Floating wing concepts

[McColm]

In the 1950s Convair came up with the MX-1964 which lead to the Mach 2 B-58 Hustler. The Hustler had a problem, it could only fly one way to hit its target in the Soviet Union.
This was before inflight refueling was introduced to USAF jet bombers.
The Air Force wanted something bigger with global capabilities and mach 3 speed. This resulted in WS-110A, calling for a new bomber with chemically-powered engines and a higher Mach number.Eventually this led to the XB-70.
A solution to inflight refueling was the 'floating wingtip'. These were extensions attached to the bomber wing that carried additional fuel tanks, which looked like conventional aircraft flying in formation.

Boeing came up with the Model 724-16 , whilst North American had the NA-239. This was different to the Boeing idea, the fuel tanks had a span of 49ft (14.9m) and a length of 92ft (28m) each.
This would mean building extremely wide runways.

In Whiffland anything is possible, a 1/72 model of the floating wing would be massive (1/48 B-29 size),however 1/144 would be manageable.

[Gondor]

Flyer, I think that at high speed your going to need better connections between the two vehicles than drawn as the stresses would be rather large. I do also appreciate that you rushed your drawing Flyer.

Gondor

[McColm]

You could double the engines on the Hustler, great idea.
Have you thought of the parasite bombers and fighters.
The Fighter Conveyor (FICON), although Convair had the only flying prototype, using a RB-36F-1 (GRB-36F) and a modified Republic YF-84F Thunderstreak (YF-96).By 1953 the parasite role had changed from attack fighter-bomber to reconnaissance. The YF-96A was replaced by a RF-84F Thunderflash, modified and designated RF-84K.
Douglas came up with Model 1211, there were four contr-rotating turboprops with interchangeable cone shaped plugs at the end of their nacelles. There were two large mission pods under each wing which could carry fuel, bombs, and cameras. There were 40 different variations of this model drawn up between 1949-1951. Later designs included six-eight J-57 turbojets. Model 1211-J even had four turboprops as mentioned and four turbojets housed in the rear nacelles. It would of had swept wings at a span of more than 227ft (69.2m), length of 160ft (48.8m) just under 45ft (13.7m) tall.
Maybe the design team from Tupolev saw the model as the Tu-95 is remarkably similar in appearance.
Douglas had another proposal, the twin boom Model 1240 which used the same wing design of the 1211. Some earlier models had twin canopies, whilst others had a single canopy multiple versions ranging from A-D . There was a model 1242. The wing span could range from 174ft (53m) to 347ft (105.8m).
Model 1240 was designed to carry very large pods in its center section, large enough for a field hospital. Forward and rear firing air-to-air missiles.
The model 1240 had a party trick it too carried a parasite attack bomber, Model 1251-A.

[McColm]

There's some good pictures of the Model 1240 on Google, if you are interested.

[wuzak]

Does this count as a "floating wing"?

[McColm]

Great pictures,
Its the wings that are extended with pods and another wing added on.

[Joe C-P]

Does this count as a "floating wing"?

Qu'est que ce? 

[PR19_Kit]

It's the self supporting flying fuel tank the Luftwaffe trialled with a number of types. I'm not sure if it was ever used operationally though, anyone know?

[Dizzyfugu]

There were also experiments with a Slip Wing for the Hawker Hurricane - it was effectively a rather costly drop tank:



More here:
http://www.biplaneforum.com/The-Interesting-Hillson-FH40-Slip-Wing-Hawker-Hurricane.html

[eatthis]

There were also experiments with a Slip Wing for the Hawker Hurricane - it was effectively a rather costly drop tank:



More here:
http://www.biplaneforum.com/The-Interesting-Hillson-FH40-Slip-Wing-Hawker-Hurricane.html

i wouldnt fancy dropping that too much    although it would help with the spitfires lack of range

[PR19_Kit]

The original idea for the Slip-Wing Hurricane was to improve the take-off performance rather than to increase the fuel tankage, but they did reckon that the idea could have been used to improve the range later on. At the time they were busy ferrying Hurricanes across Central Africa to the Middle East from the West African ports and any increase in range would have been very welcome.

[kitnut617]

There were also experiments with a Slip Wing for the Hawker Hurricane - it was effectively a rather costly drop tank:



More here:
http://www.biplaneforum.com/The-Interesting-Hillson-FH40-Slip-Wing-Hawker-Hurricane.html

i wouldnt fancy dropping that too much    although it would help with the spitfires lack of range

It wasn't a 'drop tank' so to speak, it was bolted on for ferrying and removable once it got to it's destination

[kitnut617]

The idea was to do just that, but the test Hurricane couldn't --

I've got the Omega Hurricane Slip-wing in my stash ---

[NARSES2]

I've got the Omega Hurricane Slip-wing in my stash ---

Bet that cost an arm and a leg ? I've a few Omega bits in the stash and they can be pricey. Although I got a good deal once....thank you Adrian Hampton 

As for the slip wing Hurricane. I must admit a lot of my memories of it are quite possibly clouded by 1960's editions of Victor, Hotspur and various War Story books but was it ever envisaged as a glider tug ? Putnam's doesn't mention it. Also same memories speak of the upper wing having guns, but that's plain daft. I wonder if the editors of those old comics realise how much they played with young minds ?  Strange isn't it, but to my generation a memory from a written source, no matter how daft, stays in the back of the mind and part of your brain goes "it was written, it must be true". Same as today's Internet Generation I suppose.

[Dizzyfugu]

I thought they could jettison it in flight if they needed to... not explosive bolts? I suppose since it is full of fuel that wouldn't be wise.

Me too - even though I always wondered how safe such a release in flight might actually be, not to speak about aircraft flying behind or the public living below...