lotnictwo: Lockheed CL-400 Suntan

Evidence: 50 • authority: 72

Suntan was the code-name of a prototype reconnaissance aircraft program, with the goal of creating a much faster and higher-altitude successor to the U-2, enabled by the use of liquid hydrogen (LH2) as aircraft fuel. The program was cancelled in 1958. Starting in 1956, the United States Air Force funded a highly secretive program of research and development on high-speed aircraft for long-range reconnaissance. Lockheed's Skunk Works was the natural partner for this work, having successfully delivered the U-2 and having all the required secrecy and security arrangements to keep the program secret. Lockheed settled on the CL-400 design, which looked like a greatly scaled-up Lockheed F-104 Sta…

Evidence: — • authority: 90

Arc-heated Gas Flow Experiments For Hypersonic Propulsion Applications. Although hydrogen is an attractive fuel for a hypersonic air-breathing vehicle in terms of reaction rate, flame temperature, and energy content per unit mass, the substantial tank volume required to store hydrogen imposes a drag penalty to performance that tends to offset these advantages. An alternative approach is to carry a hydrocarbon fuel and convert it on-board into a hydrogen-rich gas mixture to be injected into the engine combustors. To investigate this approach, the UTA Arc-Heated Wind Tunnel facility was modified to run on methane rather than the normally used nitrogen. Previously, this facility was extensivel…

Evidence: — • authority: 72

The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British twin-engined, multi-role combat aircraft, introduced during the Second World War. Unusual in that its airframe was constructed mostly of wood, it was nicknamed the "Wooden Wonder", or "Mossie". In 1941, it was one of the fastest operational aircraft in the world. Originally conceived as an unarmed fast bomber, the Mosquito's use evolved during the war into many roles, including low- to medium-altitude daytime tactical bomber, high-altitude night bomber, pathfinder, day or night fighter, fighter-bomber, intruder, maritime strike, and photo-reconnaissance aircraft. It was also used by the British Overseas Airways Corporation as a fast transport to…