BWB in service already?

Well no, of course it isn't but while searching for an image for another thread I came across this artist impression on the web site of the London Science Museum and I thought all the Boeing/BWB fans might like to see it.



Looks impressive doesn't it.

I'm not particularly into planes, but I've got to say

That does look pretty sweet

pretty good PS job from the guy up there Hope to see this baby fly once

Apparently the Boeing BWB was quielty shelved last year the only outward sign was the removal of the BWB section on Boeing website.

I have heard that Lockheed is doing some BWB work for its concept for the US's future special forces stealthy transport

Apparently the Boeing BWB was quielty shelved last year the only outward sign was the removal of the BWB section on Boeing website.

I have heard that Lockheed is doing some BWB work for its concept for the US's future special forces stealthy transport

Originally posted by Popeye
Apparently the Boeing BWB was quielty shelved last year the only outward sign was the removal of the BWB section on Boeing website.

Honestly it wouldn't surprise me if they did scrap the idea. They did the same to their supersonic liner too. Really it makes me wonder if they will never make a new radical design ever again?

[edit on 3-6-2005 by Canada_EH]

Thats a nice plane I have to say. Looks different from your normal commerical jet.

i suspect it's more to do with airports than anything else
only the biggest airports can accept the A-380 which is the biggest at the mo
the BWB concept would be much wider and the jetway for disembarking passengers would have to be redesigned to fit to this new design of plane
too much work which airports aern't willing to do

:EDIT

Pity really i like the concept from an efficency standpoint

[edit on 3/6/05 by jonititan]

good point about problems that airlines would have with airports. i think we can say that we wont see this aircraft flying for a long time if at all.

First I find the commanche is cancelled and now the BWB! Ah well, maybe a model company will sate my desire to see nifty aircraft in person, even if just a facsimile. Nertz. Cool plane though.

[edit on 3-6-2005 by Der Kapitan]

I don't think we will see BWB soon. The R&D and manufacturing costs would be much larger than fuel savings costs resultingin higher prices. The only chance I see is US goverment investing to the military transport BWB that could be converted to the civilian version. Or Airbus recieves new EU loans for BWB without the need to pay them back...

Ouch! That was catty

Actually I agree with the first part of your statement, I think it would take the selection of a BWB design to fulfil future tanker/transport requirements with the US or European air forces to make the design acceptable and allow a civil spin off to be produced alongside it, pretty much as happened with the KC-135/707 back in the 50's

yeah but the military's would seem to tend towards tried and tested civil planes for their tankers
case in point RAF unfortunately can't afford a custom designed tanker and so are adapting a civil airliner

Those pictures were made for an issue of "Popular Science" a few years ago.

you are right jetsetter. I think if you look towards the back of the mag
thay have a ad for the poster, I know thay had it in thair for a long time
I always wanted it.

very cool looking plane.
damn shame it got put off.

Originally posted by Canada_EH
Honestly it wouldn't surprise me if they did scrap the idea. They did the same to their supersonic liner too. Really it makes me wonder if they will never make a new radical design ever again?

I think you mean sonic cruiser.
and the 787 is a pretty good step up from the current norm.
and I still question if the BWB is/was a good idea, I mean, in 20 or so years I really hope the sub-sonic isn't the airliner norm. I know a lot of people are working to lessen the sonic boom, so I fugure in 5 to 10 years from know when its no longer a problem, and supercruise is more matured, then mach 1.5 and 2.0 will be more normal

oh, and yes, that picture is from Popular Science, Nov 03' edition

Originally posted by Popeye
Apparently the Boeing BWB was quielty shelved last year the only outward sign was the removal of the BWB section on Boeing website.

I believe the only reason why (I read this somewhere) is because Boeing did a study to see if people wanted to fly in an airplane with no windows (BWB), and they said no.