B-52 & Navaho

[Orionblamblam]

Last few days I've been tearing my hair out looking for a collection of images I *know* I saw some time ago: art and diagrams depicting various aircraft including the B-52 carrying the Navaho missile. If this sounds at all familiar to anyone, please let me know. Here's an image from another source showing a B-52 packing a Navaho missile. I'm reasonably sure than the collection I saw before included renderings much like this one.

 

[Archibald]

It is really the kind of "D'OOOH" moment when you ask yourself "why didn't they thought about it " ?

- Instead of Rascal, Hound dog, and even SRAM...

- half-joking. I mean it made an interesting marriage. And the G-26 & G-38 were not much larger and heavier than a X-15A-2. So a B-52 might handle them.

- Plus the Navaho composite had a very troubled history.

- Would also make an interesting reconnaissance vehicle for the B-52H... oh wait, D-21B so forget it.

 

[TomcatViP]

Navaho needed a booster. Just hanging it under the wing of a subsonic Bomber won't help much...unless it's an X-10 that is depicted.

 

[Dilandu]

Navaho ramjet would require supersonic speed to activate. So, B-52 would not be able to launch it. Maybe B-58 would work.

Anyway, the Navaho was NOT invulnerable to our air defenses, so it was kinda pointless.

 

[Michel Van]

I guess they took the B-52A as only Bomber capable to carry a full loaded and fueled Navaho to drop zone
were it's kickstarted by solid rocket to supersonic speed