Northrop N-102 Fang

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N-102 Fang
Northrop N-102 Fang patent.png
Patent images of the N-102 design
Role Light fighter
National origin United States
Manufacturer Northrop Corporation
Status Project only

The Northrop N-102 Fang was a fighter aircraft design created by Northrop Corporation and proposed to the United States Air Force in 1953.[1]

Design and development[]

The N-102 Fang was powered by one General Electric J79 turbojet engine, though the designers believed two engines would increase the reliability and safety margin.[2][3] The pilot would have a largely unobstructed canopy because of the downward angle of the nose. The design also included swept-back wings and a tricycle landing gear. The design never entered production because the United States Air Force instead opted for the F-104 Starfighter design by Lockheed Martin.[3] However, it did loosely form the basis of the F-5 fighter family.[4]

The design was the subject of a 1957 design patent.[5]

See also[]

Related development

References[]

Media related to N-102 Fang at Wikimedia Commons

  1. ^ "A Rand note" (1787 to 1798). Rand Corporation. 1982: 60. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. ^ General Electric Company (1979). Seven decades of progress: a heritage of aircraft turbine technology. Fallbrook, CA: Aero Publishers. p. 108. ISBN 0-8168-8355-6.
  3. ^ a b "Northrop N-102 Fang Lightweight Fighter Design Study". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2020-04-24.
  4. ^ Lorell, Mark A.; Levaux, Hugh P. (1998). The cutting edge: a half century of fighter aircraft R&D. RAND Corporation. p. 114. ISBN 0-8330-2595-3.
  5. ^ US design 180297, "Aircraft", published 1957-05-14, assigned to Northrop Aircraft Inc. 
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