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Northrop X-4 Bantam - research aircraft

The final Northrop flying wing design, although it could more accurately be described as a tailless aircraft, was the XS-4 Skylancer, a transonic research vehicle with two 726kg thrust Westinghouse turbojets. Later redesignated X-4, the first of two aircraft flew at Muroc on 15 December 1948, followed by the second on 7 June 1949. With a span of only 8.18m and weight of 3175kg, the two X-4s completed their research programme in April 1954 and both survive as museum exhibits.

MODEL	X-4 "Bantam"
CREW	1
ENGINE	2 x Westinghouse turbojets, 726kg each
WEIGHTS
Take-off weight	3175 kg	7000 lb
DIMENSIONS
Wingspan	8.18 m	27 ft 10 in
Length	7.1 m	23 ft 4 in
Wing area	19 m²	204.51 sq ft
PERFORMANCE
Max. speed	1000 km/h	621 mph

A three-view drawing (524 x 527)

Stephan Wilkinson, e-mail, 03.10.2013 20:56

It certainly greatly profited from Me-163 research and development, and Northrop never denied that. But to say it was "simply built unaltered from German blueprints" reveals a lack of real familiarity with both the Messerschmitt and the Bantam. If anything, the X-4 is much more like the DH 108 Swallow.

guba, 21.06.2011 06:02

simply built unaltered from German blueprints captured in 1945.

a.casais, e-mail, 24.11.2010 20:58

it is a real family of the ME-163 "Comet" almost twins

Arn, e-mail, 27.01.2009 06:31

Like many early "X planes", this one looks as though it was simply built unaltered from German blueprints captured in 1945.

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