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Could this be a feasible concept aircraft to replace the AC-130?

ROIMaison
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Dec Konroyd
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1 Answers1

7

Well, the URL should give it away already ...

The AC-130 is a turboprop aircraft with relatively low wing loading. It can be operated from (almost) unprepared airstrips.

Now compare it to the 747-400: Higher minimum speed means more distance to the taget, higher tire pressure means operation from established airbases with a long runway. Just look at the T-tail: Such a change would necessitate a complete redesign of the rear fuselage and the vertical tail. With the changes photoshopped into the picture the "AC-25" would be 80% new and could use only a few parts from the 747.

Here is an incomplete list of what needs to be changed:

  • Lifting the wing up to a high wing position would need less dihedral (or even some anhedral, to be precise), so the wing needs major modifications
  • The landing gear would need a complete redesign. Currently, some parts retract into the wing, which is no longer there. The pods at the side of the fuselage are too small to hold the current gear.
  • The mid fuselage section is a new design, too. Moving the wing up means a complete redesign of the bulkheads and wing attachment points. Also, fuel lines and cables need to be re-routed.
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Peter Kämpf
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    URL was the first thing I looked at (I tend to look at URLs before clicking - it's a habit). Someone's made a cute JPG and pasted a Boeing logo on it. – FreeMan Dec 03 '15 at 16:14