Clark Griswold

Concept Spaceplane https://bristolspaceplanes.com/projects/ascender/

Yup Article on the 'bat: https://www.airspacemag.com/history-of-flight/too-hot-to-handle-mcdonnell-xp-67-moonbat-67265978/

https://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/06/09/subway-employee-loses-it-during-a-store-robbery-it-doesnt-end-well-for-the-robber/

Yup - definitely inspired by the Moonbat Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Advanced turboprop

That level of clueless is stunning but it really matters as he has a soap box from which to make mischief Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The illegitimate love child of a Hornet and Freedom Fighter Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Lease with an option to purchase. 30 years of easy installment loans / favors... Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery or Form follows function... ultimately the physics / properties of the RAM will drive similar designs... They had another set of designs just a tad inspired by the F-35 but as they are buying that, I guess they wanted one more geared towards A2A than multi role strike...

Turkish stealth fighter concept... https://www.janes.com/article/67322/turkey-and-uk-agree-to-develop-new-fighter-aircraft

Oh c'mon... TOLD and the Form F would be simple... not...

The view from the other side, uniformed arguments against a LAAR: https://www.forbes.com/sites/lorenthompson/2017/03/06/air-force-light-fighter-concept-seems-a-bit-light-on-logic/2/#2ccc4a4d478b Posted only to show the if the AF is serious about this, making persuasive arguments that inform and dispel ideas like a LAAR is completely helpless against MANPADs / AAA and that it makes a whole lotta sense for fights in semi-governed shitholes, is going to be necessary.

F-16ski https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoyan_MiG-33

Ditto on both points. When I saw it, I had to do super thorough research and Google it one more time to see if it was for reals. What struck me was the width of the contraption, 111' center of fuselage to center of fuselage, probably 140' from one outer truck to the other. Doubt it could even turn on the ground when loaded with the STS, whole kit or just the orbiter, but they probably imagined it being loaded on whatever runway the shuttle landed then flying either direct as it probably would hold shit load of gas, probably could be AR'd to keep heading back direct to Florida with no fuel stops. Lots of possibilities but lots of stuff to go wrong, KISS is usually the best COA.

Twin C=5 fuselage Space Shuttle carrier https://hushkit.net/2016/05/06/the-twin-fuselage-c-5-shuttle-transport/

Yup - there was an EasyJet (LCC in Europe) who proposed an advanced design a few years ago and wanted to shave a lot of weight off the design and coupled with open rotor engines https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2007/jun/14/theairlineindustry.business BWB is cool but I think the Hybrid wing-body design from NASA for their Cruise Efficient STOL airliner is more feasible, IMO. https://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2013-06/future-flight-new-designs-will-end-congestion

They're working on some new planes: https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/analysis-airline-support-gathers-around-boeing-mom-434961/ and there's the Frigate EcoJet is a pretty big change in the paradigm. https://www.cnn.com/2016/02/09/aviation/frigate-ecojet-russia-aviation/

F-35 - YF-23 mash up:

Just seems like extending your jaw for a left hook of a contract award protest if Textron is awarded a contract. It's ready made for a company to protest and launch a media campaign against. With our infotainment oriented journalism these days how long before Textron is under the microscope / segment on name your cable commentary show with "Grinds my Gears" diatribe? An opportunistic Congressman who just happens to be from FL could royally f up a legitimate but outwardly suspicious acquisition decision and we end up with no toys and rotten egg (again) on our face.

Possibly (screwed themselves) but the sins of the mother don't follow the son. Scorpion is still the best of the lot. We're buying the jet not the company - even if Skeletor worked there, it would still be the right aircraft. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

4 engines are still cool - like this one: https://m.aviationweek.com/blog/a380-meets-tu-95-regional-widebody Surprised theres been no suggestion of civilian airliner using the A400's Europrops Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just meant the F-35XL Put the AC GE motor in an F-35XL, probably 1000 NM combat radius if the new wing could hold 20% + fuel Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

2 Developing that technology would be ideal but as you said, it may be better to just upgrade to the new hotness rather than wind up with a motley fleet and the cost / logistics of maintaining two engine types. If GE's numbers are realistic for AC engine then it would be worth at least testing IRL on a F-35 test aircraft. 35% increase in range (from GE site), cut in half to 17.5% for an increase in combat radius and that's another 130+ NM for the A model in an air to air config (760 NM to 893 NM just using LM's public numbers) - serious improvement. American needs to get back into the X-plane business and/or at least pushing the envelope again in aircraft performance with existing designs, this would be a good project to develop a 5th gen with extreme combat radius capability if only for investigation/demonstration.

Because... airplanes. Saw this concept... ...and wondered with the advantages of V-tails for speed/drag, why not in airliners (yet)?

Textron hires the former SECAF https://www.defensenews.com/articles/textron-appoints-former-secretary-of-the-air-force-to-board-of-directors Helps or hinders getting a Scorpion or AT-6B? Ready made conflict of interest problem if selected?