Examples sought of on top aircraft air launches

FutureSpaceTourist

ACCESS: Top Secret
Joined
10 March 2010
Messages
589
Reaction score
24
I'm interested in real built examples of one aircraft launched from on top of another aircraft.

My knowledge of aviation history is limited but I know two examples:
  • Short-Mayo Composite
  • Enterprise prototype space shuttle off (modified) B747

Are there many (any?) others?
 
Does the daughter aircraft need to be manned? M-21/D-21 comes to mind, although that didn't work too well, of course.
 
It worked fine until they changed the launch profile...

Can't think of any others off the top of my head, but there were a lot of conceptual designs that never became reality. For example, the delta-wing X-15 fired from the back of an XB-70.
 
Maybe not, what you're actually looking for, but it certainly fits your description : :D
(from jeunes-ailes.org)
(Colomban Cri-cri launched from a Max Holste Broussard)
 

Attachments

  • mh-cri05.JPG
    mh-cri05.JPG
    81.4 KB · Views: 47
mistel01.jpg
 
Thanks all for the replies so far - a couple of great pictures too!

SOC said:
Can't think of any others off the top of my head, but there were a lot of conceptual designs that never became reality.

Exactly, I've often wondered about the practicality of many of those concepts so I thought it would be interesting to see what has actually been achieved before.
 
Thanks Orionblamblam for pointing to a great little French site on composite and parasite aircraft.

For anyone else interested the original French contents page is at http://aerostories.free.fr/appareils/compopara/page2.html, with the English translation at http://aerostories.free.fr/appareils/compopara/page11.html.

The very original story of the above Luftwaffe example is at http://aerostories.free.fr/appareils/compopara/page15.html - I'd never have guessed that the lower bomber aircraft is actually being used as a flying bomb, remotely controlled from the fighter aircraft on top! Just from the picture I wondered if they were trying to give fighter escorts longer range by an assisted take-off.

However, my absolute favourite just has to be the 'mad' Soviet Zveno Z-2 (below) ;D
 

Attachments

  • Z-2_01.JPG
    Z-2_01.JPG
    45.2 KB · Views: 1,646
Well, there are quite a lot of examples for "Mistel" composites, e.g. the combination of
the DFS 230 and the Focke Wulf Fw 56.
(from http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/LRG/images/mistel-11.jpg)
I'm just not completely sure, that it matches your needs, because generally the BOTTOM
aircraft is launched here by the upper one. ;)
But in the SNCASO SO M1/ SNCASE SE.161 or the AAM.1/Leduc 10 combinations the upper
aircraft was launched in flight without doubt.
(from http://aviation-ancienne.forumactif.com/photographies-f47/photos-cev-t5352-105.htm
and http://aerostories.free.fr/constructeurs/leduc/page8.html)
 

Attachments

  • mistel-8.jpg
    mistel-8.jpg
    22.8 KB · Views: 28
  • leduc010_01.jpg
    leduc010_01.jpg
    41.4 KB · Views: 41
  • SO-M1.jpg
    SO-M1.jpg
    33.9 KB · Views: 35
Thanks to Wikimedia have found a picture of what I believe is the first aircraft composite, a Bristol Scout on a Felixstowe Porte Baby in 1916.

Virtually all the composite examples appear to be from WWI through to WWII. I guess this is because prior to that period the aircraft/ technology didn't exist to make it practical and after then aircraft capabilities were such that there was little benefit to doing it? (Excepting of course special requirements, such as glide testing an unpowered shuttle orbiter!)
 

Attachments

  • Bristol_Scout_on_Felixstowe_Porte_Baby_first_composite_aircraft_1916.jpg
    Bristol_Scout_on_Felixstowe_Porte_Baby_first_composite_aircraft_1916.jpg
    152.3 KB · Views: 15
Some more on the Bristol Scout/Porte Baby, from
'Profile' No.139, 'Bristol Scouts C & D'

"The RNAS displayed remarkable resourcefulness
in their attempts to combat enemy airships and
evolved many ingenious techniques and devices.
One of the most ambitious of these, was the air-
launching of a Bristol Scout c from the upper wing
of the prototype Porte Baby flying boat.
The big flying boat could stay aloft for several hours
longer than the Scout's maximum endurance and
was expected to launch the scout should an enemy
airship be sighted.
A test of this combination was made in May 1916.
a successful separation was made at 1,000ft over
Felixstowe. despite the success the idea was not
developed and no further launches were attempted."

The identity of the Scout was No. 3028.


cheers,
Robin.
 

Attachments

  • bristol scout C + porte baby.png
    bristol scout C + porte baby.png
    376.1 KB · Views: 11
another one...
DFS 228 and Do217M...

(source http://jpcolliat.free.fr/trident/dfs228/dfs228_13.jpg)


cheers,
Robin.
 

Attachments

  • dfs228_13.jpg
    dfs228_13.jpg
    61.8 KB · Views: 14
another one...
DFS 228 and Do217M...

Ooops....

As you can see from the picture, it's a Do217K-3.... :-[
 
What about Boeing 747 SCA and Enterprise?
http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/Gallery/Movie/ALT/index.html

Regards,

Francesco
 
And for the fans of the good ol' Deutsche Luftwaffe:
Dornier Do 217E and Me 328 V-1 (one of the first
flights of the Me 328, still without the Pulso engines)
(from E.Peter "Der Flugzeugschlepp von den Anfängen bis heute")
 

Attachments

  • Do-217_Me-328.jpg
    Do-217_Me-328.jpg
    35.2 KB · Views: 19

Similar threads

Back
Top Bottom