Convair X-12 Information & Convair X-12 Links at HealthHaven.com

The Convair X-12 being launched

The Convair X-12 was the second, more advanced testbed for the Atlas rocket program. It was designed with 3 engines, its predecessor the Convair X-11 used only one engine. It was powered by a 1.5 stage liquid-fuel rocket. Its first flight was in July, 1958.

[edit] Service history

The X-12 pioneered the use of 1.5 stage rocket engines that became a hallmark of the Atlas rocket program. It was also the first rocket to achieve a flight distance that could be considered intercontinental when it flew 6,325 miles (10,179 km).

According to a 2001 article in Code One Magazine by Lockheed, no X-12 was ever built or flown, although the imagery (at right) seems to contradict that.

[edit] Specifications (X-12)

This aircraft article is missing some (or all) of its specifications. If you have a source, you can help Wikipedia by adding them.

General characteristics

Crew: Unmanned
Length: 103 ft 0 in (31.4 m)
Wingspan: ()
Height: ()
Powerplant:
- 2× North American standard XLR-43-NA-5 rockets (1/2 stage jettisoned during launch phase), () each
- 1× Steerable (gimbled) XLR-43-NA-5 (main stage), ()
* Diameter: 12 ft 0 in (3.66 m)

Performance

Maximum speed: More than Mach 18
Thrust/weight (jet): 7:1

[edit] See also

Related development

GAM-63 RASCAL

Related lists

List of experimental aircraft

This aircraft-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.