Northrop M2-F3
Encyclopedia
The Northrop
M2-F3 was a heavyweight lifting body
rebuilt from the Northrop M2-F2
after it crashed at the Dryden Flight Research Center
in 1967. It was modified with an additional third vertical fin - centered between the tip fins - to improve control characteristics. The "M" refers to "manned" and "F" refers to "flight" version.
and M2-F2
lifting body
reentry configurations had validated the concept of piloted lifting body reentry from space. When the M2-F2 crashed on May 10, 1967, valuable information had already been obtained and was contributing to new designs.
NASA
pilots said the M2-F2 had lateral control problems, so when the M2-F2 was rebuilt at Northrop and redesignated the M2-F3, it was modified with an additional third vertical fin - centered between the tip fins - to improve control characteristics.
After a three-year-long redesign and rebuilding effort, the M2-F3 was ready to fly. The May 1967 crash of the M2-F2 had torn off the left fin and landing gear. It had also damaged the external skin and internal structure. Flight Research Center
engineers worked with Ames Research Center and the Air Force in redesigning the vehicle with a center fin to provide greater stability. At first, it seemed that the vehicle had been irreparably damaged, but the original manufacturer, Northrop, did the repair work and returned the redesigned M2-F3 with a center fin for stability to the FRC.
While the M2-F3 was still demanding to fly, the center fin eliminated the high risk of pilot induced oscillation (PIO) that was characteristic of the M2-F2.
at the controls, was June 2, 1970. The modified vehicle exhibited much better lateral stability and control characteristics than before, and only three glide flights were necessary before the first powered flight on November 25, 1970. The 100th flight of the heavy-weight lifting bodies was completed on October 5, 1972, with pilot Bill Dana soaring to an altitude of 66,300 feet (20,200 m) and a Mach number of 1.370 (about 904 miles per hour) in the M2-F3. Over its 27 missions, the M2-F3 reached a top speed of 1,064 mph (Mach 1.6). Highest altitude reached by the vehicle was 71,500 feet (20,790 m) on December 20, 1972, the date of its last flight, with NASA pilot John Manke at the controls.
A reaction control thruster (RCT) system, similar to that on orbiting spacecraft, was also installed to obtain research data about their effectiveness for vehicle control. As the M2-F3's portion of the lifting body program neared an end, it evaluated a rate command augmentation control system, and a side-arm control stick similar to side-arm controllers now used on many modern aircraft.
NASA donated the M2-F3 vehicle to the Smithsonian Institution
in December 1973. It is currently hanging in the National Air and Space Museum
along with the X-15 aircraft number 1, which was its hangar partner at Dryden from 1965 to 1969.
Northrop Corporation
Northrop Corporation was a leading United States aircraft manufacturer from its formation in 1939 until its merger with Grumman to form Northrop Grumman in 1994. The company is known for its development of the flying wing design, although only a few of these have entered service.-History:Jack...
M2-F3 was a heavyweight lifting body
Lifting body
A lifting body is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration in which the body itself produces lift. In contrast to a flying wing, which is a wing with minimal or no conventional fuselage, a lifting body can be thought of as a fuselage with little or no conventional wing...
rebuilt from the Northrop M2-F2
Northrop M2-F2
|-See also:-External links:***** of Peterson's crash...
after it crashed at the Dryden Flight Research Center
Dryden Flight Research Center
The Dryden Flight Research Center , located inside Edwards Air Force Base, is an aeronautical research center operated by NASA. On March 26, 1976 it was named in honor of the late Hugh L. Dryden, a prominent aeronautical engineer who at the time of his death in 1965 was NASA's deputy administrator...
in 1967. It was modified with an additional third vertical fin - centered between the tip fins - to improve control characteristics. The "M" refers to "manned" and "F" refers to "flight" version.
Development
Early flight testing of the M2-F1NASA M2-F1
The NASA M2-F1 was a lightweight, unpowered prototype aircraft, developed to flight test the wingless lifting body concept. It looked like a "flying bathtub," and was designated the M2-F1, the "M" referring to "manned" and "F" referring to "flight" version. In 1962, NASA Dryden management approved...
and M2-F2
Northrop M2-F2
|-See also:-External links:***** of Peterson's crash...
lifting body
Lifting body
A lifting body is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration in which the body itself produces lift. In contrast to a flying wing, which is a wing with minimal or no conventional fuselage, a lifting body can be thought of as a fuselage with little or no conventional wing...
reentry configurations had validated the concept of piloted lifting body reentry from space. When the M2-F2 crashed on May 10, 1967, valuable information had already been obtained and was contributing to new designs.
NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
pilots said the M2-F2 had lateral control problems, so when the M2-F2 was rebuilt at Northrop and redesignated the M2-F3, it was modified with an additional third vertical fin - centered between the tip fins - to improve control characteristics.
After a three-year-long redesign and rebuilding effort, the M2-F3 was ready to fly. The May 1967 crash of the M2-F2 had torn off the left fin and landing gear. It had also damaged the external skin and internal structure. Flight Research Center
Dryden Flight Research Center
The Dryden Flight Research Center , located inside Edwards Air Force Base, is an aeronautical research center operated by NASA. On March 26, 1976 it was named in honor of the late Hugh L. Dryden, a prominent aeronautical engineer who at the time of his death in 1965 was NASA's deputy administrator...
engineers worked with Ames Research Center and the Air Force in redesigning the vehicle with a center fin to provide greater stability. At first, it seemed that the vehicle had been irreparably damaged, but the original manufacturer, Northrop, did the repair work and returned the redesigned M2-F3 with a center fin for stability to the FRC.
While the M2-F3 was still demanding to fly, the center fin eliminated the high risk of pilot induced oscillation (PIO) that was characteristic of the M2-F2.
Operational history
First flight of the M2-F3, with NASA pilot Bill DanaWilliam H. Dana
-Career:Dana was born in Pasadena, California, November 3, 1930, received his Bachelor of Science degree from the U.S. Military Academy in 1952 and served four years as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force...
at the controls, was June 2, 1970. The modified vehicle exhibited much better lateral stability and control characteristics than before, and only three glide flights were necessary before the first powered flight on November 25, 1970. The 100th flight of the heavy-weight lifting bodies was completed on October 5, 1972, with pilot Bill Dana soaring to an altitude of 66,300 feet (20,200 m) and a Mach number of 1.370 (about 904 miles per hour) in the M2-F3. Over its 27 missions, the M2-F3 reached a top speed of 1,064 mph (Mach 1.6). Highest altitude reached by the vehicle was 71,500 feet (20,790 m) on December 20, 1972, the date of its last flight, with NASA pilot John Manke at the controls.
A reaction control thruster (RCT) system, similar to that on orbiting spacecraft, was also installed to obtain research data about their effectiveness for vehicle control. As the M2-F3's portion of the lifting body program neared an end, it evaluated a rate command augmentation control system, and a side-arm control stick similar to side-arm controllers now used on many modern aircraft.
NASA donated the M2-F3 vehicle to the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
in December 1973. It is currently hanging in the National Air and Space Museum
National Air and Space Museum
The National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution holds the largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft in the world. It was established in 1976. Located in Washington, D.C., United States, it is a center for research into the history and science of aviation and...
along with the X-15 aircraft number 1, which was its hangar partner at Dryden from 1965 to 1969.
- M2-F3 pilots
- William H. DanaWilliam H. Dana-Career:Dana was born in Pasadena, California, November 3, 1930, received his Bachelor of Science degree from the U.S. Military Academy in 1952 and served four years as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force...
- 19 flights - John A. Manke - 4 flights
- Cecil W. Powell - 3 flights
- Jerauld R. GentryJerauld R. GentryJerauld Richard "Jerry" Gentry was a United States Air Force test pilot and Vietnam combat veteran. As chief USAF pilot of the Lifting Body Research Program, he helped validate the concept of flying a wingless vehicle back to Earth from space and landing it like an aircraft—an approach used...
- 1 flight
- William H. Dana
- Most of text taken from NASA Dryden webpage.
M2-F3 flights
| Vehicle Flight # |
Date | Pilot | Mach | Velocity (km/h) |
Altitude (ft) |
Duration | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M2-F3 #1 | June 2, 1970 | Dana | 0.688 | 755 | 45,000 | 00:03:38 | First M2-F3 Flight Unpowered glide |
| M2-F3 #2 | July 21, 1970 | Dana | 0.660 | 708 | 45,000 | 00:03:48 | Unpowered glide |
| M2-F3 #3 | November 2, 1970 | Dana | 0.630 | 690 | 45,000 | 00:03:56 | Unpowered glide |
| M2-F3 #4 | November 25, 1970 | Dana | 0.809 | 859 | 51,900 | 00:06:17 | 1st powered flight |
| M2-F3 #5 | February 9, 1971 | Gentry | 0.707 | 755 | 45,000 | 00:04:01 | - |
| M2-F3 #6 | February 26, 1971 | Dana | 0.773 | 821 | 45,000 | 00:05:48 | Only 2 chambers lit |
| M2-F3 #7 | July 23, 1971 | Dana | 0.930 | 988 | 60,500 | 00:05:53 | - |
| M2-F3 #8 | August 9, 1971 | Dana | 0.974 | 1,035 | 62,000 | 00:06:55 | - |
| M2-F3 #9 | August 25, 1971 | Dana | 1.095 | 1,164 | 67,300 | 00:06:30 | 1st supersonic flight |
| M2-F3 #10 | September 24, 1971 | Dana | 0.728 | 772 | 42,000 | 00:03:30 | Engine fire |
| M2-F3 #11 | November 15, 1971 | Dana | 0.739 | 784 | 45,000 | 00:03:35 | - |
| M2-F3 #12 | December 1, 1971 | Dana | 1.274 | 1,357 | 70,800 | 00:06:31 | - |
| M2-F3 #13 | December 16, 1971 | Dana | 0.811 | 861 | 46,800 | 00:07:31 | Only 2 chambers lit |
| M2-F3 #14 | July 25, 1972 | Dana | 0.989 | 1,049 | 60,900 | 00:07:00 | - |
| M2-F3 #15 | August 11, 1972 | Gentry | 1.101 | 1,168 | 67,200 | 00:06:15 | - |
| M2-F3 #16 | August 24, 1972 | Dana | 1.266 | 1,344 | 66,700 | 00:06:16 | - |
| M2-F3 #17 | September 12, 1972 | Dana | 0.880 | 935 | 46,000 | 00:06:27 | Small engine fire |
| M2-F3 #18 | September 27, 1972 | Dana | 1.340 | 1,424 | 66,700 | 00:06:07 | - |
| M2-F3 #19 | October 5, 1972 | Dana | 1.370 | 1,455 | 66,300 | 00:06:16 | 100th lifting body flight |
| M2-F3 #20 | October 19, 1972 | Manke | 0.905 | 961 | 47,100 | 00:05:59 | - |
| M2-F3 #21 | November 1, 1972 | Manke | 1.213 | 1,292 | 71,300 | 00:06:18 | - |
| M2-F3 #22 | November 9, 1972 | Powell | 0.906 | 961 | 46,800 | 00:06:04 | - |
| M2-F3 #23 | November 21, 1972 | Manke | 1.435 | 1,524 | 66,700 | 00:06:17 | Planned Rosamond Lakebed landing |
| M2-F3 #24 | November 29, 1972 | Powell | 1.348 | 1,432 | 67,500 | 00:05:57 | - |
| M2-F3 #25 | December 6, 1972 | Powell | 1.191 | 1,265 | 68,300 | 00:05:32 | Planned Rosamond Lakebed landing |
| M2-F3 #26 | December 13, 1972 | Dana | 1.613 | 1,712 | 66,700 | 00:06:23 | Fastest flight |
| M2-F3 #27 | December 20, 1972 | Manke | 1.294 | 1,378 | 71,500 | 00:06:30 | Highest flight Last M2-F3 flight |
Specifications (M2-F3)
See also
Comparable aircraft:- X-24 -
- M2-F1NASA M2-F1The NASA M2-F1 was a lightweight, unpowered prototype aircraft, developed to flight test the wingless lifting body concept. It looked like a "flying bathtub," and was designated the M2-F1, the "M" referring to "manned" and "F" referring to "flight" version. In 1962, NASA Dryden management approved...
- - M2-F2Northrop M2-F2|-See also:-External links:***** of Peterson's crash...
- - HL-10Northrop HL-10The Northrop HL-10 was one of five heavyweight lifting body designs flown at NASA's Flight Research Center , Edwards, California, from July 1966 to November 1975 to study and validate the concept of safely maneuvering and landing a low lift-over-drag vehicle designed for reentry from space...