It was always an unusual-looking bird, but Scaled Composites' Ares had a certain style. Not any more. Mojave-based photographer Alan Radecki has captured the long-stored Ares taxiing under its own power and boy does it look ugly now, covered in lumps and bumps of unknown purpose.
Ares then... (Bernard Klein Collection photo from 1000aircraftphotos.com)
...and now (Alan Radecki photo)
The Model 151 Ares was designed to meet a US Army requirement for a low-cost attack aircraft and built as a company-funded demonstrator, flying in February 1990. The Ares was designed around its 25mm Gatling gun, which resulted in a funky assymetric layout with the gun on one side and inlet for the single Pratt Canada JT15D turbofan on the other.
Scaled's website says the Ares is available as a testbed, and that looks to be the reason it has come out of retirement. It looks quite a bit different now, with the dorsal blister, open side panel and faired box-like structure under the centre wing. Speculations on a postcard please...
(Alan Radecki photo)
Comments (4)
The gun on the port side precluded exhaust from the gun entering the engine intake (that's what killed the YA-10). Typical of Rutan's 'simple elegance' in design. He's also been the go-to guy for Northrop's UAV development.
Posted by RobH | February 29, 2008 5:19 PM
Posted on February 29, 2008 17:19
Sorry - gun on the 'starboard' side (stupid nautical lingo).
Posted by RobH | February 29, 2008 5:44 PM
Posted on February 29, 2008 17:44
Any port in a storm, I say...
One of Burt Rutan's endearing characteristics is his willingness to forego bilateral symmetry.
Posted by The Woracle | February 29, 2008 6:22 PM
Posted on February 29, 2008 18:22
A bit late to the game, but could this be the SpaceShip2 engine testbed? With that faired fat wing section, twin booms, and long nozzle, this new configuration is not far removed from the SpaceShip1 configuration.
Posted by Martin | June 5, 2009 6:32 PM
Posted on June 5, 2009 18:32