Bell X-16

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The Bell X-16 was an aircraft designed as a high altitude reconnaissance jet aircraft in the United States in the 1950s. A mockup of the X-16 was built, but the project was cancelled in favor of Martin RB-57 before any X-16 aircraft were completed. The designation of X-16 was a cover to try to hide the true nature of the craft from the Soviets during the Cold War.

Contents

1 Development
2 Operational history

2.1 Aircraft serial number

3 Specifications (X-16, as designed)

3.1 General characteristics
3.2 Performance

4 Related content

Development

During the second half of 1953, Fairchild, Bell, and Martin Aircraft conducted high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft design studies for the U.S. Air Force. All three designs used Pratt & Whitney J57-P19 engines. The Bell (X-16) and Martin (B-57D) designs were chosen for further development. The Bell design was designated the X-16. The X-16 project was cancelled by the Air Force in favor of Martin RB-57 in 1956. A full-scale X-16 mockup was completed and one aircraft was partially completed. It was designed as a high-altitude long-range reconnaissance aircraft. A total of 28 aircraft were ordered, but none were completed. The first X-16 was about 80-percent complete when the program was cancelled in 1956.

The X-16 design was breaking new ground with its design. Its wing was extremely long with a high-aspect ratio. It was significantly lighter and more flexible than any in existence at that time. The entire aircraft was made as light as possible to fulfill its mission of a 3,000-mile unrefueled range at a 70,000 foot altitude.

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 J57 jet engine that would later power the U-2 and other aircraft...

Operational history

None completed. Program cancelled in 1956

Aircraft serial number

28 ordered, none completed.

Specifications (X-16, as designed)

General characteristics

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 ft² (102.19 m²)
Empty: 23,280 lb (10,582 kg)
Loaded: 36,124 lb (16,420 kg)
Maximum takeoff: lb ( kg)
Powerplant: 2 x Pratt & Whitney J57-PW-37A turbojet, 4,520 lbf (20.11 kN) thrust ea

Performance

Maximum speed: 553 mph (885 km/h)
Range: 3,319 miles (5,310 km)
Service ceiling: 71,832 ft (21,900 m)
Rate of climb: ft/min ( m/min)
Wing loading: 33 lb/ft² (160 kg/m²)
Thrust-to-Weight: 1:0.55

American X-planes
Bell X-1 Bell X-2 Starbuster Douglas X-3 Stiletto Northrop X-4 Bantam Bell X-5 Convair X-6 Lockheed X-7 Aerojet General X-8 Bell X-9 Shrike North American X-10	Convair X-11 Convair X-12 Ryan X-13 Vertijet Bell X-14 North American X-15 Bell X-16 Lockheed X-17 Hiller X-18 Curtiss-Wright X-19 Boeing X-20 Dyna-Soar	Northrop X-21 Bell X-22 Martin-Marietta X-23 Martin-Marietta X-24 Bensen X-25 Schweizer X-26 Frigate Lockheed X-27 Lancer Pereira X-28 Sea Skimmer Grumman X-29 Rockwell X-30	Rockwell-MBB X-31 Boeing X-32 Lockheed Martin X-33 Orbital Sciences X-34 Lockheed Martin X-35 McDonnell Douglas X-36 Boeing X-37 NASA X-38 AFRL X-39 Boeing X-40	USAF X-41 Common Aero Vehicle USAF X-42 Pop-Up Upper Stage Boeing X-43 Lockheed Martin X-44 MANTA Boeing X-45 Boeing X-46 Northrop Grumman X-47 Pegasus Boeing X-48 Sikorsky Piasecki X-49 Boeing X-50 Dragonfly Boeing X-51