The airplane is the X-48B, an advanced concept, fuel-efficient blended wing body or BWB. It’s called a blended wing body because it looks more like a modified triangular-shaped wing than the traditional aircraft, which is a tube and wing with a tail. One advantage Boeing engineers say the concept has over conventional aircraft is that it’s about 30 percent more fuel efficient than an airplane of similar size that carries the same payload.
The Air Force has designated the vehicles as the “X-48B” based on its interest in the design’s potential as a multi-role, long-range, high-capacity military aircraft.
Is it as small as it appears? Going by the size of the landing gear, by comparison, it appears to be rather smallish.
If the plane is any size at all the gears and tires appear to be huge! At least compared to other large aircraft types. Which brings up dumb question #2! Why would the landing gear need to be so large? If it is so heavy as to require such a large and bulky looking gear, how could it be anymore fuel efficient? Ooops! That was #3!
I am just going by comparison of landing gears of other large aircraft types.
Neat little machine. RC aircraft models can sure provide a lot of data to aircraft manufacturers before they commit to the expense of a full scale version.
