Aircraft Trivia Quiz

Like I said.  The first bombers to have unrefueled intercontinental range.  Are you looking for more detailed answer?

Both had the capability of bombing the Soviet Union from home bases in the US?

This originated from the threat perceived by start of the Cold War & the USSR's first neclear test in 1949?

Engines in a pusher configuration?

They were in competition with one another to replace the B-29?

Northrop got screwed by Convair?

Ok. New Question:

What makes the Convair's B-36 and Northrop's X/YB-35 similar? (origin wise)

the question seem's to have been answered, but for the bonus ones;

a) As Warhammer has stated. If I remember correctly a cure for this was not proposed in the early days & if one had been provided after manufacture, it would have been to expensive to carry out.

b) As mojodoctor points out, the Shell/Monsanto JP7 was developed to have a high flashpoint because of the high operating temperatures expected. JP7 was also substituted as hydraulic fluid for control of the burner nozzles & could be subject to temperature somewhere in the region of 400c.

c) Due to the high flashpoint of JP7, elctrical ignition was ruled out & ignition was acheived by chemical means using Tri-ethyl borane (TEB). The TEB tank was stored onboard the A-12/SR-71, as it was required for burner ignition during flight.

Point of interest - another chemical (A-50?) was introduced into the fuel on operational flights to reduce the RCS of the burner plumes.

To add a bit here, it doesn't matter that it leaks sitting on the ground because JP7 fuel is not ignitable simply by tossing a match. But what is needed on the plane because it isn't easily ignited,.... ?

While a member of the Civil Air Patrol in 1974, we were given an extensive tour through the facility at Beale AFB, California and we asked about the danger of all that leaking fuel. Hmm, I'm not going to be the one to test that theory!

We got to eat breakfast with the flight crew, attend their 'suiting up', look through a hanger with an 'A' model all opened up, and look into the cockpit of a 'C' model. They also took us into their bunker for a question and answer session, go out on the perimeter of the runway to watch it's launch, and wait around until it landed later that day. Very cool stuff!

Here is my guess:

The fuel leaks out of the fuselage because the panel joints are not water-tight on the ground and rubber fuel tanks could not be used due to the extreme temperatures from friction while cruising at altitude. The hear of the friction was needed to expand the panels and make them seal.

A wild guess for the other parts: a refueling receptacle is needed to refuel the lost fuel after take-off?

The Junkers G.38 by hugo junkers (1929)

or the Gotha Go.147 by Rudolph Gother (1936)

Leonardo da Vinci

WarHammer25 wrote:

What was the first flying wing and who desinged it?

Arup S2, 1932; designed by Dr C. L. Snyder.  I consider his designs more a lifting body, not a flying wing but it was referred to as a flying wing.

YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nxz1UF67EQI

GS

Thanks milairjunkie and a very good question. I never new the prototypes of the A-6 had tiltable nozzles. Learn something new everyday.

New question, should be a little easier: 

What was the first flying wing and who desinged it?

No issue, I wrongly took offence - should have put the brain into gear before letting the fingers do the talking. I do try to post questions that are not to bizzare, as I know myself how irritating an ongoing one can be.

I decided a short while ago to bin the multi-part jobs jobs, as they often seem to go onnnnnnnn.

I take back the Shamen reference & apologise for my earlier mis-interpretation.

Yes WarHammer25, the Grumman Intruder / Prowler.

The first 4 of the 8 YA2F-1 prototypes had adjustable exhaust nozzles in an effort to reduce landing speed - but the concept was found lacking & deleted.

You may now see why I have been arguing the A/C & questions obscurity???

You turn WarHammer25.

I think I got it:

The A2F-1; the prototype of the A-6 Intruder. Its nozzles could tilt downwards.

I feel I have provided additional, relevant information throughout the duration of this question, increasing the ease of which it may be correctly answered with. I also feel that I have responded to answers in a pretty prompt manner - it's not like I have asked the question, gone away & let it die.

Several answers have not considered some of the fact's provided, such as that it is subsonic, that is flew before the Harrier & other VTOLs, that is is not VTOL, that it come from a family of versatile A/C - some of which still serve, that is a carrier based A/C, or that the vectoring was proposed to ease carried handling.

I argue the fact that this is an obscure question, or that I have failed to provide enough information - come on, how many subsonic carrier A/C which flew in the early sixties are still in, or have very recently been in service.