Grumman X-29

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Grumman X-29
A Grumman X-29 in flight
Type	Experimental Fighter
Manufacturer	Grumman
Maiden flight	1984
Primary user	DARPA
Number built	2

The Grumman X-29 is a 1984 concept aircraft by Northrop Grumman. It explored a number of new technologies, the most immediately obvious being the forward-swept wings and canard control surface. The inherent aerodynamic instability of this arrangement required the use of computerized fly-by-wire control, and advanced composite materials were needed to make the wing sufficiently rigid without being unacceptably heavy.

Contents 1 Development 2 Specifications (X-29) 3 References 4 External links 5 Media 6 Related content

[edit] Development

Two X-29As were built by Grumman Aerospace Corporation, the first flight taking place in 1984. The aircraft were adapted from existing Northrop F-5A Freedom Fighter airframes^{[citation needed]} (after the proposal had been chosen over a competing one involving a General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon); the modified design was known internally as the G-712. The test program of the two planes continued for over a decade, and on December 13, 1985 one of them became the first forward swept wing aircraft to fly supersonically in level flight. The earlier Junkers Ju 287 had been the first jet aircraft with forward-swept wings.

The X-29A demonstrated excellent control and maneuvering qualities at an angle of attack up to 45 degrees. There was also a decrease in turbulence.

The wing configuration made the craft inherently unstable. It could fly only with the constant corrections (up to 40 per second) provided by the computerized flight control system. The system was made up of three redundant digital computers backed up by three redundant analog computers. It was estimated that a total failure of the system was as unlikely as a mechanical failure in a normal airplane.

The first craft built is now on display in the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio. The other craft is on display at the Dryden Flight Research Center on Edwards Air Force Base.

[edit] Specifications (X-29)

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Payload: 4,000 lb (814 kg)
• Length: 48 ft 1 in (14.7 m)
• Wingspan: 27 ft 2 in (8.8 m)
• Height: 14 ft 3 in (4.3 m)
• Wing area: 188ft² (57m²)
• Empty weight: 13,800 lb (6,259kg)
• Loaded weight: 17,800 lb (kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 17,800 lb (7,700 kg)
• Powerplant: 1× General Electric F404 turbofans, 16,000 lbf (7,256 kg)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 1,200 mph (Mach 1.6) (1,820 km/h)
• Cruise speed: Unknown
• Range: unknown (unknown)
• Service ceiling: 55,000 ft (16.8 km)
• Rate of climb: ft/s (m/s)
• Wing loading: lb/ft² (kg/m²)

[edit] References

American X-Vehicles (.pdf)

Portions of this article are based on public domain text from NASA.

[edit] External links

• NASA's X-29 website
• NASA's X-29 factsheet
• Grumman X-29 at fighter-planes.com

[edit] Media

[edit] Related content

Related development

• Northrop F-5

Comparable aircraft

• Ju 287
• Su-47

Designation sequence

X-26 - X-27 - X-28 - X-29 - X-30 - X-31 - X-32

 

See also

List of experimental aircraft