Aircraft Quiz No. 104

DougRobertson

Once upon a time there was a secret subsonic stealth aircraft that made 38 demonstration test flights. This aircraft had NO KNOWN manufacturer or military official designation. Instead, it was known only by the manufacturer's assigned name. Design goals were new stealth and new manufacturing parameters.

Only one aircraft demonstrator was built that made 38 test flights over a four year span. The range of stealth concepts were a generation beyond those of the American fighter- F-117. And, it pioneered new 'lean manufacturing' methods and concepts. This one/sole aircraft was kept secret, and details of it's successful flight tests were Classified.

However, I will reveal some known operating parameters/specifications when a true answer is forthcoming. What aircraft am I thinking of?

1. Manufacturer?

2. Name assigned by manufacturer?

3. Years of flight tests- (Beginning and Ending years?)

Canonman

Sounds like the "Bird of Prey"

1. Boeing

2. Bird of Prey

3. First Flight 1996 (1992 - 1999) 1999

DougRobertson

WOW!, and WOW again!-just over an hour response time and you nailed it! MY Congrats to you!!!

Here are some of the revealed, known Specifications.

Crew: One

Powerplant: one 3,190 lb-thrust Pratt & Whitney JT15D-5C turbofan

Max Speed: about 300 mph

Max Altitude: 20,000 ft.

Wingspan: 23 ft.

Length: 47 ft.

Height: 9 ft., 3 in.

Weight: 7,400 lbs

The Boeing Bird of Prey's radical aspects of configuration influenced the proposed future unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAVS) such as the Boeing X-45. Engine air intake was recessed behind the cockpit shaped to produce the lowest radar signature possible and engine exhaust was designed to reduce the heat signature. There was NO vertical tail; just a small swept ventral fin and down-turned wingtips provided lateral stability. Wings were set far back with great sweep, but note how narrow was the wingspan.

A One of the Aerospace Firsts was the use of large, single piece composite parts, disposable tooling and designed Three-D virtual reality and assembly processes.

Canonman

Doug, I googled it and it came right up, believe I would not have known it without Google

DougRobertson

I don't check the Web before crafting these quizzes; and you apparently used enough of my text to get the right on-the-mark answer-nothing wrong with doing that. I am usually surprised when many of my quizzes aren't answered correctly, and when I started this years ago I never expected such interest in them. Thanks for your initial? (known) participation-you are perhaps scoring 100% correct, so far. I use my fairly large personal aviation library to pick topics that will engage the reader as well as transmit some knowledge, and I have been thanked here for that. I learned to fly in 1965-66, soloing unexpectedly in -11F winter weather. Then-pleasure, flight currency and business PIC flights. Lots of flight crew time in earlier US Naval Aviation 1950-1959 also. More about that is in my articles here. My hearing a bit impaired as a result.

Thanks, again