Convair X-12

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.

ervice 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 imagery (at right) seem to contradict that.

pecifications (X-12)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?= plane
jet or prop?= both
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crew= Unmanned
capacity=
length main= 103 ft 0 in
length alt= 31.4 m
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* Diameter: 12 ft 0 in (3.66 m)
engine (jet)=North American standard XLR-43-NA-5 rockets
type of jet=(1/2 stage jettisoned during launch phase)
number of jets=2
thrust main=
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thrust original=
afterburning thrust main=
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engine (prop)=Steerable (gimbled) XLR-43-NA-5
type of prop=(main stage)
number of props=1
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power original=
max speed main= More than Mach 18
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thrust/weight= 7:1
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ee also

aircontent
related=
* GAM-63 RASCAL
similar aircraft=
sequence=
X-9 -
X-10 -
X-11 -X-12 -
X-13 -
X-14 -
X-15
lists=
* List of experimental aircraft
see also=