Guzalot Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 Frankenstein of the Skies Every geek loves sci-fi flavored pseudodirigibles, from Blade Runner to their occasional appearance in Batman comics. The Navy’s Swimming Spy Plane Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works, famed for the U-2 and Blackbird spy planes that flew higher than anything else in the world in their day, is trying for a different altitude record: an airplane that starts and ends its mission 150 feet underwater. The Cormorant, a stealthy, jet-powered, autonomous aircraft that could be outfitted with either short-range weapons or surveillance equipment, is designed to launch out of the Trident missile tubes in some of the U.S. Navy’s gigantic Cold War–era Ohio-class submarines.... This is no easy task. The tubes are as long as a semi trailer but about seven feet wide—not exactly airplane-shaped. The Cormorant has to be strong enough to withstand the pressure 150 feet underwater—enough to cave in hatches on a normal aircraft—but light enough to fly. Another challenge: Subs survive by stealth, and an airplane flying back to the boat could give its position away. The Skunk Works’s answer is a four-ton airplane with gull wings that hinge around its body to fit inside the missile tube. The craft is made of titanium to resist corrosion, and any empty spaces are filled with plastic foam to resist crushing. The rest of the body is pressurized with inert gas. Inflatable seals keep the weapon-bay doors, engine inlet and exhaust covers watertight. The Cormorant does not shoot out of its tube like a missile. Instead an arm-like docking “saddle†guides the craft out, sending it floating to the surface while the sub slips away. As the drone pops out of the water, the rocket boosters fire and the Cormorant takes off. After completing its mission, the plane flies to the rendezvous coordinates it receives from the sub and lands in the sea. The sub then launches a robotic underwater vehicle to fetch the floating drone. Just cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tkdguy Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 Re: Cool concept aircraft Very cool! Repped! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 Re: Cool concept aircraft Frankenstein of the Skies Every geek loves sci-fi flavored pseudodirigibles, from Blade Runner to their occasional appearance in Batman comics. The Digital Hero article "Look! Up In The Sky" has a character sheet for something like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megaplayboy Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 Re: Cool concept aircraft y'know what'd be even cooler? a swimming pool(gyrostabilized?) on top, with a clear plastic window looking outside. or, they could put it on bottom, with a see-through floor;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
austenandrews Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 Re: Cool concept aircraft Wow, a stealth torpedo jet. That's awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cancer Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 Re: Cool concept aircraft We're still waiting for the Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea flying sub, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
austenandrews Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 Re: Cool concept aircraft We're still waiting for the Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea flying sub' date=' though.[/quote'] That reminds me, I've got a cheesy Photoshop piece I tinkered together one morning. I'll post it in Pulp when my home PC is back online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobGreenwade Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 Re: Cool concept aircraft I love it. If there's ever a HSVS2, the aeroscraft should (IMO) be in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 Re: Cool concept aircraft Frankenstein of the Skies Every geek loves sci-fi flavored pseudodirigibles, from Blade Runner to their occasional appearance in Batman comics. For another POV/thread on the Aeroscraft, see http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42115&highlight=Aeroscraft Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 Re: Cool concept aircraft I love it. If there's ever a HSVS2' date=' the aeroscraft should (IMO) be in it.[/quote'] Please excuse what may be a dumb question, but what's "HSVS2"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 Re: Cool concept aircraft Please excuse what may be a dumb question' date=' but what's "HSVS2"?[/quote'] HERO System Vehicle Sourcebook (2) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobGreenwade Posted February 28, 2006 Report Share Posted February 28, 2006 Re: Cool concept aircraft HERO System Vehicle Sourcebook (2)At this time it's a purely theoretical book, as opposed to the existing HSVS (HERO System Vehicle Sourcebook). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted March 1, 2006 Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 Re: Cool concept aircraft HERO System Vehicle Sourcebook (2) At this time it's a purely theoretical book, as opposed to the existing HSVS (HERO System Vehicle Sourcebook). Thank you both! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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