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These photos show a display model salvaged from General Dynamics Fort Worth. This was a proposed, alternate manned parasite deep-penetration vehicle for the B-58B Super Hustler (Phase 2) program. This work was classified and appears to have been active between 1958 and 1961. Cruising speed was Mach 6.0. Powered by butane-fueled scramjets and designed for Convair by sub-contractor Gruen Applied Science Laboratory, Inc. (GASL was formed in 1956 as a partnership between Antonio Ferri and Theodore von Karman, both of whom specialized in engineering hypersonic propulsion systems).
General configuration was based on the Eggers-Syvertson 1956 study into the "flat-top" concept, published in the NACA RM A55L05 report Aircraft Configurations Developing High Lift-Drag Ratios at High Supersonic Speeds. The flat top was ideal for fitting under the B-58B, without all the complexity of the 2-component Convair Super-Hustler design. There were 2 small windows atop the crew helmet fairings. Zero front visibility of course, but possibly a periscope (like the Republic XF-103 - another project helped by Ferri) or TV cameras, like on the Super-Hustler itself.
GASL (later renamed General Applied Science Laboratory) successfully tested this scramjet in 1961. Research continued and a 5,900 mph speed was reached by a GASL hydrocarbon fueled scramjet vehicle in July, 2001. GASL is now part of ATK/Orbital Sciences.
Hopefully someone has more information on this vehicle. Typically, such material would come from Lockheed archives or the GASL Library (probably still located at: 77 Raynor Ave. / Ronkonkoma, NY, ... if anybody lives nearby :)
General configuration was based on the Eggers-Syvertson 1956 study into the "flat-top" concept, published in the NACA RM A55L05 report Aircraft Configurations Developing High Lift-Drag Ratios at High Supersonic Speeds. The flat top was ideal for fitting under the B-58B, without all the complexity of the 2-component Convair Super-Hustler design. There were 2 small windows atop the crew helmet fairings. Zero front visibility of course, but possibly a periscope (like the Republic XF-103 - another project helped by Ferri) or TV cameras, like on the Super-Hustler itself.
GASL (later renamed General Applied Science Laboratory) successfully tested this scramjet in 1961. Research continued and a 5,900 mph speed was reached by a GASL hydrocarbon fueled scramjet vehicle in July, 2001. GASL is now part of ATK/Orbital Sciences.
Hopefully someone has more information on this vehicle. Typically, such material would come from Lockheed archives or the GASL Library (probably still located at: 77 Raynor Ave. / Ronkonkoma, NY, ... if anybody lives nearby :)