Canards on a Hornet? Good idea?

upnorth · February 26, 2010, 11:41:35 PM

Hello all:

I just picked up Revell's 1/144 F/A-18D Hornet and was wondering how to WHIFF it.

As I was looking at the shape of the LEX areas I got thinking about the Sukhoi Flanker variants that got canards put on them and thought it might look plenty cool if I rigged a Hornet up the same way. It looks like it would be a pretty straight forward procedure to do.

As I like some degree of plausibility in my WHIFFs, would canards on a Hornet actually be feasible or present any sort of advantages to the design?

Thanks in advance.

GTX · February 27, 2010, 10:54:16 AM

Well there is definite plausibility, since McDonnell Douglas did indeed look at canard equiped versions as part of their Pre-Super Hornet, Hornet 2000 study:

Regards,

Greg

Mossie · February 27, 2010, 04:16:16 PM

I like the idea, sounds plausible enough to me & Greg's pics of the studies give it some real-world credibility too.

Funnily enough I was thinking today about an F-17XL. In a world where the F-17 won over the YF-16, maybe Northrop would have built a variant for the ETF competition? F/A-18 fuse with new wing, I hadn't really thought about the layout but canards would be good.

upnorth · February 28, 2010, 12:21:12 AM

Thanks for the ideas guys, but I wasn't thinking of something so radical as in those drawings.

I was more after something subtle, like you see in the Su-33. The overall design stays the same, conventional wing and tailplanes, just the LEX is built up a bit and small canards put onto it just ahead of the wing.

I have to admit though that the delta wing on the hornet is fetching.

Might have to buy a second Hornet kit now.

GTX · February 28, 2010, 11:46:55 PM

Quote from: upnorth on February 28, 2010, 12:21:12 AM

I have to admit though that the delta wing on the hornet is fetching.

Might have to buy a second Hornet kit now.

My work here is complete

Regards,

Greg

Shasper · March 02, 2010, 07:32:50 PM

In the Su-30/33 vein of things, you would have to build up the area under the LERXs to facilitate all the actuators & hinges, plus it'll strengthen the area where the canards are attached to the airframe.

FAR148 · March 02, 2010, 08:34:06 PM

QuoteCanards on a Hornet?

100% doable

Steven L

GTX · March 03, 2010, 12:31:01 AM

Quote from: FAR148 on March 02, 2010, 08:34:06 PM
QuoteCanards on a Hornet?

100% doable

Steven L

Wicked!

Regards,

Greg

chrisonord · March 08, 2010, 04:38:16 AM

Now that is just way too cool

I am really liking that, is there any more pictures of this beauty?
Cheers,
Chris.