johnc Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 http://www.aviationnow.com/avnow/news/channel_awst_story.jsp?id=news/030606p1.xml Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2126 Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 Well John, Is it likely they have come up with a new "TOY".....something that surpasses this beast? Or, are they just trying to make it look as though the project is dead...if you know what I mean....out-of-sight, out-of-mind! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted March 6, 2006 Author Share Posted March 6, 2006 The impression I got from the article was that this recon plane was (is) a stopgap using known technology. My guess (like yours) is that the stopgap is no longer needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 The article references this patent: http://patimg1.uspto.gov/.piw?docid=US004802639&SectionNum=1&IDKey=3444EF75AA66&HomeUrl=http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2%2526Sect2=HITOFF%2526p=1%2526u=/netahtml/search-bool.html%2526r=1%2526f=G%2526l=50%2526co1=AND%2526d=ptxt%2526s1=4,802,639.WKU.%2526OS=PN/4,802,639%2526RS=PN/4,802,639 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katman Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 Interesting, but with a few eyebrow raisers. C-5's have 6 digit tail numbers; first 2 digits being the year they were delivered. There are 2 "special" C-5's in existence, not 3, and they don't have "chipmonk cheeks". They were originally modified to carry an environmentally controlled container the exact size of the Space Shuttle cargo bay- approximately the dimensions stated in the article. The mods were not visible from the outside so that the USSR could not detect the special C-5's from the others. We think the first payload was the KKH11 spy satellite- it would have been the right time period (about 1987). They are in USAF inventory as C-5C's. A modified Lockheed L-1011 has been used to carry a Pegasus missile to altitude for launch into space. Very similar concept- use the plane to do the initial heavy lifting. The droop winged XB-70's were built to explore the concept of "compression lift". No. 1 is at the Air Force Museum at Wright-Patt. I never knew there were parts for another. Cool. Makes me wonder if this is "Aurora". Thanks for the link John. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zhadman Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 @ katman Maybe they are super-duper-secret-squirrel C-5's that were re-fitted at an equally secret-squirrel facility? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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