A-X Competitors

[Jschmus]

I realize this part of the forum is for posting pictures, but with art from all the different design competitions cropping here, I figured that asking about this was worth a shot, especially as my net searches have come to naught.

I was re-reading the Introduction to my book about the A-10, and it talks about the history of close air support and the various programs leading up to the A-X program.  It talks somewhat about the original requirement for the LARA (what became the OV-10 Bronco), and how it evolved from a tri-service attack aircraft into a glorified FAC platform, due to Air Force experience with AAA in Vietnam.  The "failure" of this program and other considerations led to the creation of the A-X.

It goes on the mention that there were several contenders.  In addition to Northrop and Fairchild-Republic, there were competing designs from Cessna, General Dynamics and Lockheed.  In spite of their recent experiences with the Air Force and the F-111 and C-5 programs, the text states that GD and Lockheed were considered to be front-runners in the competition.  Yet, I can find nothing about their contenders.  The Cessna design was likely to be a development of their A-37 , but I'm a little miffed that I can't find anything about the others.

[overscan]

Lockheed's AX design was the L-1400

[overscan]

Another:

[overscan]

You forgot Boeing btw, who also submitted a design. The Harrier development HS.1176 was also offered for consideration.

[elmayerle]

I think it's been posted somewhere here before, but Cessna's design, if I remember correctly, was a rather ugly contraption (yes, more so that the A-10) with a fuselage that resembled a large flatiron and engines mounted on pylons over the wing, much like Hondajet has.

[Jschmus]

Wow.  That L-1400-2 looks like a killer U-2/TR-1.  Hmm...  The wheels begin to turn.

[Swamphen]

That L-1400-2 looks like a killer U-2/TR-1

...with some B-57 and Su-25 genes spliced in as well...

[elider]

I have some pics I down loaded from a forum--maybe even this one. But I'm not sure if that would be against the rules to post them myself since they're not mine.

[Jschmus]

Does anyone here read Polish?  I found this:

A-X

There's a couple of grainy images of the Lockheed project, some descriptive text, but there's no setting for Polish (or is it Czech?) on Babelfish.  That "SM-27 Machete" thing looks interesting, if a little short-legged.

[Aircav]

Enjoy

http://www.stavatti.com/machete/m_multimedia.html

[elmayerle]

*Chuckle* That "SM-27" sure reminds me of Rutan's "Aries" attack aircraft.