North American F-108 Rapier

[Sundog]

Does anyone know why the fuselage was sort of bent/angled up as you go towards the front? Seems that the plane would have a constant very nose high attitude even at high speed and high altitude. A bent down nose like in the Su-27 (maybe not as drastic) would seem to make more sense to me, as it would smooth out airflow and allow the radar to be pitched down more.

You will notice many of the HSCT designs had this same feature. It minimizes wave drag. The F-108 was designed to cruise at supersonic speeds, the Su-27 wasn't, which is why it wouldn't be a good idea to angle the nose down like on the Su-27.

 

[sferrin]

Does anyone know why the fuselage was sort of bent/angled up as you go towards the front? Seems that the plane would have a constant very nose high attitude even at high speed and high altitude. A bent down nose like in the Su-27 (maybe not as drastic) would seem to make more sense to me, as it would smooth out airflow and allow the radar to be pitched down more.

You will notice many of the HSCT designs had this same feature. It minimizes wave drag. The F-108 was designed to cruise at supersonic speeds, the Su-27 wasn't, which is why it wouldn't be a good idea to angle the nose down like on the Su-27.

Often wondered the same thing about the Blackbird. If you raise the nose so the inlets are normal to the direction of flight (the orientation that would seem to make the most sense for a circular inlet) the nose would be high (more lift too).

 

[Sundog]

Does anyone know why the fuselage was sort of bent/angled up as you go towards the front? Seems that the plane would have a constant very nose high attitude even at high speed and high altitude. A bent down nose like in the Su-27 (maybe not as drastic) would seem to make more sense to me, as it would smooth out airflow and allow the radar to be pitched down more.

You will notice many of the HSCT designs had this same feature. It minimizes wave drag. The F-108 was designed to cruise at supersonic speeds, the Su-27 wasn't, which is why it wouldn't be a good idea to angle the nose down like on the Su-27.

Often wondered the same thing about the Blackbird. If you raise the nose so the inlets are normal to the direction of flight (the orientation that would seem to make the most sense for a circular inlet) the nose would be high (more lift too).

IIRC, the Blackbird originally had the fuselage and nacelles aligned and it didn't work so well, so they angled the fuselage up slightly which allowed the chines to develop more lift to control the AC shift, similar to what canards would do.

 

[hesham]

Hi,

http://archive.aviationweek.com/image/spread/19580721/20/2

 

[fredymac]

Video labelled "North American XF-108 by Republic Aviation". Commenters to the video note that it is not the XF-108 but have different guesses including Fokker-Republic D24 Alliance and the Republic entry for the TFX program. I tried a photo search but Google came up with F-108. The D24 guess has a website that matches the image.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4DOvVN2Iew

 

[sferrin]

That's incorrect. It's the Republic TFX and has already been posted here.

 

[blackkite]

Hi! Each drawings are almost same scale.
Source
http://www.alternatewars.com/SAC/SAC.htm
https://www.the-blueprints.com/blueprints-depot/modernplanes/north-american/north-american-xf-108.png

Ventral fin shape of No.7 drawing and No.8 drawins is different. Which is correct?
Air intake shape is complicated.

 

[blackkite]

Hi!
https://jp.pinterest.com/pin/231935449533874817/
And AIR POWER MAGAZINE.
http://airwingmedia.com/store/2004cd/#lightbox/9/
Cockpit mockup picture
http://prologue.blog.naver.com/PostView.nhn?blogId=naljava69&logNo=60070849259&parentCategoryNo=&categoryNo=52&viewDate=&isShowPopularPosts=false&from=postView

 

[blackkite]

More large ventral fin and add wing dihedral design in 1959.(Justo-san, hesham-san and scott-san's surprising contribution!! )
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=408.0;attach=56139;image
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=408.0;attach=319657;image
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=408.0;attach=501021;image

To keep high speed aircraft directional stability is very hard and I imagine that Sukhoi T-4 and TSR2 failed to keep directinal stability at high mach number.

Crew escape system.
http://www.boeingimages.com/archive/North%20American%20F-108%20Rapier%20Aircrew%20Escape%20System-2F3XC5P66II.html

I really want to see NAA's drawing for "F-108 design 1960 evolution".
Some picture here.
http://thechive.com/2015/02/01/mock-up-of-the-xf-108-rapier-29-hq-photos/

 

[blackkite]

Hi! 1/72 scale models from F-100 to XF-109.
http://www.webmodelers.com/wms200906/200906SHSPlane.html

And animation video.
http://aerocinemanew.com.s183894.gridserver.com/product/xf-108-the-rapier2.html

 

[blackkite]

Hi!

 

[hesham]

From Air Pictorial 5/1956,

here is an Info about NA long-range high altitude fighter Project,maybe they meant this
XF-108,but with four GE J-79 turbojets ?.

 

[hesham]

From, Аэрокосмическое обозрение 2005-6

 

[overscan]

Really hesham? What's the point of posting poor scans of pictures already posted in the topic? What does it contribute?

 

[hesham]

Sorry my dear Paul,

I never looked through it well.

 

[blackkite]

Hi! J93.

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