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Northrop Tacit Blue, head-on, Technology Demonstrator Aircraft, DARPA, USAF, Museum
Code Number:
TARV01P15_08
Title:
Northrop Tacit Blue, head-on, Technology Demonstrator Aircraft, DARPA, USAF, Museum
This one and only Northrop Tacit Blue aircraft made its first flight in February 1982 and by the end of the program in 1985 flew 135 times. It had a digital fly-by-wire flight control system to help stabilize the plane. It had a single flush inlet on the top of the fuselage to provide air to its 2 turbojet engines. The aircraft was placed on display in May 1996.

From the plaque mounted in the cockpit - Tacit Blue (Whale) Pilots, Mr. Richard Thomas, Col. (Select) Don Cornell, Lt. Col. Russ Easter, Lt. Col. Ken Dyson, Major Dan Vanderhorst

Span: 14.7 meters, (48 feet 2 inches)
Height: 3.2 meters, (10 feet 7 inches)
Length: 17 meters, (55 feet 10 inches)
Weight: 30,000 pounds
Engines: 2x Garrett ATF3-6 high-bypass turbofan engines, 5,440 lbf (24 kN) each

Armament: None
Crew: 1x
Cost: Approx. $165 million
Operational Speed: 287 mph/250 knots
Operating Altitude: 25-30,000 feet
Thrust/weight ratio: 0.36
Keywords:
Tacit Blue (Whale), have Blue, Experimental, historical, Research Aircraft, Flying Machine, Pioneers of Aviation, history, Archive
Image by:
Wernher Krutein
Northrop Tacit Blue, head-on, Technology Demonstrator Aircraft, DARPA, USAF, Museum
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Code Number:
TARV01P15_08
Title:
Northrop Tacit Blue, head-on, Technology Demonstrator Aircraft, DARPA, USAF, Museum
This one and only Northrop Tacit Blue aircraft made its first flight in February 1982 and by the end of the program in 1985 flew 135 times. It had a digital fly-by-wire flight control system to help stabilize the plane. It had a single flush inlet on the top of the fuselage to provide air to its 2 turbojet engines. The aircraft was placed on display in May 1996.

From the plaque mounted in the cockpit - Tacit Blue (Whale) Pilots, Mr. Richard Thomas, Col. (Select) Don Cornell, Lt. Col. Russ Easter, Lt. Col. Ken Dyson, Major Dan Vanderhorst

Span: 14.7 meters, (48 feet 2 inches)
Height: 3.2 meters, (10 feet 7 inches)
Length: 17 meters, (55 feet 10 inches)
Weight: 30,000 pounds
Engines: 2x Garrett ATF3-6 high-bypass turbofan engines, 5,440 lbf (24 kN) each

Armament: None
Crew: 1x
Cost: Approx. $165 million
Operational Speed: 287 mph/250 knots
Operating Altitude: 25-30,000 feet
Thrust/weight ratio: 0.36
Keywords:
Tacit Blue (Whale), have Blue, Experimental, historical, Research Aircraft, Flying Machine, Pioneers of Aviation, history, Archive
Image by:
Wernher Krutein
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