SUMMARY - GUSTO PROGRAM - AS OF 15 MAY 1959

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00823066
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: February 9, 2017
• Case Number: F-2015-02619
• Publication Date: May 15, 1959

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SUMMARY GUSTO PROGRAM - AS OF 15 MAY 1959
SUMMARY;
Lockheed and Pratt and Whitney, as one team, and
Convair and Marquardt, as the second design team, are proceeding
with aircraft design, wind tunnel model construction and testing,
structural investigations, and other testing through 30 June 1959.
The Convair/Marquardt program will cost in the order of
$4,000,000. Up to that point the Lockheed program equals roughly
$250,000. The principal reasons for this difference are that
Convair/Marquardt began work as of 1 January while Lockheed
began serious design efforts on the selected configuration within
the past month. The J-58 funds needed by Pratt and Whitney for
the Lockheed aircraft design are covered by Navy funding of this
program.
It is too soon to fully judge the Lockheed configuration
since time has not permitted any significant test results; however,
there is no reason to expect serious difficulties because of the
straightforward design approach. This does pose the objection
of a large, heavy aircraft, highly detectable by radar and likely
to produce more serious sonic boom effects than the Convair
design. The Convair testing to date has demonstrated significant
success in reducing the radar return; however, there is still some
doubt as to the acceptability of the level at S-band and uncertainty
that the sophisticated design techniques intended to reduce radar
return at S-band can be utilized fully without compromise of
aircraft aerodynamics and ram jet engine performance. Testing
will continue to establish necessary compromises.
The Convair configuration has been revised to include the
pilot's canopy, landing gear, two turbojet engines for subsonic
flight, and other aerodynamic modifications to ensure a stable
aircraft, meeting predicted aerodynamic characteristics. The
most serious aerodynamic deficiency to date is high drag in the
composite configuration which will necessitate additional thrust.
It is expected that this can be provided through one or another
alternative method. The original estimated gross weight has been
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increased by the above changes; however, there is no sacrifice
in operational altitude nor range. The ram jet engine performance
with the special modifications needed to reduce radar return
is uncertain; however, additional electrical and thermodynamic
tests are continuing.
The camera design is not firmly established because of the
several possible locations which can be utilized. The relative ad-
vantages of these should be established within two weeks. All
other subsystem developments are proceeding satisfactorily.
Convair has now firmly selected a capsule type pilot compartment
which will not require special pressure suit development. Lock-
heed, on the other hand, will require a specially developed full-
pressure suit with cooling provisions for the high temperature
environment.
DESCRIPTION AND PERFORMANCE:
The Convair design is a relatively small vehicle with a
gross weight at present of roughly 40,000 pounds. The aircraft
is staged from a B-58 mother aircraft and flies alone a range of
4,000 miles beginning at 90,000 feet altitude. The aircraft is
powered by two 40-inch diameter Marquardt ram jets. It is
roughly 50 feet in length, 35 feet in wing span. The Lockheed
aircraft is powered by two 3-58 Pratt and Whitney turbo-jets.
has a fuselage just over 100 feet long, and a wing span of slightly
more than 50 feet. Gross weight at take-off is about 92,000
pounds. This aircraft will fly 4,000 miles beginning at about
87,000 feet altitude. Both the Lockheed and Convair aircraft
use JP type fuel exclusively. Unlike the Lockheed design, the
Convair aircraft attempts by configuration and special materials
to minimize the likelihood of detection and tracking by enemy radar.
TEST STATUS:
Radar testing. The Lockheed design makes little, if any,
concession to incorporate features intended to reduce the radar
return. Prior attempts by Lockheed to exploit these features
have been relatively unsuccessful. No large-scale radar test
program will be undertaken by Lockheed on this configuration.
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Convair design, at 70 megacycles, as established by tests of
a 1/8 scale model, has essentially reached the established goal
of a maximum return equivalent to 6 square meters except for
a minimum number of narrow spikes which slightly exceed this
value. Recent design modifications which extend the fuselage
slightly and modify the wing plan are not expected to disclose
serious troubles in this regard. However, radar testing with
the 1/8 scale model will continue through 30 June.
At S-band the radar return has been reduced to the
original goal of 2/10 square meter except for 2 broadside flashes
approximately 20 degrees each where the return rises from
6/10 to 1 square meter. Recent estimates of Soviet barlock radar
capability has caused a revision of the desired return at S-band.
The most difficult goal is now set at 02 square meters but there
is some expectation that this may be too severe. S-band tests
have been conducted on a full-scale model and also will continue
through the end of June. Considerable detailed inventiveness has
been required to reduce the S-band radar return. The engine
air inlet requires radar-absorbent materials on the inlet ramp
and lip. The ram jet plug has been cut off at the nozzle end of
the engine to present a flat pie-plate appearance. This and the
overhanding nozzle lip also require the use of radar-absorbent
materials and it may be necessary to employ extreme high
temperature metal plates radially exposed in the exhaust gas
path. Full-scale radar testing at S-band will continue to establish
the effects of design modifications, which include pilot's canopy,
revised vertical tail, extended fuselage, and finalized inlet
and exhaust nozzle configuration.
AERODYNAMIC TESTING:
No aerodynamic testing has been conducted by Lockheed
although wind tunnel model construction is underway at present.
There is no apparent reason to expect major difficulties in the
Lockheed aerodynamic design. Convair tests. Wind tunnel
tests.have established that the subsonic lift/drag ratio is between
6. 5 and? as against 5. 5 estimated. This indicates that with the
addition of a landing gear and added turbo-jet power the aircraft
would be capable of flight in the subsonic regime. The supersonic
lift/drag ratio was 5. 85 from wind tunnel tests as against 5.9
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estimated. The supersonic aerodynamic center was established
within one-half of I% of the predicted value at Mach 4. However,
the subsonic aerodynamic center location came out to be about
5% forward of its estimated location, which together with a
further aft band estimated CG location resulted in an unstable
configuration at landing. This has required kelocation of the
subsonic turbo-jet engines. revision of wing plan form and other
equipment relocations, which have now resulted in a CG location
forward of the subsonic aerodynamic center, and hence a stable
aircraft for landing. These aerodynamic changes will be checked
in additional wind tunnel tests beginning 25 May and in the
additional radar testing described previously.
Perhaps the most serious deficiency which the wind tunnel
test program has disclosed so far is high drag at subsonic speeds
in the composite configuration, that is, with the aircraft attached
to the B-58 mother. Additional thrust will be required in order
to accelerate to launch speed of Mach 2. This additional thrust
can be obtained from ignition of the ram jets at just above sonic
speeds, or by utilizing the higher thrust 3-79-9 engines, retro-
fitted to B-58A aircraft; or as will be standard on the B-59B
series. The needed extra thrust could also be obtained by two
additional 3-79-5 engine pods, making a total of 6 on the B-58A
mother aircraft. The feasibility of each of these approaches
is being investigated.
AEROr THERMAL- DYNAMICS TESTING:
No serious problems are anticipated in the Lockheed
configuration in this regard due to the straightforward nacelle-type
3-58 installation. Convair engine inlet tests have been only
partially successful to date due to deficiency in the construction
of the model itself. It was possible to establish a ram recovery
of 67% at the inlet throat during Mach 4 cruise conditions. A ram
recovery of 70% was estimated at the ram jet engine inlet station.
Additional tests will begin on 25 May with a rebuilt inlet model
to establish ram recovery and flow distribution at the engine
inlet. The present duct design has been straightened out due to
relocation of the turbo-jet engines and will undoubtedly demon-
strate higher ram recovery than is expected from the tests to be
conducted since these will be based upon the S-shaped original
duct configuration.
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STRUCTURAL TESTING:
Lockheed is proceeding with fabrication and testing of
specimens and minor structural components using titanium. Convair
has conducted and is testing several hundred samples of various
structural fittings and sections. No serious difficulty has been
encountered nor is expected in this area.
PAYLOAD EQUIPMENT BAY:
The Lockheed design will incorporate a camera bay roughly
equivalent to that of the U-2 aircraft. Several alternate payload
locations are under discussion with Convair and final camera con-
figuration remains undecided. Recomnendations based upon
Perkin-Elmer and Convair discussions are expected within two
weeks.
ENGINE TESTS:
The Pratt and Whitney J-58 development program is under-
stood to be firm for the next fiscal year through funds provided
by Navy. Additional funding will be required for advancing the
engine to Mach 3. 2 performance and the development of the
fully rated after-burner required by the Lockheed design.
Marquardt for the Convair aircraft have conducted small-scale
model tests of the ram jet to establish combustion efficiency.
A two-inch diameter model demonstrated satisfactory results;
however, when the model size was increased to 4-inches, the
combustion efficiency was about 2-1/20lo lower than estimated.
This could result in a 10-15% loss in range. The 4-inch diameter
burner test results are under suspicion due to posiaible instrument
inaccuracies. These tests have been conducted at the Fluidyne
facility in Minneapolis. A new series of 4-inch burner tests
is to begin 15 May at the AEDC test facility, Tullahoma. Tenn.
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E. P. KIEFER
SA/TA/DPD