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I was just wounding if the aircraft in Dale Browns books could be really made??? Let me know your ideas. Smile

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Elite 3K Joined: May 10, 2004 Posts: 3101 Status: Offline

I'd say yes for the most part. Fibersteel as is written about doesn't exist, but composites would do most of the jobs pretty well on the bombers. I don't think we'd see the Old Dog - B-52s are getting pretty long in the tooth and even with all the composites in the world, you still have so many radar reflectors on the jet (on top of the engine turbine and fan blades) that it would stick out like a sore thumb. The B-1 derivitive might be feasable, the Cheetah looks like one of the F-15 proof of concept jets, but I don't think that the thought controlled jet would be possible for many years to come.

Just my 2 cents.

Elite 1K Joined: Aug 19, 2004 Posts: 1092

The AL-52 Dragon airborne laser platform that appears in some of Brown's later novels might be feasible. If a 747 can house an airborne laser, why not a B-52? Very Happy

Just keep in mind that lots of aircraft designs never make it past the prototype stage and are still classified top secret. You won't know how close Dale Brown's fiction comes to reality (and neither will Dale Brown) until all classified prototype aircraft of this era are declassified. I suppose that might happen in 50-100 years. But yeah, some of his fictional aircraft are more feasible than others. A stealthy B-52 with a beefed up structure capable of handling 8G turns... probably not. Very Happy

Forum Veteran Joined: Dec 14, 2006 Posts: 505

Raptor_One wrote:

The AL-52 Dragon airborne laser platform that appears in some of Brown's later novels might be feasible. If a 747 can house an airborne laser, why not a B-52?

Aren't some B-52s equipped already equipped with laser designator's and range finders? Possibly even laser IR missile jammers?

It's hardly a new idea to put a laser in an aircraft. I don't think it's a case of novel writers inventing the ideas, I think it is another case of novel writers getting their ideas from science before they reach common knowledge. Often the novels are the first of the some people here of the science, so often they accredit the novel writer instead of the scientists that actually thought of and worked for decades to bring to fruition.

It's hardly a new idea to be able to shoot down aircraft, missiles or even be able to shoot at ground targets with lasers mounted on aircraft. One of the first missiles to be shot down from an aircraft with a laser was done several decades ago, probably before Dale Brown wrote his novel.

The Airborne Laser Lab was a gas-dynamic laser mounted in a modified version of a KC-135 used for flight-testing. Similar to the commercial Boeing 707, the slightly smaller KC-135 was designed to military specifications and operated at height gross weights. The NKC-135A (S/N 55-3123) is one of 14 KC-135As permanently converted for special testing. It was extensively modified by the Air Force weapons Laboratory at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, and used in an 11-year experiment to prove a high-energy laser could be operated in an aircraft and employed against airborne targets. During the experiment, the Airborne Laser Lab destroyed five AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles and a Navy BQM-34A target drone.

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsh ... asp?id=787

http://www.fas.org/spp/starwars/program/all.htm

http://www.globalsecurity.org/space/systems/all.htm

Of course all lot of the ideas used in Dale Brown's are possible and some may even reach fruition, that's because he gets his ideas from science and are usually loosely based on previous proposals/concepts. That's why a lot of his novels are so interesting is much of it is feasible.

Elite 1K Joined: Aug 19, 2004 Posts: 1092

The difference between laser designators/range finders/IR missile jammers and high powered lasers capable of shooting down ballistic missiles and aircraft is night and day. The AL-52 Dragon in Brown's later novels shoots down ballistic missiles and aircraft with its "laser". Of course it has those other types of lasers you mention. Not sure about the latest "real world" B-52H model though.

Enthusiast Joined: Aug 18, 2007 Posts: 97 Status: Offline

The Air Force has been kicking around the idea of an EB-52 standoff jammer to replace the retired EF-111 Raven's and to supplement the navy's EA-6B Prowlers and the proposed EA-18 Growler. Like Parrothead mentioned you could replace some of the B-52's structure with composites.

Hmmm...

I think "Cheetah" coined as an F-15F has already been built to some extent. Just look at the F-15 ACTIVE, formerly known as the STOL.

(See photos Below) Twisted Evil

I believe the ACTIVE's PW-229s with 3-D axisymmetric thrust vector nozzles are actually beyond the 2-D nozzles of the book. (Based on the F-15 STOL)

Even the voice command is possible! Check this out! Shocked

http://www.dtic.mil/dticasd/sbir/sbir041/srch/af062.doc

I also think some of the aircrafts described in Dale Brown's books could become real if time and effort is put in. Modifying older designs such as the B-52 and the F-15 to what Brown described in his books I personally think wouldn't be beyond difficult.

If we're talking about the UCAVs and thought controlled stuff, then that's different!

Gee--looks like #1 engine in the last pic is a lot older than #2. It's starting to sag. Somebody needs to invent an underwire nozzle support for that thing! Very Happy

Maybe it's just had too much to drink?

It looks very 'relaxed'...

I thought he had a great idea in the book Hammerheads(?). Using oil rig type bases for better armed Ospreys and helicopters to watch the borders and stop drug boats as well. Maybe add a couple of VSTOL F-35 Lightning IIs to beef up support! Cool

Enthusiast Joined: Aug 18, 2007 Posts: 97 Status: Offline

StolichnayaStrafer wrote:

I thought he had a great idea in the book Hammerheads(?). Using oil rig type bases for better armed Ospreys and helicopters to watch the borders and stop drug boats as well. Maybe add a couple of VSTOL F-35 Lightning IIs to beef up support! Cool

Yeah, I liked that concept as well StolichnayaStrafer. The AV-22 versions of the Ospery was interesting (although adding Lightning II's is a nice touch and definitely has more firepower)! Hard to make a short takeoff on an oil platform though - the F-35's could take off vertically of course but that wastes a lot of gas. Still, interesting...

Elite 1K Joined: Aug 19, 2004 Posts: 1092

Don't forget... that oil platform didn't just have Ospreys. It had UAVs.

Did it? I had forgotten, I read that book so long ago- and a couple of thousand since then! Laughing

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The aircraft in Dale Brown books