Aircraft Quiz #68

[Doug Robertson]

On the Web you will find several listings of the world's fastest aircraft. Not all of these listings are complete, showing each and every aircraft capable of reaching Mach 1.0 or more in level flight, I have found.

I am thinking of an unusual Mach 2.0+ such aircraft that was perhaps unique at the time in having two operating sources of motive power and each are of a DIFFERENT form of propulsion. These two engines are capable of operating simultaneously and are coaxial-mounted. Cogitate on those three seemingly disparate attributes for a while to correctly answer this quiz.

1. Country of manufacture?

2a. Builder?, and 2b./2c. Nomenclature?/name? of aircraft model meeting all the test answers?

3. Year of first flight with two engines as described above.

4a. Max speed-Mach?, 4b. Year attained?

5. What limited its top speed?

Bonus for naming the test pilot who flew it over Mach 2.0 that also had another first-name the different associated aircraft.

[SunvisorFlyer]

Sorry Doug; three months later, and I still got nothing.

[Doug Robertson]

Thank you SunvisorFlyer-your welcome post brings the Quiz #68 back to the A-D Home Page with more visibility. I usually await 500 looks, and that is getting closer.

My goal is a tough, thought-provoking quiz; and this apparently is one of those.

[Doug Robertson]

Here are all the correct answers to Aircraft Quiz #68.

BACKGROUND-The initial French NORD 1500.01 GRIFFON was powered originally by a single Atar 101G-2 turbojet intended to explore ramjet propulsion above Mach 2 speed, then later powered by a single Atar 101F Turbojet. First flight was September 1955 with the single Atar 101F.

NORD then modified it by the addition of a NORD Ramjet with a far larger air intake. That 1500.02 GRIFFON was more successful accomplishing the speed goal. The two engine systems were mounted co-axially and could be run simultaneously. Performance was said to be "Impressive!" Various time to altitude records were set by the improved GRIFFON, which reached Mach 2.19 max speed in October 1960. A closed-circuit speed record was set by the GRIFFON II in the 100km (62-mile) event in February 1959 by test pilot Andre Turcat.

The two engines could be run separately or together, with the proviso the turbojet had to get to a speed where the ramjet could be started. So, takeoffs were with the turbojet. I cannot explain just how they provided coaxial thrust; hard to contemplate that!

A proposed GRIFFON III would needed to be of all-steel construction to withstand the friction-heating temperatures at higher mach numbers.

The GRIFFON was said to be "ahead of its time" with an under-slung intake and canard fore-planes. And yes, it was thirsty and endurance limited.

Answers.

1. France

2a. NORD, 2b. 1500.02 GRIFFON

3. 1957.

4a. Mach 2.19, 4b. October 1960.

5. Its top speed was limited more by heating considerations than by engine limits.

BONUS. Andre Turcat was the GRIFFON test pilot first flying it in 1957 and later was the pilot to make the very first French CONCORDE supersonic airliner flight.

Specifications-NORD GRIFFON 1500.02
Crew: One
Powerplants: One Atar 101F Turbojet engine and one Nord Ramjet engine.
Max speed: Mach 2.19
Max altitude: 59,600 ft
Wingspan: 51 ft 7 in
Length: 26 ft 7 in
Height: 15 ft 5 in
Weight; 15,983 lb

I thank all who pondered this tough quiz.