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Northrop N-102 Fang

January 06, 2023

The Northrop N-102 Fang was a fighter aircraft design created by Northrop Corporation and proposed to the United States Air Force in 1953.

N-102 Fang
Patent images of the N-102 design
Role Light fighter
National origin United States
Manufacturer Northrop Corporation
Status Project only

Design and development

In the early 1950s, concerns grew in the United States about the growing weight, complexity and cost of modern fighter aircraft, and in late 1952, Northrop started a design study for a simple, lightweight, supersonic fighter aircraft, the N-102 Fang, with the design team headed by Welko E. Gasich, Northrop's Chief of Advanced Design.[1][2][3] On 12 December that year, the United States Air Force (USAF) issued a requirement for a lightweight air superiority aircraft to replace the F-100 supersonic fighter. The new aircraft was expected to enter service in 1957 and was required to have a speed of at least Mach 1.3 at 35,000 ft (11,000 m) and a combat radius of 400 mi (650 km). Northrop proposed the N-102 to meet the requirement, while other competitors were from Lockheed (the CL-246), North American Aviation (the NA-212) and Republic Aviation (the AP-55).[4]

The N-102 had a shoulder-mounted delta wing and a small all-moving tailplane mounted behind the wing. It would be powered by a single turbojet mounted in the lower aft fuselage which was supplied by air from a variable-geometry ventral air inlet. This promised smoother, more efficient airflow to the engine at the risk of being more vulnerable to ingestion of foreign objects and damage to the engine.[5][6] A number of different engines were proposed, including the Pratt & Whitney J57, the Wright J65 (a license-produced derivative of the British Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire), the Wright J67 (a license-built Bristol Olympus or the General Electric J79, with all of the engines giving an estimated speed of at least Mach 2.[7]

In early 1953, the USAF selected Lockheed's CL-246, which became the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, but Northrop at first continued work on the N-102 with the hope of gaining export orders, building a mock-up of the aircraft in USAF colors.[8] However, the use of a single, large engine meant that the aircraft could not be as light or cheap as Northrop wanted, and Northrop stopped work on the N-102 during 1954.[5][2][9] Northrop continued work on lightweight fighters, basing its further studies on the use of two small General Electric J85 engines, which allowed a much lighter and cheaper aircraft,[5] with Northrop's design team believing that twin engines would increase the reliability and safety margin.[10] The J85-powered design studies eventually formed the basis of the F-5 fighter family.[11][12][13]

The design was the subject of a 1957 design patent.[14]

Specifications (J79 engine - performance estimated)

Data from Northrop N-102 "Fang"[7]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Length: 42 ft 7 in (12.97 m)
  • Wingspan: 30 ft 8 in (9.34 m)
  • Wing area: 270.0 sq ft (25.08 m2)
  • Gross weight: 18,735 lb (8,498 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × General Electric J79-GE-1 , 9,300 lbf (41 kN) thrust dry, 14,400 lbf (64 kN) with afterburner

Performance

  • Maximum speed: Mach 2
  • Combat range: 390 mi (630 km, 340 nmi)
  • Ferry range: 2,029 mi (3,266 km, 1,763 nmi)
  • Service ceiling: 59,000 ft (18,000 m)
  • Rate of climb: 44,500 ft/min (226 m/s)

Armament

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

References

  Media related to N-102 Fang at Wikimedia Commons

  1. ^ Scutts 1986, pp. 6–7.
  2. ^ a b Lake & Hewson 1996, p. 48.
  3. ^ Pelletier 2012, pp. 71–72.
  4. ^ Pelletier 2012, p. 72.
  5. ^ a b c Scutts 1986, p. 7.
  6. ^ Pelletier 2012, pp. 72–73.
  7. ^ a b Pelletier 2012, p. 73.
  8. ^ Pelletier 2012, pp. 73–74.
  9. ^ Pelletier 2012, p. 74.
  10. ^ General Electric Company (1979). Seven decades of progress: a heritage of aircraft turbine technology. Fallbrook, CA: Aero Publishers. p. 108. ISBN 0-8168-8355-6.
  11. ^ Lake & Hewson 1996, pp. 48–49.
  12. ^ Scutts 1986, pp. 7–8.
  13. ^ Lorell, Mark A.; Levaux, Hugh P. (1998). The cutting edge: a half century of fighter aircraft R&D. RAND Corporation. p. 114. ISBN 0-8330-2595-3.
  14. ^ US design 180297, "Aircraft", published 1957-05-14, assigned to Northrop Aircraft Inc. 
  • Lake, Jon; Hewson, Richard (Summer 1996). "Northrop F-5". World Air Power Journal. Vol. 25. London: Aerospace Publishing. pp. 46–109. ISBN 1-874023-79-4. ISSN 0959-7050.
  • Pelletier, Alain (November 2012). "Northrop N-102 "Fang": Le chasseur petite échelle de Northrop". Le Fana de l'Aviation (in French). No. 516. pp. 70–75.
  • Scutts, Jerry (1986). Northrop F-5/F-20. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-1576-7.

January 06, 2023
northrop, fang, fighter, aircraft, design, created, northrop, corporation, proposed, united, states, force, 1953, fangpatent, images, designrole, light, fighternational, origin, united, statesmanufacturer, northrop, corporationstatus, project, only, contents, . The Northrop N 102 Fang was a fighter aircraft design created by Northrop Corporation and proposed to the United States Air Force in 1953 N 102 FangPatent images of the N 102 designRole Light fighterNational origin United StatesManufacturer Northrop CorporationStatus Project only Contents 1 Design and development 2 Specifications J79 engine performance estimated 3 See also 4 ReferencesDesign and development EditIn the early 1950s concerns grew in the United States about the growing weight complexity and cost of modern fighter aircraft and in late 1952 Northrop started a design study for a simple lightweight supersonic fighter aircraft the N 102 Fang with the design team headed by Welko E Gasich Northrop s Chief of Advanced Design 1 2 3 On 12 December that year the United States Air Force USAF issued a requirement for a lightweight air superiority aircraft to replace the F 100 supersonic fighter The new aircraft was expected to enter service in 1957 and was required to have a speed of at least Mach 1 3 at 35 000 ft 11 000 m and a combat radius of 400 mi 650 km Northrop proposed the N 102 to meet the requirement while other competitors were from Lockheed the CL 246 North American Aviation the NA 212 and Republic Aviation the AP 55 4 The N 102 had a shoulder mounted delta wing and a small all moving tailplane mounted behind the wing It would be powered by a single turbojet mounted in the lower aft fuselage which was supplied by air from a variable geometry ventral air inlet This promised smoother more efficient airflow to the engine at the risk of being more vulnerable to ingestion of foreign objects and damage to the engine 5 6 A number of different engines were proposed including the Pratt amp Whitney J57 the Wright J65 a license produced derivative of the British Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire the Wright J67 a license built Bristol Olympus or the General Electric J79 with all of the engines giving an estimated speed of at least Mach 2 7 In early 1953 the USAF selected Lockheed s CL 246 which became the Lockheed F 104 Starfighter but Northrop at first continued work on the N 102 with the hope of gaining export orders building a mock up of the aircraft in USAF colors 8 However the use of a single large engine meant that the aircraft could not be as light or cheap as Northrop wanted and Northrop stopped work on the N 102 during 1954 5 2 9 Northrop continued work on lightweight fighters basing its further studies on the use of two small General Electric J85 engines which allowed a much lighter and cheaper aircraft 5 with Northrop s design team believing that twin engines would increase the reliability and safety margin 10 The J85 powered design studies eventually formed the basis of the F 5 fighter family 11 12 13 The design was the subject of a 1957 design patent 14 Specifications J79 engine performance estimated EditData from Northrop N 102 Fang 7 General characteristicsCrew 1 Length 42 ft 7 in 12 97 m Wingspan 30 ft 8 in 9 34 m Wing area 270 0 sq ft 25 08 m2 Gross weight 18 735 lb 8 498 kg Powerplant 1 General Electric J79 GE 1 9 300 lbf 41 kN thrust dry 14 400 lbf 64 kN with afterburnerPerformance Maximum speed Mach 2 Combat range 390 mi 630 km 340 nmi Ferry range 2 029 mi 3 266 km 1 763 nmi Service ceiling 59 000 ft 18 000 m Rate of climb 44 500 ft min 226 m s Armament Guns 1 20 mm M61 Vulcan 6 barreled rotary cannon or 2 20mm M39 Revolver cannon Missiles 4 AIM 4 Falcon air to air missilesSee also EditRelated development Northrop F 5Aircraft of comparable role configuration and era Lockheed F 104 Starfighter Mikoyan Gurevich MiG 21References Edit Media related to N 102 Fang at Wikimedia Commons Scutts 1986 pp 6 7 a b Lake amp Hewson 1996 p 48 Pelletier 2012 pp 71 72 Pelletier 2012 p 72 a b c Scutts 1986 p 7 Pelletier 2012 pp 72 73 a b Pelletier 2012 p 73 Pelletier 2012 pp 73 74 Pelletier 2012 p 74 General Electric Company 1979 Seven decades of progress a heritage of aircraft turbine technology Fallbrook CA Aero Publishers p 108 ISBN 0 8168 8355 6 Lake amp Hewson 1996 pp 48 49 Scutts 1986 pp 7 8 Lorell Mark A Levaux Hugh P 1998 The cutting edge a half century of fighter aircraft R amp D RAND Corporation p 114 ISBN 0 8330 2595 3 US design 180297 Aircraft published 1957 05 14 assigned to Northrop Aircraft Inc Lake Jon Hewson Richard Summer 1996 Northrop F 5 World Air Power Journal Vol 25 London Aerospace Publishing pp 46 109 ISBN 1 874023 79 4 ISSN 0959 7050 Pelletier Alain November 2012 Northrop N 102 Fang Le chasseur petite echelle de Northrop Le Fana de l Aviation in French No 516 pp 70 75 Scutts Jerry 1986 Northrop F 5 F 20 London Ian Allan ISBN 0 7110 1576 7 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Northrop N 102 Fang amp oldid 1114896436, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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