Unusual USAF In-Flight Refueling Studies from 1949

jzichek

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In-Flight Refueling of Fighter Aircraft Design Study is a report dated October 26, 1949 that was prepared by the Engineering & Research Division of All American Airways, Inc. of Wilmington, Delaware for the US Air Force under contract no. AF33(038)-2276. This 24 page PDF contains 3 high resolution photos and 7 drawings of various unusual in-flight refueling schemes, most of the concepts involving the physical insertion of the nose of a Lockheed P-80 or Republic F-84 into a pneumatic cone built into various parts of a Boeing KB-29, such as the tail, wing tips, and top of the vertical stabilizer. Also included are a pair of methods of capturing and holding the aircraft as well as All American’s take on the probe-and-drogue method that was ultimately adopted by the US Navy. One of several unconventional aerial refueling concepts is shown below in high resolution:

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A preview of the document's contents:

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Readers may purchase the report at Gumroad.com/Retromechanix . Thanks for your support—more unique aerospace primary documents to be released in the coming weeks!
 
Thank you for posting this. We need another book about this and other projects.
 
Some interesting concepts there, though the engaging claws look to be developed by a team of Rube Goldberg and Heath Robinson.
 
The German DSF study during the WW2 a similar concept called "Starrschlepp" of tow system were Aircraft dock at tail unit
but the connectors were completely different and no refuel, as in USAF study


More on that system you find in book
Geheimprojekte der DFS 1935-1945
by Horst Lommel
Motorbuchverlag ISBN 3-61302072-6
page 39-42
 

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