Originally posted by Czarina_Czarina
I guess it always has vertical thurst (take off as an upward climb like most helicopers), not sure if the two pointy ears are for show or not. maybe just regular directional sensors and/or balance.
No, not vertical thrust, most likely a Ram or Scramjet engine that propels the lifting body to hypersonic speeds.
Edit: Pulse-detonation engines are another possible. I forgot about those.
Originally posted by AngryManatee
No, not vertical thrust, most likely a Ram or Scramjet engine that propels the lifting body to hypersonic speeds.Edit: Pulse-detonation engines are another possible. I forgot about those.
Not familar with ram, scramjet, or pulse-detonation engines...so these engines don't cause a vertical thurst upward, I can't see the back of this plane, so not sure how it takes off...
Originally posted by Czarina_Czarina
Not familar with ram, scramjet, or pulse-detonation engines...so these engines don't cause a vertical thurst upward, I can't see the back of this plane, so not sure how it takes off...
The engines are most likely situated under the body, where the airflow is easily diverted into the engine intakes for whatever kind of engine it is. A VTOL aircraft that is hypersonic would be a really difficult platform because the requirements for an aircraft that can take off vertically often inhibits aerodynamics (based on current methods of aircraft design).
edit: it may also use its own sonic boom to generate lift like the old XB-70, just noticed this. Still depends on what the underside looks like though, which I'm only guessing at based on the topside.