Forum: Technology

hi it's me hobojet and I"m on another crazy adventure this time to create a new type of aircraft(preferably fighter) but I need some ideas to get me started so please post your ideas for a new aircraft( don't be shy i don't care if it would take 100,000,000 dollars to build or 100,000,000 years to make)

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I spend a lot of time creating aircraft designs myself. If you're going to make a fighter, then I strongly suggest making a 5th-generation aircraft in order to be competitive in the near future.

Some of my suggested characteristics for such an aircraft would be:

The ability to supercruise for superior fuel economy and reduced IR emissions, an internal weapons bay to reduce drag and RCS, Low-observable geometry and radar-absorbing materials in order to reduce RCS, a high percentage of composite construction to reduce weight and RCS, a single-piece bubble canopy with good rearward visibility, thrust-vectoring nozzles to increase standard maneuverability such as turn rate and allow for effective post-stall maneuvers, a long-ranged AESA radar with LPI capabilities, data-fusion and data-link for increased combat effectiveness, diverterless intakes for decreased RCS and reduced complexity, an afterburning thrust-to-loaded weight ratio greater than 1.0 for enhanced acceleration and performance in vertical climbs. A lot of what I've described already exists in the F-22 and F-35.

One of my preferences might be to have two engines that are seperated a good distance from the centerline of the aircraft like you would see in the Flanker series. By putting 3D TVC nozzles on these engines, you could get not only enhanced pitch and yaw rate, but also roll rate if they are able to pitch differentially. The further the engines are from the centerline, the more of a roll rate increase you can get. However, the further apart the engines are, the more severe the adverse yaw will be if one of the engines stalls in flight.

I recall reading recently that there was some aircraft (either German or Russian, I think) that used an all-moving vertical stabilizer in order to help deal with adverse yaw (due to the fact that the engines were widely spaced apart). Unfortunately, I cannot recall it's name. The SR-71 has two all-moving vertical stabilizers and very widely spaced engines. I don't know if the intent was to alleviate adverse yaw or not, but it seems like it sure could help. Therefore, I might suggest having a pair of all-moving vertical tails (with a large degree of canting on order to decrease RCS in the side hemispheres, of course) if you choose to have widely-spaced engines. On the other hand, TVC in the yaw plane could help alleviate adverse yaw without the need all-moving tailfins.

In terms of wing design, there are many possibilities. I believe that the fewer lifting surfaces you have, the lower the frontal RCS will be. At least, I've heard that the YF-23 enjoyed a decreased RCS due to the fact that it had a V-tail instead of a stabilator-vertical stabilizer combination. That means two fewer leading edges for radar to be reflected off of. Canards can help increase an aircraft's agility, but they can also increase RCS. I believe this is why the Su-35BM does not have canards whereas earlier Flanker models such as the Su-33, Su-37 and Su-30MKI do.

I particularly like the rearward-facing radar in the tail boom on the Flanker series as well. Adding one to your aircraft could increase situational awareness. An EO DAS like that in the F-35 could also be of use, although I'm not sure how much use that would have in air-to-air combat (I think it's more important for air-to-ground). I'm sure there are many other features that other members could mention as well.

My most recent design for a 5th-generation air superiority fighter has compound-delta wings without stabilators, canards or vertical stabilizers (to decrease RCS and drag and increase range). The wings are high-mounted to form a continuous lifting surface across the fuselage with a good degree of anhedral (similar to the X-32). Also, the two engines are vertically-stacked (as in the English Electric Lightning). Each engine has 3D TVC but cannot work differentially for a rolling moment. The engines provide yaw control in place of vertical stabilizers. It has two different types of engines. One works better at low altitudes and low speed, whereas the other works better at high altitudes and high speeds. This allows for an increase in the variety of situations it can operate in. However, there is a high degree of overlap in the two engine's performance ranges, so at moderate altitudes and moderate speeds both engines perform well.

wow kryptid, that was a load of help! I think your model sounds kool if you have a sketch or a 3D model to show I would like to see it. thanks!

Hobojet a good place to start is http://www.aircraftdesign.com/

Quote:

wow kryptid, that was a load of help! I think your model sounds kool if you have a sketch or a 3D model to show I would like to see it. thanks!

Thanks. I've been wanting to do a 3-view diagram of my design, but I've been too lazy to get around to it lately.

Quote:

Hobojet a good place to start is http://www.aircraftdesign.com/

Nice. When I saw that RDS program they have on there and what it could do, I was starting to get a bit excited. Then I saw the price... Sad

thanks guys! Thumb

Kryptid wrote:

Quote:

wow kryptid, that was a load of help! I think your model sounds kool if you have a sketch or a 3D model to show I would like to see it. thanks!

Thanks. I've been wanting to do a 3-view diagram of my design, but I've been too lazy to get around to it lately.

Quote:

Hobojet a good place to start is http://www.aircraftdesign.com/

Nice. When I saw that RDS program they have on there and what it could do, I was starting to get a bit excited. Then I saw the price... Sad

Check with a college near you they might have it available at a student price.

hobojet,
Coming from a maintenance point of view, ease of maintainability is a must also.
My Two Cents

The most important part of the design, would be a foolproof plan to keep your pilots from being sent to UAVs! Laughing

"It is not only possible, it is ESSENTIAL!"
Dr. Strangelove

THanks guys soon I'll post a chart describing my aircraft!

Forum: Technology

thinking ahead: an idea for a new aircraft