B-One

[GTX]

Hi folks,

Looking at Iranian F-14A's Tu-344 profiles recently (see here), made me wonder about a somewhat similar Rockwell B-1 Civilian version.  Say that in 1977 when President Carter announced that the B-1A was cancelled, Rockwell decided to try to enter the airliner market with a supersonic (remember the B-1A was capable of at least Mach 2) airliner.  This could operate supersonically over water and then sub-sonically over land to avoid any noise complaints.

Regards,

Greg

[elmayerle]

Passenger compartment(s) in place of the weapons bays, possibly with direct video feed from outside instead of windows?

[Daryl J.]

Seattle to LA at low altitude along the I-5 corridor at Mach .85 over land, or full tilt over the Pacific for those pressing Microsoft, Nike, or Starbucks meetings.   The video feed could be 360 degrees to provide the illusion of flying in no aircraft whatsoever although that could be disconcerting when visiting the restroom.  


Daryl J.

[Just call me Ray]

Hmmm...first post

Over at Airliners.net someone mentioned that Boeing recently revealed a "design study" at the B-1B, restoring Mach 2 performance and stretching the fuselage for a "true" passenger cabin. They had talked about pulling out one of the boneyard birds for a conversion into a mock-up.

[PolluxDeltaSeven]

Talking about Iranian's profiles, I thought myself about a B-1B derivative of his Tu-22M, but not the civil one: the interceptor one!!

I remembered that the B-1B had (have?) external hard points for the old (retired?) nuclear cruise missiles.

If we mix that with the B-1R proposal for the Future Bomber of the USAF (F-22 engines, supercruise speed, new avionics etc...), we could imagine a multipurpose B-1, fitted with bigger engines allowing Mach 2 speeds (and > Mach 1,3 cruise), a multipurpose radar derived from the F-35's or F-22's one (currently, Bones' radar is derived from the F-16's) and a very long range air-air missile.

Yeah, I know, it's easier to imagine a B-1A derivative for the Bone interceptor!! Because at this time, the B-1A was actually a Mach 2 plane, and the AIM-54 Phoenix still exists!!


Now we have to be imaginative, and just invent a very long range missile for the... well, I guess we could not named it B-1   FB-1??

-AIM-54X: a new variant of the Phoenix, with better engine, longer range, new radar and a more powerful warhead.
-AIM-97 Seekbat: well, I don't even know if it was a long range missile. I know it was the air-air variant of the Standard missile, build to reach very high altitude at high speed.
-PAC-3 (AIM-104?) Patriot: in a variant with enlarged boosters. I admit that is my favorite possibility.
-AIM-120X: a extanded range variant of the AIM-120D that incorporate technologies from the anti-ICBM NCADE program. The good thing with this design is that it is easy to put on a model!!
-AIM-152: that was the planned replacement for the AIM-54
-AIM-156 Standard (SM-2ER): with the Partiot solution, it is one of my favorite. The sea launched variant already have a 250km range! An air launched variant will easily reach 300km range!!
-AIM-161 Standard: same idea, but with the Block III as a base. But well, having a 500km range missile is probably too much, as there is probably no radar powerful enough to detect a target at such a distance.

Just chose your weapon!!

[GTX]

Of course for something simpler, we could just have alternate operators - both the RAF and RAAF were offered B-1s in the late '80s/early'90s.

Regards,

Greg

[elmayerle]

Talking about Iranian's profiles, I thought myself about a B-1B derivative of his Tu-22M, but not the civil one: the interceptor one!!

I remembered that the B-1B had (have?) external hard points for the old (retired?) nuclear cruise missiles.

If we mix that with the B-1R proposal for the Future Bomber of the USAF (F-22 engines, supercruise speed, new avionics etc...), we could imagine a multipurpose B-1, fitted with bigger engines allowing Mach 2 speeds (and > Mach 1,3 cruise), a multipurpose radar derived from the F-35's or F-22's one (currently, Bones' radar is derived from the F-16's) and a very long range air-air missile.

Yeah, I know, it's easier to imagine a B-1A derivative for the Bone interceptor!! Because at this time, the B-1A was actually a Mach 2 plane, and the AIM-54 Phoenix still exists!!


Now we have to be imaginative, and just invent a very long range missile for the... well, I guess we could not named it B-1  FB-1??

-AIM-54X: a new variant of the Phoenix, with better engine, longer range, new radar and a more powerful warhead.
-AIM-97 Seekbat: well, I don't even know if it was a long range missile. I know it was the air-air variant of the Standard missile, build to reach very high altitude at high speed.
-PAC-3 (AIM-104?) Patriot: in a variant with enlarged boosters. I admit that is my favorite possibility.
-AIM-120X: a extanded range variant of the AIM-120D that incorporate technologies from the anti-ICBM NCADE program. The good thing with this design is that it is easy to put on a model!!
-AIM-152: that was the planned replacement for the AIM-54
-AIM-156 Standard (SM-2ER): with the Partiot solution, it is one of my favorite. The sea launched variant already have a 250km range! An air launched variant will easily reach 300km range!!
-AIM-161 Standard: same idea, but with the Block III as a base. But well, having a 500km range missile is probably too much, as there is probably no radar powerful enough to detect a target at such a distance.

There is another alternative, one that I believe AnthonyP used, an AAM version of the ESSM.

[PanzerWulff]

how about taking a small scale B-1 and scaling it up with a single seat cockpit as a fighter    mini Lancer=Lancet?
"Panzer"

[GTX]

Another possible is the EB-1C Vampire II from the Dale Brown novels.

Regards,

Greg

[elmayerle]

how about taking a small scale B-1 and scaling it up with a single seat cockpit as a fighter    mini Lancer=Lancet?  

Well, you'd need to start with a 1/144 B-1A, but I can see it providing the basis for modelling NAR's VFX and FX entries.  ISTR a certain commonality of basic lines; at least there were to my eye.

[B777LR]

Bringing in a bit a scale-o-rama here, the Su-24 looks sorta like the Tu-22 so:
1/144 B-1B converted into a 1/72 strike aircraft! Fit the fin from a Tornado (perhaps cut it down a little), and tailplanes of the tornado on the sides of the rear fuselage

[Sentinel Chicken]

Of course for something simpler, we could just have alternate operators - both the RAF and RAAF were offered B-1s in the late '80s/early'90s.

Regards,

Greg

[Jeffry Fontaine]

I had an idea for a Navy Patrol Bomber version of the B-One.  This would have been a continuation of the original VPB Squadrons from WWII and the Korean War with the B-One performing strike and surveillance missions in support of naval operations.  This would have also included the laying of mines (remember the Martin Sea Master). 

[elmayerle]

FWIW, I believe the CSRL, carried by late-model B-52s, B-1Bs, and B-2As, can carry air-dropped mines and other ASuW/ASW ordnance.

[Jeffry Fontaine]

Does anyone have any good references such as a general arrangement drawing or images that show the details for the conventional munitions module?  I am referring to the module that looks like half of the bomb bay fuel tank with a number of bomb racks that are arranged in a rather odd manner to allow a large quantity of smaller general purpose bombs and munitions dispensers to be carried.