lime wyvern
The Bell X-16 was a high altitude aerial reconnaissance jet aircraft designed in the United States in the 1950s. The designation of X-16 was a cover to try to hide the true nature of the aircraft mission from the Soviet Union during the Cold War. A total of 28 aircraft were ordered, but none were completed. A full-scale mock-up was completed and one aircraft was partially completed. The first X-16 was about 80 percent complete when the program was cancelled by the Air Force in favor of the Martin RB-57 in 1956. Although no X-16 was ever completed, it made contributions to aircraft design with its lightweight design. It was also a driving force behind the development of the high-altitude versions of the J57 that would later power the Lockheed U-2 and other aircraft.
GENERAL STATS
- Crew: one, pilot
- Length: 60 ft 10 in (18.55 m)
- Wingspan: 114 ft 10 in (35 m)
- Height: 17 ft 1 in (5.2 m)
- Wing area: 1,099 sq ft (102.19 m2)
- Empty weight: 23,280 lb (10,582 kg)
- Gross weight: 36,124 lb (16,420 kg)
- Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney J57-PW-37A turbojets, 10,000 lbf (44 kN) thrust each
General Performance
- Maximum speed: 480 kn (553 mph, 885 km/h)
- Range: 2,867 nmi (3,319 mi, 5,310 km)
- Service ceiling: 71,832 ft (21,900 m)
- Wing loading: 33 lb/sq ft (160 kg/m2)
- Thrust/weight: 0.55
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