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词条 Northrop XP-79
释义

  1. Design and development

     MX-324 and MX-334 

  2. Testing

  3. Variants

  4. Specifications (XP-79B)

  5. See also

  6. References

  7. Further reading

  8. External links

name = XP-79image = File:Northrop XP-79.jpgcaption = The sole prototype XP-79B.

}}{{Infobox Aircraft Type

type =Interceptormanufacturer = Northrop Corporationdesigner = Jack Northropfirst flight = 12 September 1945introduced =retired = 12 September 1945status = Crashed, out of serviceprimary user = United States Army Air Forcesmore users =produced =number built = 1unit cost =developed from =variants with their own articles =
}}

The Northrop XP-79, USAAF project number MX-365, was an ambitious design for a flying wing fighter aircraft, designed by Northrop. It had several notable design features; among these, the pilot would operate the aircraft from a lying position, permitting the pilot to withstand much greater g-forces in the upward and downward direction with respect to the plane – and welded magnesium monocoque structure instead of riveted aluminum.

Design and development

In 1942, John K. (Jack) Northrop conceived the XP-79 as a high-speed rocket-powered flying-wing fighter aircraft. In January 1943, a contract for two prototypes (s/n's 43-52437 & 43-52438) with designation XP-79 was issued by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF).

Originally, it was planned to use a {{cvt|2000|lbf}} thrust XCALR-2000A-1 "rotojet" rocket motor from Aerojet that used mono-ethylaniline fuel and red fuming nitric acid (RFNA) oxidiser.[1] However, the rocket motor configuration using canted rockets to drive the turbo-pumps was unsatisfactory and the aircraft was subsequently fitted with two Westinghouse 19B (J30) turbojets and re-designated XP-79B. After the failure of the rocket motor, further development of the first two prototypes ended.

To protect the pilot if the aircraft was damaged in combat the XP-79 was built using a welded magnesium alloy monocoque structure with a {{cvt|0.125|in}} skin thickness at the trailing edge and a {{cvt|0.75|in}} thickness at the leading edge.

The pilot controlled the XP-79 through a tiller bar and rudders mounted below; intakes mounted at the wingtips supplied air for the unusual bellows-boosted split ailerons.[2]

MX-324 and MX-334

To test the radical design, Northrop was given a contract to build three glider demonstrators, to designs from the Engineering Division of the USAAF Materiel Division.{{cn|date=May 2018}} Given the Northrop designation NS-12, the three gliders were also given project numbers from the USAAF. Confusingly, two project numbers were used, one MX-324 when discussing secret aspects of the powered gliders, and another, MX-334, relating to the aircraft when being built and flown as pure gliders.[3]

The MX-334 emerged as a flying wing glider with no tail surfaces, similar in layout and construction to the Northrop N-9M. Completed in late Spring 1943 the no.1 MX-334 was tested in NACA Langley's wind tunnel, after which a large wire-braced fin was added to ensure directional stability at high speeds. The first flight attempts was carried out by the no.2 aircraft towed behind a Cadillac car for low level take-off and landing tests, with no success. After modifications the first launch was carried out on 4 September 1943, towed behind a large truck. For more comprehensive testing, a Lockheed P-38 Lightning was used to tow the aircraft on its first proper flight on 2 October 1943.

In early 1944 the no.2 aircraft was modified to take the {{cvt|2009|lbf}} Aerojet XCAL-200 rocket motor, reverting to the "secret" MX-324 designation. The aircraft was also fitted with combined rudder and airbrakes outboard of the elevons. Testing with the rocket motor commenced on 22 June 1944, with the first aerotow launch for a powered flight on 5 July 1944, making it the first US-built rocket-powered aircraft to fly.[2] Flight testing was concluded by 1 August 1944 and the two remaining aircraft were disposed of. The no.3 MX-334 was written off on its second flight, on 10 November 1943, after Harry Crosby lost control in the prop-wash of the P-38 tug.

Testing

The XP-79B (after delays because of bursting tires and brake problems on taxiing trials on the Muroc dry lake) was lost during its first flight on 12 September 1945. While performing a slow roll 15 minutes into the flight, control was lost for unknown reasons. The nose dropped and the roll continued with the aircraft impacting in a vertical spin. Test pilot Harry Crosby attempted to bail out but was struck by the aircraft and fell to his death. Shortly thereafter, the second prototype (43-52438) and the overall project was canceled.

Variants

Data from: Northrop Flying Wings : a history of Jack Northrop's visionary aircraft[3]
NS-12
Northrop company designation for the MX-324 programme.
NS-14
Northrop designation for the XP-79 programme.
MX-324
The "secret" designation for the powered version of the MX-334 glider. Only used for the no.2 glider, when powered by a single {{cvt|200|lbf}} Aerojet XCAL-200 liquid-fuelled rocket engine.
MX-334
The designation used to describe the pure glider version ( including the no.2 aircraft before it was fitted with the rocket engine).
MX-365
The USAAC project number for the XP-79 programme
XP-79
The initial design for a rocket powered fighter, to have been powered by 2 x {{cvt|2000|lbf}} Aerojet XCAL-2000 liquid-fuelled rocket engine.
XP-79B
Three aircraft were ordered but only one was completed, crashing on its first flight on 12 September 1945.

Specifications (XP-79B)

{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Northrop Flying Wings : a history of Jack Northrop's visionary aircraft[3][4]
|prime units?=imp


|crew=1
|length ft=13.98
|span ft=37.99
|height ft=7.58
|wing area sqft=278
|aspect ratio=5.19
|airfoil=NACA 66,2-018
|empty weight lb=5842
|gross weight lb=8669
|max takeoff weight kg=
|max takeoff weight lb=
|max takeoff weight note=
|fuel capacity={{cvt|300|USgal|impgal l}}
|more general=


|eng1 number=2
|eng1 name=Westinghouse 19B
|eng1 type=axial flow turbojet
|eng1 lbf=1150


|max speed mph=547
|cruise speed mph=480
|stall speed kmh=
|stall speed mph=
|stall speed kts=
|stall speed note=
|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed kts=
|never exceed speed note=
|minimum control speed kmh=
|minimum control speed mph=
|minimum control speed kts=
|minimum control speed note=
|range miles=993
|combat range km=
|combat range miles=
|combat range nmi=
|combat range note=
|ferry range km=
|ferry range miles=
|ferry range nmi=
|ferry range note=
|endurance=2.45 hours
|ceiling ft=40000
|g limits=
|roll rate=
|climb rate ftmin=4000
|time to altitude=
|wing loading lb/sqft=31
|fuel consumption kg/km=
|fuel consumption lb/mi=
|thrust/weight= {{cvt|0.27|lbf/lb|kN/kg}}
|more performance=


|guns= 4x {{cvt|0.5|in|2}} machine-guns
|avionics=
}}

See also

{{aircontent
|related=
|similar aircraft=
  • Armstrong Whitworth A.W.52
  • de Havilland DH 108
  • Gloster Meteor F8 "Prone Pilot"
  • Horten Ho 229
  • Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet

|lists=
  • List of jet aircraft of World War II
  • List of military aircraft of the United States

|see also=
}}

References

1. ^{{cite web| title=XCALR-2000A-1| url=http://www.astronautix.com/x/xcalr-2000a-1.html| website=www.astronautix.com| accessdate=9 February 2018}}
2. ^{{cite book |last1=Winchester |first1=Jim |title=The world's worst aircraft : from pioneering failures to multimillion dollar disasters |date=2005 |publisher=Amber Books |location=London |isbn=1-904687-34-2 |pages=150–151}}
3. ^{{cite book|last1=Campbell|first1=John M.|last2=Pape|first2=Garry R.|title=Northrop Flying Wings : a history of Jack Northrop's visionary aircraft|date=1995|publisher=Schiffer Pub.|location=Atglen, PA|isbn=0887406890|pages=93–107, 252}}
4. ^{{cite web |title=The Northrop XP-79 jet-powered flying wing project was cancelled after the single prototype was lost to an accident. |url=https://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.asp?aircraft_id=549 |website=Military Factory |accessdate=8 June 2018}}

Further reading

  • {{cite book|last1=Jenkins|first1=Dennis R.|last2=Landis|first2=Tony R.|title=Experimental & prototype U.S. Air Force jet fighters|date=2008|publisher=Specialty Press|location=North Branch, MN|isbn=978-1-58007-111-6}}

External links

{{commons category|Northrop XP-79}}
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20121002184735/http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=2274 National Museum of the USAF Fact Sheet: Northrop XP-79B]
  • Northrop XP-79
{{Northrop aircraft}}{{USAF fighters}}

7 : Northrop aircraft|United States fighter aircraft 1940–1949|Flying wings|Twinjets|Prone pilot aircraft|Cancelled military aircraft projects of the United States|Aircraft first flown in 1945

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