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Convair-Fort Worth
November 5-6, I960
Convair-FW in
Three Major
Defense Roles
NUCLEAR PLANE—This is one of several versions of nation's
first atomic-powered aircraft being designed for the Air Force
by Convair-Fort Worth. This version would be powered by
direct-air-cycle nuclear engines in tail of fuselage, plus two
conventional jet engines slung beneath wing.
ANOTHER VERSION—Another possibility for nuclear plane
is basically same as design above, except that it is changed to
accommodate indirect-cycle nuclear engines mounted in tail.
What's Future Hold? For One:
First Atomic-Powered Aircraft
Though B-58 Hustler super-
sonic bomber production is ex-
pected to keep Convair-Fort
Worth employees busy for a
number of years to come, Con-
vair-Fort Worth engineers long
since have been looking down
the road and planning for the
years ahead.
And work has been under
way for several years in prep-
aration for the day when Con-
vair-Fort Worth will build the
nation’s first atomic-powered
airplane.
Such a plane, as engineers
envision it now, could fly non-
refueled and non-stop for per-
haps five days or longer—as
long, in fact, as the crew could
be expected to remain aloft.
The plane is now designated
NX-2. On the drawing boards,
it comes in two versions. The
designs are basically the same
except for changes necessary to
fit the fuselage to two different
kinds of engines.
Both canard-type planes lack
conventional tails. At each
wing tip is a vertical stabilizer-
rudder assembly. The horizon-
tal stabilizer - elevator surfaces
are placed far forward on the
fuselage, like stubby wings.
One design is for the direct-
air-cycle nuclear engines, a type
under development by General
Electric Company.
The other design employs in-
direct-cycle engines, a type un-
der development by Pratt and
Whitney Aircraft. Which kind
of nuclear powerplant will be
used in the first plane has not
yet been determined.
Convair-Fort Worth can lay
claim to substantial contribu-
tions to three of the U. S. Air
Force’s most potent weapons of
this supersonic aircraft, missile,
and aerospace age.
The three:
The B-58 Hustler supersonic
bomber that flies at twice the
speed of sound (Mach 2) and
above, thus making it this na-
tion’s fastest bombardment
weapon system;
The F-106, the Air Force’s
fastest interceptor that last
year set a world speed record
in excess of 1,524 mph; and—
The Atlas intercontinental
ballistic missile, the first and
thus far only ICBM to become
operational in the Air Force,
and the nation’s most successful
ICBM to date.
Convair-Fort Worth is prime
contractor on the B-58 Hustler,
now operational in the 43rd
Bomb Wing at Carswell Air
Force Base at Fort Worth, and
Convair expects in the several
years ahead to continue to turn
the sleek bombers off the end
of its assembly line.
At the same time, Convair-
Fort Worth also produces about
60 per cent of the fuselage for
the F-106. The fuselage nose
sections are sent to Convair-
San Diego, where they are
joined with other components
made there to complete the
product.
And also at the same time,
Convair-Fort Worth produces
thrust sections which enclose
the power plants at the bottom
of the Atlas ICBM. By reason
of the Convair-Fort Worth de-
sign for the thrust section, a
substantial weight reduction
was achieved. And by reason
of the weight-saving, the Atlas
now travels several hundred
miles farther than it would
otherwise.
And though the B-58 is the
most substantial current pro-
duction program, Convair en-
gineers years ago began stu-
dies for other aerospace pro-
grams of the future.
And, engineers will assure
you, Convair-Fort Worth will
be in the forefront in the years
ahead—just as it was at the
time with the B-24 Liberator
bomber, the B-32 bomber, the
B-36 intercontinental bomber—
and is now with the B-58 Hust-
ler supersonic bomber.
«»
BLASTOFF — Atlas, nation's
first operational ICBM, includes
thrust section (at bottom around
engines) produced at Convair-
Fort Worth.
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General Dynamics Corporation. Convair Division. Welcome to Convair-Fort Worth!, pamphlet, November 1960; Fort Worth, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth777532/m1/3/: accessed May 21, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, Fort Worth.