McDonnell Douglas X-36
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| McDonnell-Douglas X-36 | |
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| Type | Tailless Fighter Agility Research Aircraft |
| Manufacturer | McDonnell Douglas |
| Maiden flight | 1997-05-17 |
The McDonnell Douglas X-36 Tailless Fighter Agility Research Aircraft was a subscale prototype jet designed to fly without the traditional tail surfaces common on most aircraft.
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[edit] Summary
For control, a canard forward of the wing was used as well as split ailerons and an advanced thrust vectoring nozzle for directional control. The X-36 was unstable in both pitch and yaw axes, so an advanced digital fly-by-wire control system was put in place to stabilize the aircraft.
The X-36 was built to 28% scale of a possible fighter aircraft, and controlled by a pilot in a ground station virtual cockpit with a view provided by a video camera mounted in the nose of the aircraft.
First flown on May 17, 1997, it made 31 successful research flights. It handled very well, and the program is reported to have met or exceeded all project goals.
The aircraft is sometimes referred to as the Boeing X-36 as the test program was still in progress when McDonnell Douglas merged with the Boeing Company. In the adjoining photograph it is carrying Boeing markings.
This aircraft was put on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio on July 16, 2003, the same day as the Boeing Bird of Prey.
[edit] Potential development
The X-36 is a scaled-down representation of a theoretical advanced fighter aircraft configuration. The extreme maneuverability and stable nature at both ends of the speed envelope would make it ideal for use as a fighter. Despite the potential suitability, as of 2005 there have been no announcements by Boeing or any government agency regarding the X-36's development as a fighter.
[edit] Specifications (X-36)
Data from {name of first source}
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Length: 19 ft (5.8 m)
- Wingspan: 10 ft (3.0 m)
- Height: 3 ft (0.9 m)
- Max takeoff weight: 1,250 lb (550 kg)
- Powerplant: × Williams International F112 turbofan , 700 lbf (3.1 kN) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 234 mph (375 km/h)
- Service ceiling 20,000 ft (6,000 m)
- Thrust/weight: 0.56
[edit] References
[edit] External links
[edit] Related content
Related development: X-45
Comparable aircraft:
Designation Series: X33 - X-34 - X-35 - X-36 - X-37 - X-38 - X-39
See also:
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