The first 747-LCF has successfully made its first flight and soon will be flown to Seattle for Flght tests. Switches
Believe it or not, that would work. Of interest, the horizontal tail on the E thru G model B-17's was actually the horizontal stab that was designed for the B-29. It was tested on the E model and used on both the subsequent B-17's and B-29 ( with an inverted airfoil on the B-29). Switches
At least tell me that the nose gunner (underneath) was encouraged to move to the main fuselage during take offs and landings! Please. That would be a freaky first row seat.
The chin turret under the nose was a remotely operated installation. The bomardier sighted it and fired it from the nose dome position above it so the weren't nobody in dere.
As for the Boeing 747-LCF: If Boeing would just manufacture the wings HERE instead of somewhere else, there would be no need for the LCF! Nuff said. Planeflyr
It's still needed for complete fuselage sections from Japan. As it is fuselage panel "leaves" for 747,767,777 are delivered in ocean containers and assembled in Everett. Boeing should have retained their core competancy, WINGS, in house. Image Unavailable, Please Login
IDEAS .......& the 41 section (cockpit). Landing gear is BF Goodrich. A lot of avionics. GE Engines. Boeing and Airbus share very many of the same suppliers pretty much tapping out the industry. Boeing imports many goods and services from EADS (and others in Europe) as much as Airbus uses US suppliers......................all part of the "Global Economy" concept. Boeing is focusing on being a major component assembler, moving away from fabrication, sharing the risk with major suppliers like Fuji (bodies), Kawasaki (bodies), Mitsubishi (body parts and doors), Alenia (Italy,flaps/empanage), Lucas (Prince of Darkness), Germany (galleys),Tiawan/Japan (seats), Jamco (Japan Co., galleys and lavatories), China (stuff), Russia (engineering design)............................ They are looking to have the fuselage sections complete and stuffed (as much as possible) upon receival before final body join.
That really is Big Big Big! They should just throw in 3 levels of seating to surpass the A380 and call it a day.
I was looking at the last picture and thinking that with a little streamlining on the front of the bulge it may not have that bad a fuel burn but I also remember that closure/tapering of the aft section done incorrectly can cause high levels of parasitic drag canceling the advantage of streamlining up front. Dimensionally it would make a good double decker but also remember that aft of the cockpit this bird is unpressurised hence, lighter structure than a passenger version. Add floors, seats, insulation, lights, evoironmental systems, stowbins, galleys and lavs, and the weight becomes a major factor. I'm sure there is plenty of number crunching in that direction as we speak, if for no other reason than to satisfy curiousity, (the cause of many great achievements.) I think I already mentioned that Fedex and UPS has been making inquiries. The large cross-section/volume aspect coupled with heavy lift capability is VERY appealing to many. I am excited to see it flying around here in the next couple of weeks.
Interesting..... that's pretty much the same thing I gathered from a book about the making of the 777 that I read a few years back.
Landing in Seattle at Boeing field after a 13 hour flight from Taiwan, Saturday. Image Unavailable, Please Login
.Think of the party you could have in this one. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Hmmm..... two airplane pics, and one of some train station in London ???? This ain't Engineer and Caboose chat... fer cryin sakes alive....!!!
It looks like a train will fit in there okay..................... A whole lot of "clear-span" for hauling lots of big things. I think this plane will find many unique uses.
If they had done a blend from the cockpit aft to the "hump" it wouldn't have looked too bad. I think if/when they build more of these for Atlas/Polar, Fedex and UPS they'll do just that................................................... For now, it looks like a Pig In A Blanket
Switches reported seeing a large flying wiener! I told him he was nuts - so he sent me a picture of it! Image Unavailable, Please Login
Somebody suggested they go with the old Braniff colors. One each all green, all red and all yellow. They really do need to get those things painted. Just ugly the way they are. Probably plain old white.............................................. I think they should sell advertising on them. I would have to be a big sell.
