About This File
When the concept demonstrator phase of the Joint Strike Fighter competition was announced in 1996, Boeing was awarded a contract to construct and flight test two X-32 demonstrators of its fighter design. Boeing adopted a rather compact layout featuring a trapezoidal wing of high surface area mounted high on a rather portly fuselage. The X-32 was powered by a single advanced turbofan engine fed by one large intake under the cockpit. A unique aspect of Boeing's original inlet design was its ability to move forward and downward to open an auxiliary intake slot bringing in more air for flight at very low speeds.
As with the competing Lockheed Martin X-35, Boeing designed three variants of the X-32 for evaluation. The conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) X-32A was developed for the US Air Force, the short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) X-32B for the US Marine Corps and UK Royal Navy, and the carrier-based X-32C for the US Navy. However, only two flying examples were actually built.
The first to fly, the X-32A, was used to demonstrate overall flight characteristics, systems, and control software. This model was also used to evaluate the low-speed handling and carrier-approach qualities of the X-32C naval variant. The second example, the X-32B, was equipped with a direct lift system for STOVL operations and was used primarily to evaluate vertical flight and hover characteristics.
This is a good sample of what can be done with Plane-Maker only. Enjoy!
Fabrice Kauffmann
UPDATE
2010.11.04 - Version 1.0.1 - Miscellaneous bodies added
