Project Blue Book Archive

Page ID (PID)	MAXW-PBB4-50
Collection	NARA-Maxwell


Page 50 of 1466

Roll Description	Maxwell Blue Book 4
Document Code	N/A

MAXW-PBB4-48

MAXW-PBB4-49

MAXW-PBB4-50

MAXW-PBB4-51

MAXW-PBB4-52

	Page Scan	Page Text

THIS   PACE   IS  UNCU\SST.F1K]''
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THIS .PAGE IS UNCLASSIFIED
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Plying Fuselages (Torpedo or Ci^ar-Shaped Body)
\f "a*   While the cigar or torpedo sraped body represents .an of-       -^
fioient,, form for uho fuselage of an airplane or the body of a guided missile,
in neither fnsD iias,it been used as a primary lift producing surfaoe.
However, an extension, of the Prsidbl theory of lift indicates tha(; a ''\i$e-
lage of che diTensions report d by nhe Kastern Airlines pilobs Waited- and
Chilli in the Vontgomery, Alaoana, incident could support e ross weight
of approximately 12,000 pounds a,?: an irbitrerily chosen sTallin,''; speed"
of 150 miles per hour, conservatively estimated.  The Pra''dt] thoory
probably ^ives very conservative values, of maximurn lift for bodies of bhis
shape.  If a.jlift cocf.ioitnb wice as great wftere used (such ai value has
ireen given by a German soieni.ist frori /flfltfory of his wind tunnel researches
in''Germany), a gross weight oC 2^,000 pounds *could be supported et the
assumed stalling speed.
b.   Although the craft sighted by Whited and Chiles was reported
to bo without winj-,3 or fins, it''is possible it oould have been equipped
with'' extensible wings fPr take-off and landing, contained within the fuse- .
lage.  In such 3 oase a wing span of nearly 90 feet would be possible.
If an aspect- ratio of 5 were used (18 ft, mean aerodynamic chord), and if
the wing design incorporated slor,s and fljaps, the wing could su port 11!?,000
pounds at a s .ailing spci.d of 159 mgho  It is possible that the fuselage
could also contribute lift with this arrangement, depending upon the in-
bidence of i;he vjing.  B-^is type, of aircraft Could plso be partially sup-
ported in tht- take-off and landing condition by the vrti<ial component     ,
of the jet thrust, if the landing and|take-off took place with the fuse-
lage axis, or the jet stream direction in a vertical or nearly vertical
a+titude.  The further possibility that an extensible rotor, concealed
within the l''uselage, oould have "Been used, would provide another method
for landing.and take-off that would allow windless flight at very high
speed, Suoh r design could resulb in a relabively large duration of
flight and corresponding range.                                    t
,    Co   Y.''hile no stabilizing fins were appurent on the "flying
fuselage" reported by Whirted ana Chiles, it is possible that vanes with-
in the jet, operated by a gyro-servo svstem could have provided static
stability, longitu inally, direotionally and laterally.  The same vanes
oould also have been used for accomplishing static balance or trim, as  j
well as control for manuvering. . iA square tailed boldy of i^he .type re-
ported with the center of gravity sufficiently far /forward oan''develop,
approximately, a neutral'' stability and the possibility exists thab def-
inite static stability oould be produced by a judicious use of flow-     '' "
oontrol slots located somewhere alon^ the fuselage.
I  d   The above estiKiates regarding weight, controllability,
stability, eto, are_not intended to_represent de.luctions regarding the.
6xaot_joature of the torpedo or cigar-shaped aircraft which were sighted
byvthe airline pilots, Whited and Cliiles, and obhers, they are merely
statements of possibilities,, which are intended to Bhow that /suoh an .
aircraft oou]|d support and oontrol itself by aerodynamic means* The
propulsive Bys^em of this 1 type of vehicle would appear to be a jeb or
rocket engine.  TJ\e specific fuel consumption of engines of this type
wouTd be rather high. This, ooupled wit?h the fact that aerodynamic lift
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