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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
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Page Text
THIS PACE IS UNCU\SST.F1K]'' I . \ \ . THIS .PAGE IS UNCLASSIFIED . V v '' I v. i 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 ,T H I S P A G E I S U N C L A S S I F I E D
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Page 50 of 1466