Inside the Roc's lair

[Weaver]

Largest aircraft EVER being built as part of a space launch system:

http://aviationweek.com/blog/inside-rocs-lair

Another article on the saem thing: http://sploid.gizmodo.com/first-photos-of-the-largest-airplane-ever-now-in-manufa-1688085252 (thanks to finsrin)

[PR19_Kit]

Jeepers, I never thought I'd live to see the day they built something larger than the Hughes Hercules! 

It begs the question of where they're going to fly it from. Will it need a MEGA wide runway, or two of them, one beside the other?

[JayBee]

I like it, maybe it is time to start considering 1/288 scale, unless you have a very large house/modeling room. 

[Weaver]

Jeepers, I never thought I'd live to see the day they built something larger than the Hughes Hercules! 

It begs the question of where they're going to fly it from. Will it need a MEGA wide runway, or two of them, one beside the other?

That's what I'd like to know. They talk about "launch flexibility" but it's wheel track is way wider than standard runways....

[sandiego89]

Jeepers, I never thought I'd live to see the day they built something larger than the Hughes Hercules! 

It begs the question of where they're going to fly it from. Will it need a MEGA wide runway, or two of them, one beside the other?

That's what I'd like to know. They talk about "launch flexibility" but it's wheel track is way wider than standard runways....

B-52's required 200 foot wide runways, and several were 300 feet wide (distance between outriggers is @148 feet)  Plenty of current and former BUFF runways around.   

[Captain Canada]

Wow ! Now that would be something to see ! Thanks for the heads up

[jcf]

Most likely operating locations would be the shuttle strips at Vandenberg in California and Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The latter runway is 15,000 feet long by 300 feet wide with another 1000' of paved overrun at either end, it also has no
weight limit.



Vandenberg is 15,001' X 200'. Denver International is 16,000' X 200'.

Wherever it's operated they're going to need a really big hangar. 

[Nick]

The Roc is being built at Mojave Air and Space Port, currently home to most of the civilian space ventures and testing programs like Virgin Galactics, Rutan, Scaled Composites, etc. We've all seen the Mojave site in TV or movies like Die Hard 2, Speed, Hot Shots, Airwolf, Mythbusters etc.

Only 10 miles from Edwards Airbase, the main runway at Mojave is 12,500ft long and 200ft wide. If they can ensure clearance over the sides of the runway there should be no trouble as long as the wheels stay on the tarmac until takeoff.  

I found this video with some gorgeous birds    and there's some nice planes too! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjBcb1hGeJ8

[PR19_Kit]

The Roc is being built at Mojave Air and Space Port, currently home to most of the civilian space ventures and testing programs like Virgin Galactics, Rutan, Scaled Composites, etc. We've all seen the Mojave site in TV or movies like Die Hard 2, Speed, Hot Shots, Airwolf, Mythbusters etc.

Only 10 miles from Edwards Airbase, the main runway at Mojave is 12,500ft long and 200ft wide. If they can ensure clearance over the sides of the runway there should be no trouble as long as the wheels stay on the tarmac until takeoff.  

I found this video with some gorgeous birds    and there's some nice planes too! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjBcb1hGeJ8

I went there a few years ago, and at the time the airfield itself was run by BAe Systems! 

200 ft wide doesn't give them too much space to play with, they're going to have to be very good pilots.

And that group are dancing on a Coronado, of all things! Can't be too many of them left.

[Cobra]

This looks like Something You'd see in Thunderbirds,Stingray,Captain Scarlet,or Joe 90! Why do i get the Feeling it's Gonna be an RPIA to Train Crews and Provide Hpusing for Such Crews? Dan

[rickshaw]

The Roc is being built at Mojave Air and Space Port, currently home to most of the civilian space ventures and testing programs like Virgin Galactics, Rutan, Scaled Composites, etc. We've all seen the Mojave site in TV or movies like Die Hard 2, Speed, Hot Shots, Airwolf, Mythbusters etc.

Only 10 miles from Edwards Airbase, the main runway at Mojave is 12,500ft long and 200ft wide. If they can ensure clearance over the sides of the runway there should be no trouble as long as the wheels stay on the tarmac until takeoff.  

I found this video with some gorgeous birds    and there's some nice planes too! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjBcb1hGeJ8

I went there a few years ago, and at the time the airfield itself was run by BAe Systems! 

200 ft wide doesn't give them too much space to play with, they're going to have to be very good pilots.

And that group are dancing on a Coronado, of all things! Can't be too many of them left.

I was rather impressed to see a C-133 in the background...

[Weaver]

148' track on a 200' wide runway with a big, heavy plane doesn't sound too much fun in a cross-wind...

[jcf]

Yeah, somehow I don't see that "ensuring clearance" is going to be a problem at Mojave. 

[Nick]

I was rather impressed to see a C-133 in the background...

Here's a better view of the Cargomasters
http://theident.gallery/player.php?id=C4-2010-ID-AIRCRAFT-SD-1

[rickshaw]

Nice.  Here is where they are at: - https://www.google.com.au/maps/@35.06564,-118.1422507,67m/data=!3m1!1e3