Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit

elmayerle said:
Empty bays just outboard of the MLG bays were intended for a system that ended up never being used. They were used for flight test support equipment during the flight testing of the first two B-2s (I worked on some of that) but are empty, as far as I know, on all operational aircraft. I could see elements of a laser system being mounted there on pallets to simplify installation and replacement.
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True, the bays were used for the orange wire team early on. I understand the eventual "plan" was concrete ballast blocks on later models to get the mass effects on flight controls.
 
There were plans once to install there launchers for self-defense AAMs. Well, this is mentioned in AvLeak piece linked above.
 
After I left NG in 1996, a former colleague called me about 4 years later and wanted my opinion regarding the addition of actuated doors for the bays I knew about but he couldn't tell me because I was no longer on the program. He wanted some insight regarding either linear hydro cylinders (i.e. F-117) or rotary hinge-line actuators driven by a power drive unit. I recommended the rotary solution, its compact and with the door open or closed, does not affect the internal envelope.
 
Hydroman said:
After I left NG in 1996, a former colleague called me about 4 years later and wanted my opinion regarding the addition of actuated doors for the bays I knew about but he couldn't tell me because I was no longer on the program. He wanted some insight regarding either linear hydro cylinders (i.e. F-117) or rotary hinge-line actuators driven by a power drive unit. I recommended the rotary solution, its compact and with the door open or closed, does not affect the internal envelope.
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Rotary hinge-line? So the end of the "hinge pin" is attached to a drive motor, and the door is bolted onto the hinge pin?
 
Scott Kenny said:
Rotary hinge-line? So the end of the "hinge pin" is attached to a drive motor, and the door is bolted onto the hinge pin?
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Planetary rotary actuators and torque tubes with a power drive unit. Rotary actuators spread across the door hinge-line. Look at the F-22 and F-35 weapon bay doors for reference.
 
Hydroman said:
Planetary rotary actuators and torque tubes with a power drive unit. Rotary actuators spread across the door hinge-line. Look at the F-22 and F-35 weapon bay doors for reference.
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Huh, I was not expecting multiple actuators per door...

Thanks!
 
Hydroman said:
Planetary rotary actuators and torque tubes with a power drive unit. Rotary actuators spread across the door hinge-line. Look at the F-22 and F-35 weapon bay doors for reference.
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Scott Kenny said:
Huh, I was not expecting multiple actuators per door...

Thanks!
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It's not as if that solution isn't already in place on the B-2 already...
 
The B-2 weapons bay door drive system, each bay door has multiple rotary actuators, the PDUs are mounted on either side of the keel beam (public photos show this). Each PDU has redundant motor valve packs and hydro motors. Even if a single drive shaft fails, drive system still operates.
 
https://twitter.com/x/status/1891176078808428659
View: https://x.com/smsgt_mac/status/1891176078808428659?s=46&t=5THFve96Abhx7VANdlTzrg

Fun fact: There are 4 structural hardpoints on the B-2 wing that were 'just in case' provisions, at least 2 of them could support multiple carriage.
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https://twitter.com/x/status/1891256423427805306
View: https://x.com/smsgt_mac/status/1891256423427805306?s=46&t=5THFve96Abhx7VANdlTzrg


AFAIK, the last tech data reference was in the ABDAR book, and those were removed almost 3 decades ago. The inboards are just outside the 'LIB' bays IIRC. I had found an oblique reference to 'pylon attachment fittings' in another T.O. & so asked our Armament guy about them.
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IMG_3991.jpeg
 
I'm very surprised that the B-2A has structural provisions for four external hard points.
 
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The B-2A would be able to carry external stores in areas where the USAF had air superiority or better air supremacy as stealth wouldn't be a factor.
 
NMaude said:
The B-2A would be able to carry external stores in areas where the USAF had air superiority or better air supremacy as stealth wouldn't be a factor.
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Exactly. If you're carrying ACMs there's barely anything that's can shoot back and given how stealthy the B-2 already is, undoubtedly trying to find it 1000nm away would be quite an endeavor.
 
raptor82 said:
https://twitter.com/x/status/1891176078808428659
View: https://x.com/smsgt_mac/status/1891176078808428659?s=46&t=5THFve96Abhx7VANdlTzrg



https://twitter.com/x/status/1891256423427805306
View: https://x.com/smsgt_mac/status/1891256423427805306?s=46&t=5THFve96Abhx7VANdlTzrg





View attachment 759884
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That is true, the B-2 did have external hard points as provisions. Also, I think I posted this previously, the early flight test B-2s (up to AV-3 I think) had their left and right flaps pinned up. Yes, the original B-2 design had flaps but never were used. We did test the flap actuation in the FCHIL but that was about it. The flaps were deemed not effective. The XB-35 and YB-49 had flaps but those were effective.
 
With roughly 8m b/w hard points for only 2m ground clearance, what did they were envisioning to carry... The Bat mobile?
 
Take a look at some of the old flight test aircraft B-2 images and you will see rectangular panels at the lower left and right aft quadrants, those my friends are the flaps, just stowed in place then eventually removed. On the production B-2, panels and cavities were eliminated. The actuation for the flaps was a single, planetary rotary-type EM drive unit for each flap.
 

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