Unbuilt F-89s

Dronte

Argentinean ugly bird
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Of the diverse not built variants of the F-89 Scorpion I have been able to get only the images here shown. It is supposed that existed proposals with swept or delta wing configurations but I have never seen the drawings of the same ones.
Can somebody make some contribution in this respect?
 

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Hi Dronte,

I have the following references:

Northrop submited a design based in the F-89 to Strategic Fighter GOR 101 WS105A which was won by McDonnell Douglas Model 36W (USAF designation F101 Voodoo)
Source:
X-Fighters. Steve Pace Motorbooks


Begining in 1953, Northrop studied a series of fighters to meet the Long Range Interceptor-X RFP. The very first design were the Delta Scorpion concept. Later it evolved into the N-126.
From the sources I have read, Strategic Fighter could have been similar to Delta Scorpion study. (But this is only my personal supposition)
Source:
Playing the proposal game by Joe Mizrahi and collaboration from Ira Chart. Airpower magazine May 1991
Valkyrie. Jenkins & Landis. Speciality Press.
 
And Northrop was in the Cal Tech wind tunnel when they got the news they'd been downselected in the semi-final LRI-X competition, leaving only Lockheed and NAA. I worked with a gent at Northrop who'd been on that team as a young engineer. He finally retired in the early 90s after 45+ years with Northrop.
 
From Wings of Fame Volume 6 F-89 Variant Briefing.

"Swept Wing F-89" (Never given designation by Northrop or the USAF)
While the F-89B was taking shape, Northrop explored a 35º swept wing alternative which was also slightly smaller and lighter but was never purchased.
The selected engine was the Allison 450E-1 producing 44,48 kN thurst or 66,73 kN with afterburner. Spected max speed was 731 mph (1176 km/h) at sea level and 661 mph (1063) km/h at 65000 feet (19800 m)


F-89E (re-Issued designation) Interim Escort Fighter
Engine: GE J47-GE-21 with afterburner
Wider span wing with thinner airfoil and tapered leading and trailing edges
Single seater
Mid-span rocket pods (also for main landing gear)
Options for the nose (10 0,50 machine guns or 6 20 mm cannons or 6 MX-904 rockets
Never progresed beyond the design study stage
 

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The proposed F-89E and YF-89F.

Please note that the squared fin of the F-89F is quite different from the rounded version as it is drawn in the other side view seen further above.
 

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Both tails configurations illustrated, the small rounded one being the final one...
 

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The swept-wing F-89 gives off that X-4 feeling.
 

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I've got SACs for:

F-89F Scorpion CS - 24 March 1952
F-89F Scorpion SAC - 24 March 1952

Advanced F-89 CS - 3 December 1951
Advanced F-89 Scorpion SAC - 3 December 1951

At the usual site. They might refer to your unbuilt F-89s.

Link to usual Site
 
The most spectacular Northrop delta, in my opinion, was the N-144. Pometablava
gave you a good heads up on some data above.

If you want to get an idea of wat we're talking about, go to Scott's
site: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.up-ship.com/drawndoc/adwg31ani.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.up-ship.com/drawndoc/drawndocair.htm&usg=__gwOLX6HaekDiPp20glZvFixIF7c=&h=639&w=900&sz=147&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=edse_zR2k3rBKM:&tbnh=104&tbnw=146&prev=/images%3Fq%3DNorthrop%2BN-144%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1

and search on that page for: "Northrop N-144 drawings".

Click it, and it will give you a nice idea of what we're talking about.

I have purchased this particular blueprint from Scott, and you can even read
the pilots driver's license! OK - just kidding on that, but you can blow up the
image and easily read all the fine print that you will see on the picture I described
above, and see a lot of detail.

The mags and books Pometablava mentioned above have images of the models.

I can just see myself sitting in the cockpit of this thing ang looking out
and back at those gorgeous wings and inlets! WOW! I wanna start the
engines and go fly!

Larry
 
Yeah, I've got that Airpower issue with the Northrop N-126 and N-144 proposals and it's a great mag!
 
pometablava said:
From Wings of Fame Volume 6 F-89 Variant Briefing.

"Swept Wing F-89" (Never given designation by Northrop or the USAF)
While the F-89B was taking shape, Northrop explored a 35º swept wing alternative which was also slightly smaller and lighter but was never purchased.
The selected engine was the Allison 450E-1 producing 44,48 kN thurst or 66,73 kN with afterburner. Spected max speed was 731 mph (1176 km/h) at sea level and 661 mph (1063) km/h at 65000 feet (19800 m)

Based on the description, it sounds like the Allison 450E-1 is another name for the J71.
 
Hey Orionblamblam - a little of topic, but have you ran a 'Delta Scorpion' post ?

Regards
Pioneer
 
An old illustration of the F-89F proposal:
 

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Greetings All -

A few items from the Gerald Balzer collection...

Enjoy the Day! Mark
 

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From Aviation magazine 1983,

it's first time to hear about F-89X ?.

Translate,

F-89X "Scorpion"

This unconventional designation refers to a F-89D project that swapped its
Allison J-35s for Wright J-65.W-6 "Sapphire" (used on the F-84F).
This re-engining would have improved the ceiling and the climb speed, without significantly changing the level performance, limited by the structure of the
aircraft to Mach 0.85. An engine that will therefore not be retained by the Air
Force, despite numerous requests from Northrop.
 

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