Textron Scorpion Closer to First Flight

a reply to: buddah6

It hopped. Up through Canada, Greenland, etc.

No air refueling equipment yet.

a reply to: boomer135

The inboard pylons are already plumbed. If a customer really wanted or needed aerial refueling, maybe they could dust of ART/S.

originally posted by: _Del_
a reply to: boomer135

The inboard pylons are already plumbed. If a customer really wanted or needed aerial refueling, maybe they could dust of ART/S.

I've never seen that before. Pretty interesting. But they are plumbed just for external tanks though right? Not necessarily for air refueling? And I wonder how hard it would be to stick a probe that's on your wing into a basket. Hell even F-18 pilots have a hard time doing it and the probe is right on front of them.

originally posted by: buddah6

originally posted by: ThePeaceMaker
Thought id share my pic of one of these when I went to an airshow. Unfortunately it didn't do a display but saw it take off when it was leaving so only really had a chance to take a pic of it on the ground. I through it was an awesome little plane

Do you know if has the ability to do aerial refueling (self deployable) or was it shipped to the UK?

To be honest you're asking the wrong person I was more concerned about how much a cup of tea and chips were at the airshow. You'll only understand that if you're british

originally posted by: boomer135
And I wonder how hard it would be to stick a probe that's on your wing into a basket.

The A-4 was offset a few feet, but it was still out in front of you. We experimented with wingtip-to-wingtip refueling back in the 50's. I think the Soviets used it on the Badger. But I imagine it's more difficult, yes.
Still, the inboard pylons aren't too far out; a lot closer than the wingtips. CARTS worked out alright for LockMart, and I don't know that it's any closer to centerline than the inboard pylons on the Scorpion.

CARTS pic for comparison

a reply to: _Del_
The old F-100s had the probe out on the right wing and they worked OK...but that's telling my age. I guess it's like parallel parking. The more you do it, the easier it becomes.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: buddah6

It hopped. Up through Canada, Greenland, etc.

I've flown that route myself when we took the Mohawks to Germany. It's scary!

originally posted by: _Del_

originally posted by: boomer135
And I wonder how hard it would be to stick a probe that's on your wing into a basket.

The A-4 was offset a few feet, but it was still out in front of you. We experimented with wingtip-to-wingtip refueling back in the 50's. I think the Soviets used it on the Badger. But I imagine it's more difficult, yes.
Still, the inboard pylons aren't too far out; a lot closer than the wingtips. CARTS worked out alright for LockMart, and I don't know that it's any closer to centerline than the inboard pylons on the Scorpion.

CARTS pic for comparison

I'm familiar with all those but I've never seen a conformal tank with a probe before. Kinda cool. I was at Edwards when they were doing the conformal fuel tank testing with the f-16 too and never saw that.

What I should have said is having a probe anywhere other that the centerline of the aircraft. Like on a pylon. I bet its pretty hard to judge that distance.

originally posted by: boomer135
I'm familiar with all those but I've never seen a conformal tank with a probe before. Kinda cool. I was at Edwards when they were doing the conformal fuel tank testing with the f-16 too and never saw that.

It was for India's competition requirements. LockMart and IAI teamed up to put it together. They used Omega (OARS) for the testing.

I bet its pretty hard to judge that distance.

Much more difficult than sitting behind it, I'd imagine, but not impossible.

Looks like a yak 130 Russian trainer
with 2 vertical stabilizers vs one.

originally posted by: _Del_

originally posted by: boomer135
I'm familiar with all those but I've never seen a conformal tank with a probe before. Kinda cool. I was at Edwards when they were doing the conformal fuel tank testing with the f-16 too and never saw that.

It was for India's competition requirements. LockMart and IAI teamed up to put it together. They used Omega (OARS) for the testing.

I bet its pretty hard to judge that distance.

Much more difficult than sitting behind it, I'd imagine, but not impossible.

Funny you mention that me and zaph were just texting back and forth about how omega would profit over this. Lol

This could be a good COIN control aircraft. Low cost to operate, long loiter time, can be used for ISR , and can function as a network hub for troops. In some instances, it can lob some PGM's at targets of opportunity. This is assuming of course the insurgents do not have good AD.

a reply to: pzkw3

Does anyone have any idea as to where the Scorpion went after the Washington show and tell? I was able to watch it flying from Providence, RI. but lost it at Reagan airport.

a reply to: buddah6

It's back in Kansas at McConnnell AFB as of 20 Sept 2014.

originally posted by: _Del_
a reply to: buddah6

It's back in Kansas at McConnnell AFB as of 20 Sept 2014.

Thanks Del, I was hoping that it would make it's way to Wright Patterson AFB so I might get a look at it up close.