TheByte

Michael

Ah yes, the supersonic era and somewhat reminicent of the race into space. Nevertheless, this poor and obese aircraft never made it farther than a full-size mock up and a few dazzling pictures. What happened to this aircraft? It was suppose to be bigger, faster and ultimately better than the Concorde.

Recently I saw a little youtube video about it and why it did not fly. It is sad to see that Boeing was never able to work out the issues they were confronted with. Heck, after congress decided to no longer fund the project there was really nothing one could do.



Please post pictures and other information that you may know.

The Emperor

Michael

Thank you Emperor.

The pictures show what could have been.

I read the story on wikepedia and it was very interesting.

Beemer B773ER

On New Year's Eve 1966, after more than 14 years of study, design work and competition, the federal government selected Boeing to build the prototype for the country's first supersonic transport (SST).

Twenty-six airlines ordered 122 of the transports. The final design featured a double-jointed, needle-shaped nose that would drop during takeoff and landing for improved pilot visibility.

Government funding was withdrawn in 1971 before the prototype was finished. However, the Boeing SST fostered advances in supersonic transportation, leading to the High Speed Civil Transport project.

Specifications
Contract award: Dec. 31, 1966
Classification: Proposed supersonic transport
Length: 318 feet
Cruising speed: Mach 2.7
Altitude: More than 60,000 feet
Power: Four 60,000-pound-thrust engines

Boeing: History -- Products - Boeing Supersonic Transport




Full-scale mock-up:

Beemer B773ER

There were 3 supersonice passenger aircraft being developed at the same time -- in the end it was the Concorde who won. What I find amazing is that the Boeing SST (2707) had accumulated MORE than DOUBLE the Concorde had when the US Gov' and Boeing pulled the plug on the program. All those damn hippie idiots who whined about the aircraft's noise and especially the environmenal effects of the sonic-boom issue put pressure on the Government to object this program.. and in the end the 2707 was cancelled.

The three 3 supersonic aircraft at this time were: Boeing 2707, British Aerospatiele Concorde, and the Tupolev Tu-144. The 2707 would have been the largest (in dimensions and passenger capacity) as well as the fastest. In the end though, the Concorde became the most famous of the three. It had more capacity than the Tu-144, but the Tu-144 had a fastest top-speed. Eventhough the Tu-144 beat the Concorde to first-flight by LESS than a month, its future was cut-short by a series of accidents.






This was a great period in aviation history... but unfortunately Boeing wasn't fully able to flex its wings (pardon the pun).

Michael

You forget the lockheed version of what never became.

maccolliens

Swept wing never efficient enough in any plane of reality. They are always too heavy and complex. This is why you do not see any geometry wing aircraft today, they are not very cost effective.