Visions of bright future

CL-400 "Suntan" (Picture I) http://crisisofdemocracticstates.blogspot.com/p/lockheed-cl-400-suntan.html Kimmo Huosionmaa Lockheed CL-400 "Suntan" test plane from 1950's is not so well-known as the U-2 or some other reconnaissance planes, what were made under the legendary C.H "Kelly" Johnson at the Lockheed "Skunk Works". This plane was the first attempt to create the hydrogen-powered aircraft, and the experience of that plane was after used to create "Skylon" space planes and other hydrogen-powered aircraft. "Suntan" is looking unique, because the motors are at the end of the wings, and that solution gave extra protection for the test pilot because if the motors were exploded, the debris would not come thru the fuselage. Other reasons for that solution was, that it gave more space in the fuselage, and the heat of those motors would not warm the fuel tanks. Sometimes have been mentioned, that the position of t...

Boeing X-51 Waverider  is typical HCM (Hypersonic Cruise Missile) candidate (Picture 1) Kimmo Huosionmaa Hypersonic missiles are the fastest man-made cruise missiles in the world. The function of those weapons is normally, that ballistic missile would take those weapons to the ballistic trajectory, what allows enough speed, that the hypersonic ramjets would be launched, and those motors would give this missile the speed of Mach 12. But there are many problems with those missiles and USAF X-51 "Waverider" failed, and it couldn't start it hydrogen scramjet-motors in 2012. The hypersonic cruise missiles are new kind of weapon, what is extremely dangerous even without the nuclear warhead. The kinetic energy of those missiles is extremely high, and if that thing hits any target, would the result be devastating. Also, the defense against those weapons is extremely difficult because the angle of incoming missiles is so variable. The nuclear warhead is of course ve...