1946 USAAF Penetration Fighter (XF-88, XF-90)

[fightingirish]

Here the pictures at the SDASM Archives.
Link: http://www.flickr.com/search/?ss=2&w=49487266@N07&q=XF-90&m=text

 

[nugo]

Hi Justo Miranda!

If there is information about the competitive proposals of XF-88 and XF-90 in this magazine (Airpower-March 1981), please tell and show.

 

[Justo Miranda]

Done
Post-1

 

[Justo Miranda]

Done
Post-2

 

[Justo Miranda]

XF-88 additional info
Post-1
From
-Wings,june 2005
-Aeroplane montly-July 1982
-Air Force Legends-Number 205 by Steve Pace
-Unknown Source

 

[Justo Miranda]

XF-88 additional info
Post-2
From
-Wings,june 2005
-Aeroplane montly-July 1982
-Air Force Legends-Number 205 by Steve Pace
-Unknown Source

 

[Justo Miranda]

XF-88 additional info
Post-3
From
-Wings,june 2005
-Aeroplane montly-July 1982
-Air Force Legends-Number 205 by Steve Pace
-Unknown Source

 

[Justo Miranda]

XF-88 additional info
Post-4
From
-Wings,june 2005
-Aeroplane montly-July 1982
-Air Force Legends-Number 205 by Steve Pace
-Unknown Source

 

[Justo Miranda]

YF-93A additional info
Post-1
From
-Wings,october 1988
-Airpower, march 1981
-Air Force Legends-Number 205 by Steve Pace
-Le Fanatique de l'Aviation -Hors Serie nº 21
-Unknown Source

 

[Justo Miranda]

YF-93A additional info
Post-2
From
-Wings,october 1988
-Airpower, march 1981
-Air Force Legends-Number 205 by Steve Pace
-Le Fanatique de l'Aviation -Hors Serie nº 21
-Unknown Source

 

[Justo Miranda]

YF-93A additional info
Post-3
From
-Wings,october 1988
-Airpower, march 1981
-Air Force Legends-Number 205 by Steve Pace
-Le Fanatique de l'Aviation -Hors Serie nº 21
-Unknown Source

 

[Justo Miranda]

YF-93A additional info
Post-4
From
-Wings,october 1988
-Airpower, march 1981
-Air Force Legends-Number 205 by Steve Pace
-Le Fanatique de l'Aviation -Hors Serie nº 21
-Unknown Source

 

[Stargazer]

Some of these are new to me, great series! It's too bad that some of these are lousy due to the scanner settings you used at the time. I have an impression that you set the scanner on black & white/256 colors. Of course this makes for very lousy rendering. Scanning photos should always be done in full color, and the photos brought down to greyscale in the photo-editing software only afterwards. I believe this is something you must have done at a time you didn't know better, because other scans of yours are just great!

 

[RanulfC]

The "in-stepped" inlet designs are quite interesting, what was the reasoning behind them anyone know?

Randy

 

[Justo Miranda]

It's too bad that some of these are lousy due to the scanner settings you used at the time. I have an impression that you set the scanner on black & white/256 colors. Of course this makes for very lousy rendering. Scanning photos should always be done in full color, and the photos brought down to greyscale in the photo-editing software only afterwards


Pictures are full colour scanned copies at 200 and 300 ppi.
I believe this issue is due to an optical interference effect with the magazine printing points :-\

 

[Mark Nankivil]

Hi Randy -

That was one of the earliest uses of the NACA submerged inlet that was expected to allow the necessary airflow but without the drag of a normal intake and its structure. Theory did not meet up with real world though as there was little ram pressure and flow volume was marginal for the installation so the XF-93 ended up with traditional intakes. The inlets work reasonably well in installations where the volume of air needed to be drawn in smaller - there's plenty of examples of its use (F-86D, F-14, etc.) which come to mind.

Hope that helps! Mark

 

[Apteryx]

Scanning photos should always be done in full color, and the photos brought down to greyscale in the photo-editing software only afterwards.

As Justo indicates, the problem is mainly dotscreen on what must have been small reproductions. Just not many tricks to improve such scans. A grayscale scan is just fine for a B&W original.

The XF-93 has always intrigued me, with its big centrifugal engine and chunky but elegant lines. It might have become an all-weather fighter, instead of the F-86D.

 

[nugo]

Hi Justo Miranda!

Thank you very much!

I know that the competition was attended by 13 firms with 20 proposals...

If there is information about the competitive proposals of McDonnell F-101 in this magazine, please tell and show.

 

[Triton]

From Code One magazine:

The XF-90 was the Lockheed response to an ill-defined US Air Force spefication for a penetrating fighter that could escort bombers or fly ground attack missions. To enable the aircraft to absorb the high stresses encountered during ground attack sorties, the XF-90 was made of a high-strength aluminum alloy with heavy forgings and machined parts. First flown on 3 June 1949, the XF-90 was underpowered and eventually lost out to the competing XF-88 design. Two XF-90s were built. One ended up as a test specimen during 1952 atomic bomb testing in Nevada and survived three nuclear blasts with relatively little damage.

Source: http://www.codeonemagazine.com/gallery_slideshow.html?item_id=19

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

XP-88 initial V-tail configuration photos here:

http://crgis.ndc.nasa.gov/historic/Additional_Photos_for_12-Foot_Low_Speed_Tunnel_2#XP-88_Model

 

[alfakilo]

Some of the pictures in that link are really interesting...the ones of the F4U Corsair showing the mechanical details inside the model, for example.

As a boy in the 1950s, I lived on Langley AFB. The wind tunnel area was just up the street. My friends and I were big model plane builders at the time, and we used to scrounge through the trash bins behind the wind tunnel buildings looking for anything we could use...wood, glues, etc. I find the construction detail on those wooden models to be fascinating...the workmanship is amazing!!

 

[Triton]

Photograph of Lockheed P-80 alongside XF-90 from the Code One magazine website:

The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first jet fighter used operationally by the United States Army Air Forces and saw extensive combat in Korea with the United States Air Force as the F-80. As one of the world's first successful turbojet-powered combat aircraft, it helped usher in the jet age in the USAF and other air forces worldwide. The Lockheed XF-90 was built in response to a United States Air Force requirement for a long-range penetration fighter and bomber escort. The same requirement produced the McDonnell XF-88 Voodoo. The design was developed by Willis Hawkins and the Skunk Works team under Kelly Johnson. Two prototypes were built. Performance of the design was considered inadequate due to being underpowered, and the XF-90 never entered production.

Source:
http://www.codeonemagazine.com/gallery_slideshow.html?item_id=1263

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MCDONNELL-AIRCRAFT-MODEL-36H-PHOTO-RECONNAISSANCE-VERSION-OF-THE-F-88-/290739304270?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43b169b74e#ht_500wt_1413

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

more

 

[Stargazer]

Paul, you just reposted all the Lockheed L-188 pics in this topic by mistake !!!

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Well spotted. Fixed

 

[Steve Pace]

Why in the world would Lockheed have McDonnell Model 36H material? -SP

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Why in the world would Lockheed have McDonnell Model 36H material? -SP

Lockheed's technical library had compiled information on lots of aircraft from other manufacturers both domestic and foreign.

 

[Mark Nankivil]

I have this report now thanks to a few friends teaming up to acquire it for a future book project covering the XF-88 and F-101. I'll post some bits and pieces from the report when I have the chance.

Paul is right on - Lockheed maintained a competitive products file section as I also acquired an XF2H-1 drawing stamped as such.

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[Steve Pace]

The XF-88/-88A actually won the Penetration Fighter competition over the XF-90/-90A entries as well as the later entry - the YF-93A. Both McDonnell and Lockheed proposed RF versions of their 88 and 90 designs so I guess it makes sense that these contractors would acquire technical papers prepared by each other but it sure came as a surprise to me. -SP

 

[Triton]

Artist's impression of XF-90 from the San Diego Air & Space Museum Archive.

Source:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/4559787276/sizes/o/in/photostream/

 

[XP67_Moonbat]

Just curious but did they ever finish restoring the XF-90 they found at the NTS?

 

[Stargazer]

Very nice F-90 artwork from the original company brochure:

 

[Triton]

McDonnell XP-88 blueprints found on eBay.

Source:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/MCDONNELL-XP-88-BLUEPRINT-DRAWING-/290742592367?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43b19be36f

 

[Triton]

McDonnell XP-88 blueprints.

 

[Stargazer]

Some fabulous XF-88 photos from SDASM on Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/

 

[XP67_Moonbat]

I want that brochure.

 

[hesham]

Hi All!

13 companies and 20 design proposals:

1) Curtiss-Wright Model P-...
2) Consolidated-Vultee Model ...
3) Goodyear Model GA-...
4) Lockheed L-153...
5) McDonnell M-36A,-36B,-36C
6) Northrop XP-79Z
7) John Abbeman Model ...
8) Management and Research Model ...
9) ? Model ...
10) ? Model ...
11) ? Model ...
12) ? Model ...
13) ? Model ...

What can we say about this?

From Tailspin,


Goodyear GA-16

 

[Tailspin Turtle]

Nothing more to add

 

[Stargazer]

Splendid... You are spoiling us, Sir!