M2-F3
General information
Type	Lifting bodytechnology demonstrator
Manufacturer	Northrop
Status	Donated to theSmithsonian Institution, currently on display at theNational Air and Space Museum
Primary user	NASA
History
First flight	2 June 1970
Retired	20 December 1972
Developed from	NASA M2-F1 Northrop M2-F2

TheNorthrop M2-F3 is a heavyweightlifting body rebuilt from theNorthrop M2-F2 after it crashed at theDryden Flight Research Center in 1967. It was modified with an additional third vertical fin - centered between the tip fins - to improve control characteristics. The "M" refers to "manned" and "F" refers to "flight" version.

Early flight testing of theM2-F1 andM2-F2lifting body reentry configurations had validated the concept of piloted lifting body reentry from space. When the M2-F2 crashed on May 10, 1967, valuable information had already been obtained and was contributing to new designs.

NASA pilots said the M2-F2 had lateral control problems, so when the M2-F2 was rebuilt at Northrop and redesignated the M2-F3, it was modified with an additional third vertical fin - centered between the tip fins - to improve control characteristics.

After a three-year-long redesign and rebuilding effort, the M2-F3 was ready to fly. The May 1967 crash of the M2-F2 had torn off the left fin and landing gear. It had also damaged the external skin and internal structure.Flight Research Center engineers worked withAmes Research Center and the Air Force in redesigning the vehicle with a center fin to provide greater stability. At first, it seemed that the vehicle had been irreparably damaged, but the original manufacturer, Northrop, did the repair work and returned the redesigned M2-F3 with a center fin for stability to the FRC.

While the M2-F3 was still demanding to fly, the center fin eliminated the high risk ofpilot-induced oscillation (PIO) that was characteristic of the M2-F2.

First flight of the M2-F3, with NASA pilotBill Dana at the controls, was June 2, 1970. The modified vehicle exhibited much better lateral stability and control characteristics than before, and only three glide flights were necessary before the first powered flight on November 25, 1970. The 100th flight of the heavy-weight lifting bodies was completed on October 5, 1972, with pilot Bill Dana soaring to an altitude of 66,300 feet (20,200 m) and a Mach number of 1.370 (about 904 miles per hour (1,455 km/h)) in the M2-F3. Over its 27 missions, the M2-F3 reached a top speed of 1,064 mph (1,712 km/h) (Mach 1.6). Highest altitude reached by the vehicle was 71,500 feet (20,790 m) on December 20, 1972, the date of its last flight, with NASA pilot John Manke at the controls.

Areaction control thruster (RCT) system, similar to that on orbiting spacecraft, was also installed to obtain research data about their effectiveness for vehicle control. As the M2-F3's portion of the lifting body program neared an end, it evaluated a rate command augmentation control system, and aside control stick similar to side-stick controllers now used on many modern aircraft.

NASA donated the M2-F3 vehicle to theSmithsonian Institution in December 1973. It is currently hanging in theNational Air and Space Museum along with theX-15 aircraft number 1, which was its hangar partner at Dryden from 1965 to 1969.

• M2-F3 pilots
  • William H. Dana - 19 flights
  • John A. Manke - 4 flights
  • Cecil W. Powell - 3 flights
  • Jerauld R. Gentry - 1 flight
• Most of text taken from NASA Dryden webpage.

• NASA M2-F3 - NASA 803, 27 flights

Data from^{[citation needed]}

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 22 ft 2 in (6.76 m)
• Wingspan: 9 ft 8 in (2.95 m)
• Height: 9 ft 6 in (2.90 m)
• Wing area: 160 sq ft (15 m²)
• Empty weight: 5,071 lb (2,300 kg)
• Gross weight: 6,000 lb (2,722 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 7,937 lb (3,600 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 ×Reaction Motors XLR-11 liquid-fuelled rocket motor, 8,000 lbf (36 kN) thrust with four combustion chamber/nozzle assemblies

Performance

• Maximum speed: 925 kn (1,064 mph, 1,713 km/h)
• Range: 39 nmi (45 mi, 72 km)
• Service ceiling: 71,500 ft (21,800 m)
• Wing loading: 49 lb/sq ft (240 kg/m²)
• Thrust/weight: 1.3

Comparable aircraft:

• X-24
• M2-F1
• M2-F2
• HL-10

Wikimedia Commons has media related toNorthrop M2-F3.

• NASA Dryden M2-F3 Photo Collection
• Wingless Flight: The Lifting Body Story. NASA History Series SP-4220 1997 PDF

• Lifting bodies
• 1970s United States experimental aircraft
• Gliding in the United States
• Rocket-powered aircraft
• Northrop aircraft

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• Short description is different from Wikidata
• All articles with unsourced statements
• Articles with unsourced statements from September 2019
• Commons category link is on Wikidata