Nuclear Powered Aircraft Projects

I had that kit, too, but after it had transmogrified into the
'Ragnarok Orbital Interceptor'....

cheers,
Robin.
 
Even though the name company name Aurora appears on the illustration as well as the decal sheet, the speculative design itself was officially called the Impetus (also included in the decals):

http://www.ninfinger.org/models/vault/ImpetusInstuctions.jpg

http://modelarchives.free.fr/archives_P/Aplane/Aplane_Impetus_K.html

http://www.diecastaircraftforum.com/other-scales-antique-models/37441-aurora-vintage-nuclear-airliner.html

http://www.professorplastik.com/monster_site/proscenium/kits/xtrakits/othernonmonsteraurorakits/scifikits/ragnarok/ragnarokkit.htm

Martin
 
Model of Lockheed-Georgia nuclear-powered tug aircraft concept towing two Lockheed C-5 Galaxy military transports circa 1980.

The nuclear-tug design shown here has a gross weight of 2 million pounds; 40 percent would be the reactor. The plane would be a seaplane, and would fly only over water. If it were to fly over land, the design would have to include protection for the reactor in the event of a crash, entailing a heavy weight penalty. The nuclear-powered plane assumes advanced nuclear technology.

Without a payload, the nuclear reactor could supply enough power for takeoff and landing.
Click to expand...

Source: "New-Technology Monster Transports Will Dwarf Today's Jumbo Jets" by Ben Kovicar, Popular Science, October 1980.
 

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a nuclear airliner;

I understand for frequent flyers they would give you wigs instead of free miles.
 
Hi,

notice,the third aircraft was a modified of Douglas C-133.

http://books.google.com.eg/books?id=VFYEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA37&dq=atomic+aircraft&lr=&as_drrb_is=b&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=1909&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=2009&num=100&as_brr=3&cd=4#v=onepage&q=atomic%20aircraft&f=true
 

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Love that conceptual drawings!!

Great finding hesham
 
From Modelarchive;

http://modelarchives.free.fr/archives_P/Aplane/Aplane_tech.html
 

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speculative i know but valid in keeping with the subject and the fictional nature of the previously mentioned Aurora and Hawk hobby kits...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Skoda-Kauba-Atom-Hyperschallflugzeug-1-72-Bird-Models-/230477402555?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_ToysGames_ModelKits_ModelKits_JN&hash=item35a98611bb

i wonder if any ga drawings were prepped for such a design? its not one iv seen published anywhere previously?
 
hesham said:
Hi,

A project based on Lockheed C-130 as nuclear powered and jet engines
transport aircraft.
Click to expand...

The source of this nuclear-powered aircraft;

http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1957/1957%20-%201697.html
 
Hesh,

Awesome find as always. But I have to ask: was such miniaturization of reactors for flight even possible back then? I'd imagine that with all the effort of Convair's X-6 program, doing reactors for aircraft would be a major pain in the a** back then. A C-130 is a bit smaller than a tricked-out B-36.
 
take UHTREX a gas cooled nuclear reactor experiment (1959-1969)
the reactor core had size of a cylinder of 70 in. high, and 39 in ø (1,778 meter high and 0,999 meter ø)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UHTREX
 
...
 

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Following a link in the Seamaster thread a tank test video

Smooth Water Take-Offs and Landings
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yALPmZcFXdM&feature=related

showed up.

Appears to be the proposed atomic powered Saro Princess judging by the engine configuration.

Regards

Fred
 
Some information about the reactor technology planed for the nuclear powered planes can be found here

http://www.thoriumenergyalliance.com/

http://www.thoriumenergyalliance.com/ThoriumSite/resources.html

http://www.thoriumenergyalliance.com/ThoriumSite/Spring2010Conf.htm

the aircraft reactor experiment gave birth to the molten salt reactor concept.
 
fredgell said:
Appears to be the proposed atomic powered Saro Princess judging by the engine configuration.
Click to expand...

Not just that... The first screen says "N. P. Princess Flying Boat" which means "Nuclear Powered", of course. This project was undertaken by Convair from May 1958 to February 1959, under the designation ANP, and the many documents concerning that project which are listed in the Spangenberg Index are apparently still classified (Boxes 670 to 676). What a remarkable aircraft design, anyway. Such a beauty, even in model form!
 
hesham said:
From Modelarchive;

http://modelarchives.free.fr/archives_P/Aplane/Aplane_tech.html
Click to expand...

The "Ragnarok Orbital Interceptor" was a 1975 re-issue of the "Impetus" nuclear airliner model kit from 1960 by Aurora. The "Impetus" was a fictional nuclear airliner design based on an early projected version of the Convair B-58. Therefore, it should be considered a fictional concept and a fantasy project.

index.php


Source: http://modelarchives.free.fr/archives_P/Aplane/Aplane_Impetus_K.html
 
Hi,

http://books.google.com.eg/books?id=PeEDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA100&dq=aircraft+atom-powered&hl=ar&ei=ji5tTMb7FYWMOJPizbML&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=true
 

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The launcher Picture5 is wonderful in bringing a new reason to be a twin-boomer: impossible to launch the big missile vertically with a central fuselage!
 
This launcher point has been today illustrated and commented among reasons to be a twin-boomer, on my hobby site http://cmeunier.chez-alice.fr/asym_dahu_aeroUK.htm , apart of the paragraph devoted to nuclear engine.
Thanks again! ;D :D
 
Hi,

http://books.google.com.eg/books?id=29kDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA81&dq=aircraft+atom-powered&hl=ar&ei=rnNyTPSmO4jLOMPq7LAL&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=12&ved=0CFwQ6AEwCw#v=onepage&q=aircraft%20atom-powered&f=true
 

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A design for a nuclear powered airliner by E.P. Hawthorne, head of
Hawker Siddeley Nuclear Power Company Ltd.:
(from InterAvia April 1957)
 

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Orionblamblam said:
Isn't that a bomber?
Click to expand...

Thought about it, too, but the description clearly speaks of "Verkehrsflugzeug" (airliner)
and the drawing stems from an article with the title "Wege zum Überschallverkehr"
(Ways to supersonic travel). Maybe the passeneger cabin would have been behind the
reactor or even in the tail ? It's described as a very large aircraft.
 

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Yes it was a bomber,

great find my dear Jemiba,a more info about it here;

http://www.flightglobal.com/PDFArchive/View/1956/1956%20-%201585.html
http://www.flightglobal.com/PDFArchive/View/1956/1956%20-%201613.html
 

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Similar to the design in post #13, but with eight engines, MTOW 450 tons,
payload 180 tons.
(from InterAvia 8/1960)
 

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Hi everybody

Nuclear powered bomber

M-60 and M-30 nuclear powered bomber
www.popmech.ru/article/5004-verhom-na-reaktore/

Myasishchev 3M-A nuclear powered reconnaissance derivative with a windowless lead lined cockpit.
en.wikipedia.org

Myasishchev M-4 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
Someone knows a drawing of this variant ?

Myasishchev M-62 nuclear powered bomber ?
Maybe someone can tell us more about the M-62 ? Any data ?

An-22PLO

Northrop nuclear powered flying wing
Where is the undercarriage located ?
Maybe someone knows more drawings of the Northrop nuclear powered flying wings ?
More concept drawings ?

Many greetings and Thanks for every help
 
moin1900 said:
Northrop nuclear powered flying wing
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=3420.msg27270#msg27270
http://www.fantastic-plastic.com/NorthropNuclear-PoweredFlyingWingCataloguePage.htm
Where is the undercarriage located ?
Click to expand...

...ISTR a thread on this one on ssh a while back. The landing gear were supposed to be a bit off-centered compared to a normal bomber, and not a tricycle arrangement by any means. I'd say do a googlegroups search, but I'm finding that a *LOT* of posts from the early part of this last decade aren't showing up, probably due to google's preservation of usenet falling way low on the priorities list. Scott Lowther, IIRC, did some research on this one for the Fantastic Plastic kit, and he might be the one to go to on this.
 
Jemiba said:
A design for a nuclear powered airliner by E.P. Hawthorne, head of
Hawker Siddeley Nuclear Power Company Ltd.:
(from InterAvia April 1957)
Click to expand...

Hi,

it was Avro-744 nuclear powered aircraft of 1957,from Avro Heritage site.
 

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The e-book (I don't know if there was ever a paper edition) "Proving the principal, the history of the Idaho National Engineering Lab" has a chapter on the nuclear aircraft program called "The triumph of political gravity over nuclear flight". It's a fascinating read and has a lot of pictures from the program.

 
Brilliant artwork by Joe Kotula. First time I've seen it in color. Thanks!
 
Jay Miller's X-planes as well as D.M. Catrpenter's Convair Nuclear Propulsion Jet, show a slightly different configuration for the X-6 engines.
 
Looks to me like it could be P+W's indirect-cycle reactor + engine design for the X-6.
Just guessin', though...


cheers,
Robin.
 

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