Lockheed X-7
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The Lockheed X-7 (dubbed the "Flying Stove Pipe") was an unmanned test bed for ramjet engines and missile guidance technology. It was carried aloft by a B-29 or B-50 Superfortress carrier aircraft. The booster ignited after launch and propelled the vehicle to a speed of 1,000 mph (1,625 km/h). The booster was then jettisoned, and the underslung ramjet took over from that point. The X-7 eventually returned to Earth, its descent slowed by parachute. A maximum speed of 2,000 mph (3,250 km/h / Mach 4.31) was attained, setting a record for fastest air-breathing aircraft. A total of 130 X-7 flights were conducted from April 1951 to July 1960.
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[edit] Specifications (X-7A-1)
[edit] General characteristics
- Crew: none
- Length: 32 ft 9 in (9.98 m)
- Wingspan: 12 ft (3.66 m)
- Height: 7 ft in (2.1 m)
- Wing area: ft² ( m²)
- Empty: lb ( kg)
- Loaded: 8,000 lb (3,600 kg)
- Maximum takeoff: lb ( kg)
- Powerplant:
- Booster: Alleghany Ballistics Laboratories X202-C3 solid-fuel rocket, 105,000 lbf (467 kN) thrust
- Sustainer: various ramjets under test
[edit] Performance
- Maximum speed: Mach 4.31 (2,881 mph, 4,610 km/h)
- Range: miles ( km)
- Maximum height: 106,000 ft (32,317 m)
- Rate of climb: ft/min ( m/min)
- Wing loading: lb/ft² ( kg/m²)
- Thrust/Weight:
[edit] Related content
Related development: Q-5 Kingfisher
Comparable aircraft: Bomarc
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See also List of experimental aircraft
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