Bellatrix, the left shoulder, is a carrier-based STOL tiltrotor tanker. Its intended mission is to assist fighter aircraft making ferry flights across oceans by providing them with midair refueling at their halfway mark. It is equipped with a retractable wingtip hose-and-drogue refueling system, and variable-tilt turboprops for short landings and advanced maneuvers.
Controlling Bellatrix is no easy ordeal.
AG1 unlocks the engine tilt, which allows the engines to tilt with your operation of the trim tab.
AG3 allows you to retract and deploy the drogues with VTOL slider.
AG7 allows you to fold up the wings with VTOL slider.
AG6 deploys your deceleration parachute.
Before taking off, first retract the drogues (AG3 and VTOL up), then deactivate AG3 and reset your flaps (flaps are controlled with VTOL slider). Very short takeoffs can be done with the assist of the AG1 trim tilt. Vertical takeoffs are possible, but are inadvisable due to being dangerous. With VTOL neutral (flaps retracted), tapping AG3 twice will deploy the drogues. Make sure they are retracted before attempting landing.
With full flaps, neutral rotors, and full elevator, level flight can be maintained down to 22% throttle. With careful control over tilt, throttle, and flaps, even slower approaches are possible. Try landing on the Beast, it's doable, but quite a challenge.
Specifications
General Characteristics
- Created On Windows
- Wingspan 77.9ft (23.7m)
- Length 66.0ft (20.1m)
- Height 18.0ft (5.5m)
- Empty Weight 12,004lbs (5,445kg)
- Loaded Weight 30,196lbs (13,696kg)
Performance
- Horse Power/Weight Ratio 0.182
- Wing Loading 46.4lbs/ft2 (226.7kg/m2)
- Wing Area 650.3ft2 (60.4m2)
- Drag Points 7323
Parts
- Number of Parts 81
- Control Surfaces 7
- Performance Cost 734
@Destroyer560 Pretty good procedure. Must add that checklist to the pilot's manual.
STOL (short take-off or landing) take-off solution for those who can't work it out themselves - activate AG3, VTOL up, de-activate AG3, reset VTOL, activate AG1, full throttle, move trim down according to speed of aircraft and distance of runway, keep trim at 3/4 down until aircraft is up to speed, then move up so that it is level
@MediciAviation243 I see. Welcome back.
@Sunnyskies I am back to SP now!
@Sunnyskies np
@MAHADI Yep.Thanks!
really cool, and have you seen my new posts?
@SHCow Yeah, it does look like a tough design. Getting it to blend smoothly into the fuselage looks like a chore.
@SHCow The Berkut?
@SHCow A Tupolev bomber? My favorite is the Tu-95. The mighty BEAR! The Tu-160 is cool as well, but I like it less for being such a knockoff of our B-1 Lancer.
@Treadmill103 Thanks for the input!
@SHCow Yeah. The documented top speed of many supersonic aircraft is shy of its true top speed. It's not a matter of thrust, but structural integrity. Turbojets are able to deliver the required thrust, but simply can't handle the heat generated of mach 3 air friction for very long. If you look up the history behind the development of the SR-71's engines, you'll learn all about it.
@SHCow Remember top speeds are always measured at high altitude. Also, while it is capable of breaking mach 3, doing so tended to break the engines as well, so its functional top speed is reduced to mach 2.8 or so, with anything higher being reserved to emergencies, and requiring special permission.
@SHCow Ah, the Foxhound. One of the few aircraft in service today that can outpace an Eagle. Had exceptional radar and weapons reach, but was terribly poor in a knife-fight.
@SHCow Saturday night would strike me as a time most people would be out doing things instead of making planes.
@SHCow A lot. A whole lot.
@SHCow Never seen a prop tanker? Look up the KC-130.
@SHCow Throw this around for while for sure. I had a bit of fun with it during test flights. It behaves pretty interestingly.