From: skunk-works-digest-owner@mail.orst.edu To: skunk-works-digest@mail.orst.edu Subject: Skunk Works Digest V5 #443 Reply-To: skunk-works-digest@mail.orst.edu Errors-To: skunk-works-digest-owner@mail.orst.edu Precedence: bulk Skunk Works Digest Monday, 2 October 1995 Volume 05 : Number 443 In this issue: Re: Terry's posts et al. Re: Revoke the 1st Amendment: It's Off-Topic Re: Last KC-135Q Re: Last KC-135Q Sonic Booms Beryllium Paint & Sonic Booms Re: Last KC-135Q clarifying the ...... CIA control over Internet? ATFs Re: CIA control over Internet? Re: CIA control over Internet? F-117 paint Re: CIA control over Internet? AW&ST Sep. 25, 1995 See the end of the digest for information on subscribing to the skunk-works or skunk-works-digest mailing lists and on how to retrieve back issues. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Burtenshaw Date: Mon, 02 Oct 1995 09:22:36 -0100 Subject: Re: Terry's posts et al. At 17:59 01/10/95 +0000, you wrote: >3. I remember hearing that the paint on the SR-71 was called something like >"black ball" or "Iron ball", due to it containing tiny spheres of some >metal (or something like that), that was either a) to help with heat >dissipation, or b) to help reduce the radar cross section. Any truth in >that anyone? What about the paint on the F-117 and U2 - is it just regular >paint or does it have radar absorbent properties? Does this require special >ground handling? Your right it is called "Iron Ball". I had an interesting conversation with a Master Sargeant at the last Greenham Common Airshow (just before the cruise missiles arrived) where there was a TR-1 and SR-71 on display. Someone asked why they were painted black and got the answer from the Master Sargeant "camoflage"(!!). When I told him that I had read it was for anti-radar purposes and gave the name of the paint he grinned and said " you could be right but I'm not going to say". He also had the best shined boots I've seen for a long while. Regards John =========================================================================== John Burtenshaw Systems Administrator, The Computer Centre, Bournemouth University - --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Postal Address: Talbot Campus, Fern Barrow, POOLE, Dorset, BH12 5BB U.K. Internet: jburtens@bournemouth.ac.uk Phone: 01202 595089 Fax: 01202 513293 AX.25: g1hok@gb7bnm.#45.gbr.eu. AMPRnet: g1hok.ampr.org. (44.131.17.82) CompuServe: 100336,3113 =========================================================================== ------------------------------ From: megazone@world.std.com (MegaZone) Date: Mon, 2 Oct 1995 04:57:49 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: Revoke the 1st Amendment: It's Off-Topic Once upon a time wizard@friday.houston.net shaped the electrons to say... >If others, do not want to read what Terry Colvin posts, then, they can >by-pass what he has written. I feel sorry for those who would want to >censor someone else's thoughts and words (unless of course it falls >inside the range of Title 18, USC, Sec. 241). Newsgroups and mailing lists have topics for a reason you know. That is why there isn't jsut one mailing list and one newsgroup. If I wanted to see that kind of stuff, or had the time to read it (which I don't) or didn't pay for excess mail volume (which I do) then I would join the lists set aside for those issues. As it stands, I read this list for Lockheed realted things and the occaisional foray into other high tech aerospace issues. I don't think fring issues with nothing to back it up other than shaky speculation belongs here. That is not censorship, just as how if someone posts a Disney derived story to rec.arts.anime.stories, which I moderate, I reject it because it is off topic. Or if someone wants to start a Dar Williams discussion on the ani-difranco ML, which I run, I will squash it - because it is off topic and there are places for those issues. - -- megazone@world.std.com 510-527-0944 MegaZone's Waste Of Time Moderator: anime fanfic archive, ftp.std.com /archives/anime-fan-works; rec.arts.anime.stories - Maintainer: Ani Difranco Mailing List - Mail to majordomo@world.std.com with 'subscribe ani-difranco' in the body. ------------------------------ From: mangan@Kodak.COM (Paul Mangan) Date: Mon, 2 Oct 95 07:51:32 EDT Subject: Re: Last KC-135Q So, does this mean it can cary 1 or 2 different fuels? Does this mean that there will be limited support for the SR71 or could this imply that the SR71 engines have been modified? Paul mangan@kodak.com > From skunk-works-owner@gaia.ucs.orst.edu Sat Sep 30 03:20:20 1995 > Subject: Last KC-135Q > To: skunk-works@gaia.ucs.orst.edu (Skunk Works) > X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.4 PL24] > Mime-Version: 1.0 > Content-Type> : > text/plain> ; > charset=US-ASCII> > Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > Content-Length: 2049 > Sender: skunk-works-owner@gaia.ucs.orst.edu > X-Lines: 38 > > > Last KC-135Q leaves Fairchild > by Capt. John Arias > > FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. (AFNS) -- Aircraft 58- > 0099, the last KC-135Q model in the Air Force, was scheduled to > depart here Sept. 29. Along with this departure goes the characteristic > billowing black smoke and thunderous sound that accompanies every > Q-model takeoff. When it returns, it'll wear the designation of a KC- > 135T. > This latest version of the KC-135 meets the ever-increasing demand > for more efficient and reliable air refuelers, yet still retains its > capability to refuel the SR-71, according to 92nd Air Refueling Wing > officials. > Because of the special fuel requirements of the SR-71, the Q-model > was designed to isolate two separate fuel types within its fuel cells. > This design gave the KC-135Q the distinction of being the only > airplane capable of refueling the fastest airplane in the world. All > KC-135Qs are modified from the original version, the KC-135A. The > modification program started in 1966 and by 1968 a total of 56 jets > made the transformation. > After two fuel shortages through the 1970s and '80s, a decreasing > force and an ever-increasing threat abroad, the demand for tanker > support increased, officials noted. To meet this demand, changes in > the KC-135 were necessary to do more with less. The answer was to > upgrade the 1950s technology engines that were originally designed > and built into the KC-135A. These engines, the J-57, lacked the power > and fuel efficiency needed in modern wartime environment. > In 1984 the first upgrade jet, the KC-135R, was accepted into the > Air Force inventory. With its CFM-56 engines, it could produce over > 22,000 pounds of thrust compared to the J-57s 13,500 pounds. In > addition, the KC-135R was 30 percent more fuel efficient than the KC- > 135A or Q. These changes meant the capability of carrying a much > larger payload with much greater cost efficiency. The result was > evidenced by the huge success of the air campaign over Iraq. > (Arias is assigned to the 98th Air Refueling Squadron) > > > ------------------------------ From: dadams@netcom.com (Dean Adams) Date: Mon, 2 Oct 1995 05:26:51 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: Last KC-135Q > So, does this mean it can cary 1 or 2 different fuels? It sounded like they would still have the ability to carry separate fuels, but the new engines will no longer be able to burn JP-7 like the old ones could. Other tankers like the KC-10 already have the ability to carry special fuels for IFR use, and keep those tanks isolated from its own fuel system. >Does this mean that there will be limited support for the SR71 It should not be a problem, since there is only a limited number of SRs flying. Also, I don't believe they have been using KC-135Qs for SR-71 support since they were deactivated at Beale. NASA has been using the regular group of tankers supporting Edwards. > or could this imply that the SR71 engines have been modified? Definitely not. ------------------------------ From: "Terry Colvin" Date: Sun, 01 Oct 95 15:01:52 EST Subject: Sonic Booms Forwarded from the SPACE TECH list: Date: 28 Sep 1995 13:36:54 GMT From: Rick Ballard Subject: Hello Aurora, Goodby Blackbird treed@sdsu.edu (Tracy R. Reed) wrote: >Wolverine (wolverin@nmia.com) wrote: >: There is sufficient secondary evidence to indicate the existance of such >: a craft. Several years ago, there was a characteristic double sonic boom >: (indicative of Hypersonic speeds) which left a track northward across LA >A double sonic boom is not indicative of hypersonic speed. Sonic booms >are only made during the transition from subsonic to supersonic velocities. In any vehicle traveling above the speed of sound, a shock wave is formed which follows behind the vehicle. A sonic boom is heard by the listener when the conical wave-front passes by the listener, with distance (and local weather conditions) from the vehicle attenuating the wave strength of the boom. A double sonic boom is _not_ an indication of hypersonic (>Mach 3) speeds, but is actually caused by the configuration of the vehicle. Multiple shock waves can form on vehicles with control surfaces that extend outside the cone of the primary shock wave (which forms at the nose of the vehicle), with the result being multiple sonic booms. The shuttle has a characteristic double sonic boom because of its primary shock wave and a secondary one which forms on the tail. I'm not saying that the double sonic boom that Wolverine heard was not a supersonic vehicle (perhaps even an Aurora, if it exists...). It could have been a returning Space Shuttle, with the double sonic booms being carried extra distances by the local atmospheric conditions. Rick. - ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DISCLAIMER: Any opinions expressed in the above text are my own, and are not supported by NASA or Sverdrup Technology. - --------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 27 Sep 1995 22:06:41 -0700 From: "A. Higgins" Subject: Hello Aurora, Goodby Blackbird On 25 Sep 1995, Tracy R. Reed wrote: [[See above]] No. A double sonic boom is continuously created by all bodies in supersonic flight. The first boom is the passage of the conical bow shock. The second boom is a conical shock wave originating from the base of the body, caused by flow expanding around the base of the body being deflected back to axial. This is exactly analogous to the two V-shaped surface waves generated by ships (one at the bow of the ship, one at the wake). Initially the pressure waves propagating from a supersonic aircraft can be quite complicated, depending on the aircraft geometry, but as you move away from the aircraft, the pressure waves coalesce into two crisp shock waves, separated by a rarefaction zone. This is the classic N-wave of sonic booms and blast waves. The "double" boom is simply a result of the two shocks of the N-wave being separated by enough distance for the human ear to resolve. This distance is dictated by the aircraft length, speed, atmospheric conditions, etc. For a typical SST, if the two shocks are separated by ~100m, then you will hear the two booms. Otherwise, it will sound as a single boom. Reference: I.I. Glass, _Shock_Waves_&_Man_, University of Toronto Press, 1974, pp 52-63. - -- Andrew J. Higgins Aerospace & Energetics Research Program Ram Accelerator Group Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics higgins@aa.washington.edu University of Washington, Seattle ------------------------------ From: "Terry Colvin" Date: Sun, 01 Oct 95 15:04:47 EST Subject: Beryllium Forwarded from the SPACE TECH list: Date: 29 Sep 1995 06:32:36 GMT From: earl@NeoSoft.com Subject: Aurora & Blackbird In <9508278122.AA812223614@fhu.disa.mil>, "Terry Colvin" [[forwards from an unknown source]]: > Has beryllium >been used to any great extent. I understand it was a successful >material for missles, but what about planes? > You want to be VERY carefull with Be !! The oxide is very nice and hard, stable and a great cancer source. Early chemists touched cheek to identify ceramic parts from other materials, very big problem after a few years. The soluble compounds cause their own disease berylliosis (sp). The pure metal is ok, I think - but any corrosion and ..... - ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 29 Sep 95 08:27:17 PST From: sranderson@ccgate.hac.com Subject: Aurora & Blackbird Terry Colvin [[forwarded from somewhere]]: >Way back when, late 40's-early 50's, Battelle Memorial Institute >under a RAND subcontract found titanium was a useful structural >material. I suspect that study prompted the Skunk Works to give >it a try, despite the problems described by Ben Rich. Also >studied was beryllium. Dr. George Hoffman, a RAND engineer, >published "Beryllium as an Aircraft Structural Material," in 1956, >RAND Corporation report RM-1642 and article P-871. Has beryllium >been used to any great extent. I understand it was a successful >material for missles, but what about planes? >Byron I'm not a materials fella, but I do know beryllium is very often used in satellite structures. I understand that it is also used in missles, high-speed aircraft (no specifics), spacecraft (the Shuttle), as well as automobiles. Beryllium possesses several desirable properties...light, good elasticity, thermal conductor, nonmagnetic, etc. Caution though, Beryllium is toxic and should not be worked or handled by the uninitiated. Never taste it! Steve. ------------------------------ From: "Terry Colvin" Date: Sun, 01 Oct 95 14:57:56 EST Subject: Paint & Sonic Booms Forwarded from the SPACE TECH list: Date: 28 Sep 1995 00:36:24 GMT From: Nick Strauss Subject: Hello Aurora, Goodby Blackbird > > As far as the concorde goes, and the XB-70, and the shuttle, I > haven't heard reasons for the white paint. I think the concorde is white to reduce heating from solar radiation. In other words, more problems from sunlight than friction at its altitude/airspeed. I think this was why, for a long time, airliners were painted in light colors, until airlines decided this solar heating wasn't really a problem and the dark colors were better for marketing. The shuttle's bottom, which gets most of the heat, is black to radiate it off. Like the SR, the shuttle heats from friction, so the black paint on the hot bits radiates the heat off. The not-hot (or rather, less hot) parts of the shuttle are white to reflect solar radiation in space, and keep the shuttle cool in orbit as much as possible. Or, this is what I have heard. Does NASA change the shuttle's orientation to keep the white side to the sun as much as possible? Seems to contradict the idea of keepint the radiators in the shade, since they are on "top" along with most of the white bits. The XB-70 was probably painted white for the same reason the original B-1 prototypes and lots of B-52s were. The idea was to reflect the flash from near-miss nuclear bomb explosions. Cheerful thought. --Nick - ------------------------------ Date: 28 Sep 1995 07:00:55 GMT From: Nick Strauss Subject: Hello Aurora, Goodby Blackbird > A double sonic boom is not indicative of hypersonic speed. Sonic booms > are only made during the transition from subsonic to supersonic velocities. Uh...I don't think so. The sonic boom is the shock wave at the leading edge of the vehicle. Any thing passes over head while supersonic and you'll here a boom, if you're in the right area, the vehicle is low enough and fast enough to generate a meaningful boom, etc. No matter how many Mach you are going, there is one boom for most vehicles. As I understand it, the reason the shuttle leaves a double boom is that it trails two shocks of suffient strength to be audible. Most vehicles only have a strong leading edge shock. The shuttle's bluff back side (its flat, basically) creates a strong enough shock that we hear that one too. This is from an aero class I took a few years ago when I wasn't an english major. --Nick ------------------------------ From: Mary Shafer Date: Mon, 2 Oct 1995 10:40:13 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: Last KC-135Q No, it means that Capt. Arias is confused (a non-uncommon condition for captains, I might add). We've been refueling from KC-10s and KC-135Rs and Cs. The KC-135Q was able to burn JP-7, so it only carried one kind of fuel. The tankers we use burn JP-8, so they have to carry 2 kinds of fuel. Regards, Mary Mary Shafer DoD #0362 KotFR shafer@ursa-major.spdcc.com URL http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/People/Shafer/mary.html Some days it don't come easy/And some days it don't come hard Some days it don't come at all/And these are the days that never end.... On Mon, 2 Oct 1995, Paul Mangan wrote: > So, does this mean it can cary 1 or 2 different fuels? Does this > mean that there will be limited support for the SR71 or could this > imply that the SR71 engines have been modified? > Paul > mangan@kodak.com > > > > From skunk-works-owner@gaia.ucs.orst.edu Sat Sep 30 03:20:20 1995 > > Subject: Last KC-135Q > > To: skunk-works@gaia.ucs.orst.edu (Skunk Works) > > X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.4 PL24] > > Mime-Version: 1.0 > > Content-Type> : > text/plain> ; > charset=US-ASCII> > > Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > > Content-Length: 2049 > > Sender: skunk-works-owner@gaia.ucs.orst.edu > > X-Lines: 38 > > > > > > Last KC-135Q leaves Fairchild > > by Capt. John Arias > > > > FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. (AFNS) -- Aircraft 58- > > 0099, the last KC-135Q model in the Air Force, was scheduled to > > depart here Sept. 29. Along with this departure goes the characteristic > > billowing black smoke and thunderous sound that accompanies every > > Q-model takeoff. When it returns, it'll wear the designation of a KC- > > 135T. > > This latest version of the KC-135 meets the ever-increasing demand > > for more efficient and reliable air refuelers, yet still retains its > > capability to refuel the SR-71, according to 92nd Air Refueling Wing > > officials. > > Because of the special fuel requirements of the SR-71, the Q-model > > was designed to isolate two separate fuel types within its fuel cells. > > This design gave the KC-135Q the distinction of being the only > > airplane capable of refueling the fastest airplane in the world. All > > KC-135Qs are modified from the original version, the KC-135A. The > > modification program started in 1966 and by 1968 a total of 56 jets > > made the transformation. > > After two fuel shortages through the 1970s and '80s, a decreasing > > force and an ever-increasing threat abroad, the demand for tanker > > support increased, officials noted. To meet this demand, changes in > > the KC-135 were necessary to do more with less. The answer was to > > upgrade the 1950s technology engines that were originally designed > > and built into the KC-135A. These engines, the J-57, lacked the power > > and fuel efficiency needed in modern wartime environment. > > In 1984 the first upgrade jet, the KC-135R, was accepted into the > > Air Force inventory. With its CFM-56 engines, it could produce over > > 22,000 pounds of thrust compared to the J-57s 13,500 pounds. In > > addition, the KC-135R was 30 percent more fuel efficient than the KC- > > 135A or Q. These changes meant the capability of carrying a much > > larger payload with much greater cost efficiency. The result was > > evidenced by the huge success of the air campaign over Iraq. > > (Arias is assigned to the 98th Air Refueling Squadron) > > > > > > ------------------------------ From: "I am the NRA." Date: Mon, 2 Oct 95 07:49:11 PDT Subject: clarifying the ...... >>specific application and the threat. Da Details are presumably about as >>"black" as it gets... >Actually, no. Actually, yes, if poorly worded. The para discussed RAM_in_general which is about as "black" as it gets. The specific paint on the SR71 isn't very "black", as its olde tech. >I talked to an engineer in the LADC materials research group. Apparently, the > paint on the SR is Lockheed product C-144. Or anyone interested can walk up to one of the preserved a/c and help themselves. (Not that I am encouraging such activity...) regards dwp ------------------------------ From: ConsLaw@aol.com Date: Mon, 2 Oct 1995 16:09:16 -0400 Subject: CIA control over Internet? Today's Wall Street Journal (10/2/95 Monday) has a feature story on ties between the company that controls Internet Domain names and government intelligence agencies. Without quoting the entire article, here's a taste. >Is the military-industrial complex trying to infiltrate the Internet? Denizens of the global computer network which often pulses with conspiracy talk have been debating that possibility since word got out that the company holding the contract to assign all "domain names," or addresses on the Internet, has ties to the intelligence community. Web Review, a newsletter publiished on the World Wide Web, reported last week that the company in charge of assigning domain names, Network Solutions Inc., had been acquired last spring by defense contractor Science Applications International Corp. SAIC, a closely held company, has many former intelligence and defense officials on its board. Web Review raised questions about whether SAIC is acting as camouflage for the government and quoted one anonymous Internet insider as saying the military establishment is "trying to maintain control over the internet."< Comments anyone? - Steve "all I know is what I read in the papers" Hofer aka conslaw@aol.com ------------------------------ From: "Terry Colvin" Date: Mon, 02 Oct 95 15:39:05 EST Subject: ATFs Author: misc@interport.net at smtp-fhu Date: 2/10/1995 4:00 PM On Sat, 30 Sep 95 Paul Carleton wrote: > Perhaps its common knowledge but I'm not familiar with 'YF-22A, YF-23 > and YF-23A'... > Is there a source (preferably on the net) for more information... Paul, The YF-22A, YF-23,and YF-23A were the prototypes for the Air Forces' Advanced Technology Aircraft (ATF) fighter planes. The YF-22 was built by Lockheed and the YF-23s were built by Northrop. The YF-22 was chosen by the Air Force as the next generation fighter (F-22). I'm not familiar with the photos mentioned. Some of the WEB sites that carry aircarft pics will probably have general photos. Regards, Jay [Thank you. / P.C.] ------------------------------ From: Wei-Jen Su Date: Mon, 2 Oct 1995 19:24:55 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: CIA control over Internet? > > Web Review, a newsletter publiished on the World Wide Web, reported last week > that the company in charge of assigning domain names, Network Solutions Inc., > had been acquired last spring by defense contractor Science Applications > International Corp. SAIC, a closely held company, has many former > intelligence and defense officials on its board. Web Review raised questions > about whether SAIC is acting as camouflage for the government and quoted one > anonymous Internet insider as saying the military establishment is "trying to > maintain control over the internet."< > > Comments anyone? - Steve "all I know is what I read in the papers" Hofer aka > conslaw@aol.com > I think in this mailing list, for sure any intelligent agency will keep watching us... May the Force be with you (if this mail will be posted...) Su Wei-Jen wsu02@barney.poly.edu ------------------------------ From: sschaper@pobox.com (Steve Schaper) Date: Mon, 2 Oct 1995 19:43:48 -0500 Subject: Re: CIA control over Internet? This is nonsense. The internet is a DARPA project. Of _course_ there are connections! ------------------------------ From: MiGEater1@aol.com Date: Mon, 2 Oct 1995 22:19:25 -0400 Subject: F-117 paint I saw the post reffering to the paint on the F-117. Here are the two types: Primer MIL-P-23377 Topcoat MIL-C-83226 This data was taken from F-117 #822. The aircraft painting was performed on July 28th, 1994. Hope y'all find this interesting... John Clark Aviation Photographics ------------------------------ From: chosa@chosa.win.net (Byron Weber) Date: Mon, 02 Oct 1995 19:09:23 Subject: Re: CIA control over Internet? >Today's Wall Street Journal (10/2/95 Monday) has a feature story on ties >between the company that controls Internet Domain names and government >intelligence agencies. Without quoting the entire article, here's a taste. > > >>Is the military-industrial complex trying to infiltrate the Internet? > >Denizens of the global computer network which often pulses with conspiracy >talk have been debating that possibility since word got out that the company >holding the contract to assign all "domain names," or addresses on the >Internet, has ties to the intelligence community. > >Web Review, a newsletter publiished on the World Wide Web, reported last week >that the company in charge of assigning domain names, Network Solutions Inc., >had been acquired last spring by defense contractor Science Applications >International Corp. SAIC, a closely held company, has many former >intelligence and defense officials on its board. Web Review raised questions >about whether SAIC is acting as camouflage for the government and quoted one >anonymous Internet insider as saying the military establishment is "trying to >maintain control over the internet."< > >Comments anyone? - Steve "all I know is what I read in the papers" Hofer aka >conslaw@aol.com > I fail to understand what is meant by "control over the internet." Does that mean sensitive posts will never be posted? Thus far I havent seen evidence of that. If it helps them catch spys, all the better. As long as we dont lose our rights, like freedom of speech, I kind of like the attention. Makes me feel important in an otherwise day to day, eek out a living, existence. But I dont envy them such a task. I cant even keep up with my limited email. PS Anyone at the Skunk Works want to test the waters with something sensitive? Just kidding, of course. Byron ------------------------------ From: Kathryn & Andreas Gehrs-Pahl Date: Tue, 3 Oct 1995 01:25:46 -0400 (EDT) Subject: AW&ST Sep. 25, 1995 HELIOS PACT TO FOSTER EUROPEAN RECON SOLIDARITY, pages 31-32: ============================================================= The article describes the WEU (mainly France and German) plans to operate the Matra/Aerospatiale Helios reconnaissance satellite system. They plan still to work together with the USA, but want to build an indigenous system. Germany turned down a cheaper system offered by Lockheed Martin (based on Agena/Corona or more modern hardware?), to "secure the future of the European space industry" and the need to prevent erosion of European high technology capabilities. MOVING INLET PICKED FOR JAST, page 34: ====================================== BOEING'S JAST DESIGN, TESTING PROCEED APACE, pages 53-54: ========================================================= Boeing's JAST design, which uses a modified F119-PW engine looks rather unusual and is difficult to describe: it somehow resembles a cross between Ryan's X-13 'Vertijet' (compact, delta wing without canards or horizontal stabilizers), and Himat (more aerodynamic and sleeker). Its most prominent feature is the extra-large, very forward placed air intake, which reminds me a bit of the Vought XF8U-3 'Crusader III'. It has two relatively small outward canted vertical stabilizers with rudders, and incorporates an SR-71 like chine, blending into the delta wing. Boeing plans to build three versions of the JAST aircraft: * a very stealthy CTOL version for the USAF (all internal loads), which might later be adapted to carry external, conformal, stealthy loads; * a very stealthy, strengthened carrier-based CV version for the USN (all internal loads); * a non-stealthy STOVL version for the USMC (all external loads), using a direct lift system (similar to the Harrier); The USAF version was supposed to be 'semi-stealthy' with external, conformal, stealthy loads, but that option has currently a low priority, awaiting the development of such conformal weapons. All three versions might get a newly developed auxiliary inlet in addition to the large, movable main air intake, which was specifically aimed at the STOVL version. All three versions are supposed to be 90% part and 80% cost compatible. Boeing has built and tested (or plans to build/test) the following JAST models: * the 94% scale powered STOVL airframe model, to be tested at a dedicated JAST outdoors test stand in Tulalip, north of Seattle; * Two RCS test models: - a full-scale RCS test model (under construction); - tests with a small scale RCS test model are completed; * Four low-speed aerodynamics test models: - a 3% scale representation for water tunnel trials to observe flow phenomena; - a 5% scale model, tested at Wichita State University's wind tunnel in Kansas; - a 10% scale model, tested at Micro Craft's low-speed wind tunnel in San Diego, California; - another 10% scale model, used to test high-alpha flying characteristics, tested at NASA's Langley Research Center's 12-ft. low dynamic pressure wind tunnel in Hampton, Virginia; * Three high-speed aerodynamics test models: - a 5 % scale model, tested in both Boeing's transonic and supersonic wind tunnel in Seattle, to verify high AoA stability; - a 9 % scale jet-effects model, tested at at the ARA transonic wind tunnel in Bedford, England, to examine aft body drag; - a 10% scale model, tested at Boeing's transonic wind tunnel in Seattle, and NASA's Langley Research Center's 16-ft. transonic wind tunnel in Hampton, Virginia; * Eleven propulsion tests, utilizing several propulsion models: - a study of STOVL-related hot gas ingestion effects at Rolls-Royce facilities in Bristol, England; - a 10% scale STOVL version model, tested at NASA Langley, evaluating operational propulsion system losses and interactions; - a 10% scale model for component testing at Pratt & Whitney in West Palm Beach, Florida; - a 15% scale model of a complete JAST STOVL-version propulsion system, built by Rolls-Royce, and tested at Boeing; * Other tests and plans include: - transonic and supersonic weapons separation simulations have been conducted at the Calspan wind tunnel in Buffalo, New York; - Boeing is studying the use of an avionics flying testbed; - Boeing is also studying the use of their Integrated Technology Development Laboratory for JAST; The main feature -- about the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E/F Hornet -- includes some interesting information incorporated in the following articles: NEW HORNET ROLLS OUT ON TIME, WITHIN BUDGET, pages 90-92: ========================================================= 'BALANCED' DESIGN IMPROVES F/A-18E/F SURVIVABILITY, pages 93-97: ================================================================ PRODUCTION F/A-18s INCORPORATE RAM, page 93: ============================================ F/A-18E/F DESIGN TECHNIQUES MAINTAIN AFFORDABILITY, pages 97-100: ================================================================= F/A-18E/F PARTS COUNT REDUCED, page 98: ======================================= INNOVATIVE TOOLING CONTAINS COSTS, page 100: ============================================ I will list here only the stealth/RAM related info: * Production F/A-18C and F/A-18D models use RAM to reduce their RCS features, since Fiscal Year 1989. The spray-applied RAM is used on radar cavity, air inlets, and outer moldline, while the cockpits are conductively coated with another type of RAM. The main problem in operational use is corrosion and some rain-induced erosion on leading edges. The two types of corrosion encountered are degradation caused by the marine environment (to the carbonyl iron loaded RAM) and galvanic corrosion between the RAM's iron and the aircraft's aluminum structure. MDD has developed a new type of RAM, 20% less dense and without carbonyl iron, which is produced by another company. For field maintenance, a self- adhering tape can be used to replace/fix the spray-on RAM cover. * The F/A-18E/F incorporates stealth features, such as: - 'bumps' inside the air intake to reduce direct visibility of the engine from head-on; - the inlet out-lines are aligned to the wing and vertical stabilizers, and even the small perforations used to control airflow in the inlet are patterned on an angle aligned with other features, as are antennas and access doors; - tolerances are tightened to get a smoother airframe, leading and trailing edges are specially shaped, and fewer access doors are used; - about 155 lb. of the new lower density RAM is used on each F/A-18E/F and additional RAM covered areas are the tail hook pivot point and the aileron actuator fairings; - all together, about 990 lb. of aircraft weight was budgeted toward stealth, and about 877 lb. was actually used; - -- Andreas - --- --- Andreas & Kathryn Gehrs-Pahl E-Mail: schnars@ais.org 313 West Court St. #305 or: gpahl@raptor.csc.flint.umich.edu Flint, MI 48502-1239 Tel: (810) 238-8469 WWW URL: http://www.umcc.umich.edu/~schnars/ - --- --- ------------------------------ End of Skunk Works Digest V5 #443 ********************************* To subscribe to skunk-works-digest, send the command: subscribe skunk-works-digest in the body of a message to "majordomo@mail.orst.edu". 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