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The projects shown here, I created when I was rather young.
There was a magazine that had a questionnaire asking people what they thought of
the space program. I actually mailed in a response. But along with saying I
basically liked what they were doing, I also included several sketches with
notes in the margins and arrows pointing to certain details with explanations,
etc. and said I thought they should also be doing this and this and this. You
can probably figure out their need for cover stories or necessary vagueness about the
origin of these systems when the Cold War was still in existence.
Sci
- Fi Photos Link
Photos from US Govt. NASA Dryden Center web
and other photos of my projects & creations.
My SR-71 / YF-12
Blackbird project.
Click the pic to see a larger photo.
Then use your Back Button
I gave my work of art the names SR-71 and
YF-12.
It meant Scientific Research, something I had already taken early interest in, and I
planned to graduate from high school in the class of 1971. Resulting in SR-71.
And at that early age, learning about calendar years vs. fiscal years; I made
the child-like secret code / mirror juxtaposition of FY to YF, and again 12 years
to graduate from high school and start doing something more. Resulting in
YF-12.
The SR was to have the modified triangular nose and the YF was to have a
conventional round
nose, to compare the aerodynamics and radar properties between the two
styles.
The A was the single seat and B was to be the two seater or trainer for pilot
and astronaut training.
My drawings also included an optional extra rudder flap to drop down at the
bottom rear to see if it was needed for stability, to balance or counter-act
drag with
the two top tail fins.
Another feature was my concept of winglets,
as seen & tested on other
vehicles. Rather than put something that large or obtrusive on this system, I
made what I called a compound curvature near the wing tips to try simulate the
winglets effect and help control the vortex.
There was also to be a slight curvature on the underbelly to approximate the
curvature of the earth at cruising altitude.
I also included the name Arch Angel for this system, to fly higher than the
other 'angel' vehicles.
(My father worked at Lockheed in Burbank
until WW-II began.
He then joined the Army Air Corp, served in Europe as an aircraft mechanic
on B-17's and other planes, and upon returning became a Buick auto
mechanic.
So using Buick engines as starter carts on the Blackbirds was a nice touch.
Thanks Guys !)
Can you say Waverider ?
http://grin.hq.nasa.gov/ABSTRACTS/GPN-2000-001927.html
http://www.aerospaceweb.org/design/waverider/index.shtml
My Forward Swept Wing project, called the
X-29.
This is one of those projects that was done from a
scientific research perspective; that although it might not actually fly, the
things we learn along the way trying to get there would be very worthwhile. This
was intended from the beginning to have new technologies like Spectra or Kevlar
graphite composites. And to use multiple flight computers that could talk to
each other and hand off "the local vertical" to the next system during
a roll. People now talk of fly-by-wire systems. One report might have said this vehicle took off from a California runway, but was being piloted from
a control room in New York. Several years later I met a pilot/program manager of
this project after he gave a presentation at a university. I
asked him about the handling & control characteristics, if the X-29 had a bumpy
ride? He stated it compared well with
other fighters he had flown.
I really loved the quote that was in a
magazine. Someone involved with this project said about the maiden test flights:
"It climbed out like a homesick angel."
My X-Wing rotor craft project.
On top a 1984-88 NASA photo of their actual research vehicle.
On the bottom a concept pic from a DARPA brochure,
publication number & date not given, but more true to my original sketch.
For those not familiar with this X-Wing
concept, it is intended to take off and land like a helicopter. But during
flight it would have the capability of halting and locking the rotors, and use
them as wings. It would simply need enough forward velocity, and perhaps some
stubby wings, to maintain altitude long enough to brake the rotation of the
blades and lock them in place.
Similar to the Forward Swept Wing X-29, this would result in high
maneuverability, plus VSTOL capability. Other research has been done with
something called an Oblique Wing, which is similar to using just one slash / bar
of the X.
It almost seems the NASA prototype vehicle was a merger of spare
parts or too many ideas integrated into one platform, rather than developed as a
true X-wing system from the ground up or top down. Its appearance reminds me a
bit of the A-10 Warthog attack vehicle.
Perhaps the concept could be revived now that we can use thrust vector nozzles
with the engines inboard. I suppose with enough vectored thrust, plus vectored
intakes, the rotors or wings could become unnecessary for flight above 300 knots
or so. Except for takeoff & landing, the blades could fold up and
retract similar to landing gear.
My TAV TransAtmospheric Vehicle
project.
Top pictures are as seen in a March 1984 issue of Science Digest magazine,
and then as the centerfold of the USAF's "Airman" magazine, November 1985.
The concept artist's name is Atilla Hejja, USAF Art Collection.
The bottom pictures I took myself, and are the TAV as a plastic model by Snaptite,
which at that time was somehow called the F-19a Stealth.
News flash 7-24-03. Today the B-17G
"Sentimental Journey" was in town. On their table of items for
purchase was a small metal toy version of my TAV, only this time it was called
the Experimental X-111 Conquest. I did a web search but this designation didn't
come up? Not sure who the manufacturer was for this toy or how this name/version
came about.
 
As you might figure out by looking at it,
the TAV, that I code named The Mongoose, was to re-enter the earth's atmosphere
using both upside down slip-stream, and para-sail effects as aero-braking
maneuvers.
Proposed Aero-braking Re-entry positions. Low & High
altitudes respectively.
My Stealth
Prisms project.
The prisms effect seems to have worked like I anticipated.
First two photos taken at Friends & Neighbors Day
early 1990's Grand Forks AFB, ND.
Bottom pic, another brighter day, taken by a friend.
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