Enzo is too slow, and way too easy to drive

It's the Bell X-15 which was designed to test aerodynamics of flight at hypersonic speed. If memory serves, it flew at approximately Mach 4.5. I think the bottom pic was a result of a landing accident from the friction of air eating away at some of the leading edge surfaces and compromising the landing gear, so when it touched down the aircraft began to oscillate and rolled. I know one was also destroyed in an engine test accident when the engine exploded.

 

google X-15

 

Mach 4.5 is insane considering the SR-71 does about Mach 3.3-3.5! Why is the nose so rounded? I would think that it would cause a lot of problems at Mach 4.5.

 

Considering the X-15 is rocket powered and the SR-71 is turbine powered, the latter is by far the greater achievment.Although, both are awesome feats of engineering.

As for the nose: The goal of any supersonic, or in this case, hypersonic aircraft designer is to make the shock waves as weak as possible. In a supersonic aircraft that is accomplished using really sharp edges and points. The typical shape you would associate with a fast plane. In the hypersonic region, however, sharp edges like that create enormous amounts of heat. The temperature is related to the radius of curvature of the leading edge of the shock wave, so, a rounder nose meant far far cooler temperatures, though, more drag. Look at the space shuttle and you can see that it has a very round nose and round wing edges. Future hypersonic aircraft are likely going to make use of new materials so that they can use the the less draggy sharp edged designs.

 

I remember a book that told about all the X-15 flights, prototypes, pilots, and it had all the pictures you ever wanted of it also, but I forget the title of it.

 

That is a good example. As that explanation relates to the SR-71, the pointed cones at the front of the engine nacelles are called shock cones, and they move forward or backward depending on airspeed, air density, temperature, etc. to adjust the airflow as it enters the intake, so the shockwave from the supersonic air is diffused and the air more smoothly enters the engines. the F-14 had airflow diverters inside the intakes that were designed to divert the turbulent air through the duct in the wing glove and leave smoother air for the engines, which, at the time were not designed to accept supersonic airflow.

 

The fastest recorded speed of the X-15 was 4,520 mph (Mach 6.70) on flight number 2-53-97 with pilot William Knight.

The highest altitude was 354,200 ft (67 miles) on flight number 3-22-36 with Joseph Walker.

The X-15 is classified as an airplane BTW.....so these records will probably never be broken for decades....if ever.

 

Check out the NASA Dryden web site, there are lots of pics of lots of aircraft the X-15 is a little ways down the list.

 

Is that guy dead laying on the ground next to it?

 

I am assuming the pilot in that pic is Neil Armstrong? (strange that nobody mentioned him). The X-15 landed on skids on the rear. On one flight, the fuselage of the plane broke when the nose came down too hard. Scott Crossfield was one of the main X-15 test pilots. Because it flew so high that aerodynamic crontrols were useless, I believe that it had attitude control jets in the tips of the wings.

 

They don't jettison part of the fin; it is down in flight and retracts half way up for landing so the landing skids can clear the fin.

 

non disclosure agreement. stuff is already in the air that would blow your mind.

 

Mike....

I agree....I should have said before what's already out there becomes public in decades for an FIA record attempt.....if at all.

 

Wow...definitely some interesting angles there. Any takers?

C.