Textron Scorpion Light Attack/ISR jet
06-14-2020 | 01:01 PM
#11
Moderate Moderator
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,681
Likes: 0
From: Curator at Static Display
A friend of mine was part of the initial design project. The airplane was much different, and was designed to have an internal cannon.
Textron came in and bought them out. Two of the immediate changes were “no gun!!”, Despite protestations from those who knew better, and I believe, a second seat added at that time.
It doesn’t seem like a bad plane, but the wing/intake juncture almost certainly makes the wing root a poor lifting surface, and I would personally guess, a source of a lot of turbulence and drag.
His opinion: they took a good idea and messed it up. He said drones could do the same job, cheaper, and with less risk.
Textron came in and bought them out. Two of the immediate changes were “no gun!!”, Despite protestations from those who knew better, and I believe, a second seat added at that time.
It doesn’t seem like a bad plane, but the wing/intake juncture almost certainly makes the wing root a poor lifting surface, and I would personally guess, a source of a lot of turbulence and drag.
His opinion: they took a good idea and messed it up. He said drones could do the same job, cheaper, and with less risk.
06-14-2020 | 01:59 PM
#12
Prime Minister/Moderator
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 44,870
Likes: 667
From: Engines Turn or People Swim
IIRC SOCOM looked at drones... not flexible enough and actually pretty expensive in their own right.
06-14-2020 | 03:39 PM
#13
Moderate Moderator
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,681
Likes: 0
From: Curator at Static Display
Correct, Rick. He was referring to armed overwatch, not CAS.
For CAS, he said single-seat with more weapons capacity would be better. He also felt it was underpowered.
He had 800+ combat sorties in the A-37 in SEA, and I’d say he’s a pretty good judge of light-attack jet aircraft.
For CAS, he said single-seat with more weapons capacity would be better. He also felt it was underpowered.
He had 800+ combat sorties in the A-37 in SEA, and I’d say he’s a pretty good judge of light-attack jet aircraft.
06-14-2020 | 07:21 PM
#15
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 131
Likes: 0
From: B-58
A friend of mine was part of the initial design project. The airplane was much different, and was designed to have an internal cannon.
Textron came in and bought them out. Two of the immediate changes were “no gun!!”, Despite protestations from those who knew better, and I believe, a second seat added at that time.
It doesn’t seem like a bad plane, but the wing/intake juncture almost certainly makes the wing root a poor lifting surface, and I would personally guess, a source of a lot of turbulence and drag.
His opinion: they took a good idea and messed it up. He said drones could do the same job, cheaper, and with less risk.
Textron came in and bought them out. Two of the immediate changes were “no gun!!”, Despite protestations from those who knew better, and I believe, a second seat added at that time.
It doesn’t seem like a bad plane, but the wing/intake juncture almost certainly makes the wing root a poor lifting surface, and I would personally guess, a source of a lot of turbulence and drag.
His opinion: they took a good idea and messed it up. He said drones could do the same job, cheaper, and with less risk.
06-15-2020 | 12:52 AM
#16
Thread Starter
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 13,843
Likes: 1
From: FAA 'Flight Check'
06-15-2020 | 07:00 AM
#17
Prime Minister/Moderator
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 44,870
Likes: 667
From: Engines Turn or People Swim
06-15-2020 | 08:54 AM
#18
Thread Starter
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 13,843
Likes: 1
From: FAA 'Flight Check'
The jet is designed for a stable ISR platform and a mainly level attack aircraft though you can obviously make some diving attacks too for certain ordnance deliveries. The MK-15 (ball turret), though speed limited on the Scorpion (not the AT-6), doesn’t have the same limitations with blanking as some shoulder mounted systems (e.g. ATFLIR). I’m pretty sure Bret’s answer to the glide was like 30:1.
06-15-2020 | 08:56 AM
#19
Perennial Reserve
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 14,181
Likes: 237
Correct, Rick. He was referring to armed overwatch, not CAS.
For CAS, he said single-seat with more weapons capacity would be better. He also felt it was underpowered.
He had 800+ combat sorties in the A-37 in SEA, and I’d say he’s a pretty good judge of light-attack jet aircraft.
For CAS, he said single-seat with more weapons capacity would be better. He also felt it was underpowered.
He had 800+ combat sorties in the A-37 in SEA, and I’d say he’s a pretty good judge of light-attack jet aircraft.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
turk
Flight Schools and Training
29
01-13-2012 05:58 AM
