X-4 Bantam

Northrop X-4 Bantam
'
Description
Role	Experimental semi-tailless
Crew	1
First Flight	December 16, 1948
Manufacturer	Northrop Corporation
Dimensions
Length	22 ft 3 in	7.1 m
Wingspan	26 ft 10 in	8.2 m
Height	14 ft 10 in	4.5 m
Wing area	ft²	m²
Weights
Empty	5,600 lb	2,540 kg
Loaded	lb	kg
Maximum takeoff	7,820 lb	3,550 kg
Powerplant
Engines	2x Westinghouse J30 turbojets
Thrust (each)	1,600 lb	7.1 kN
Performance
Maximum speed	640 mph	1,035 km/h
Range	miles	km
Service ceiling	44,000 ft	13,400 m
Rate of climb	ft/min	m/min
Wing loading	lb/ft²	kg/m²
Thrust/Weight
Three view diagram
Northrop X-4 Bantam

The Northrop X-4 Bantam was a small twin-jet airplane that had no horizontal tail surfaces, depending instead on combined elevator and aileron control surfaces (called elevons) for control in pitch and roll attitudes. The hope of some aerodynamicists was that eliminating the horizontal tail would also do away with stability problems at transonic speeds resulting from the interaction of supersonic shock waves from the wings and the horizontal stabilizers.

Two X-4s were built by the Northrop Corporation, but the first was found to be mechanically unsound and after 10 flights it was grounded and used to provide parts for the second.

While being tested from 1950 to 1953 at the NACA High-Speed Flight Research Station (now Edwards Air Force Base), the X-4's semi-tailless configuration exhibited inherent longitudinal stability problems (porpoising) as it approached the speed of sound. It was concluded that (with the control technology available at the time) tailless craft were not suited for transonic flight.

The surviving X-4 is on display at the USAF Museum.

Aircraft serial numbers

• 46-676, 10 flights then used for spare parts
• 46-677, 102 flights

Also See

• X-plane
• Flying wing

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