees
Dĺžka	7.01 m (23 ft 0 in)
Rozpätie krídel	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.

Prezretí: 1976