Boeing NT-43A RAT55 radar aircraft testbed - photo

[Altair]

Boeing NT-43A RAT55 radar aircraft testbed with radomes for testing stealth aircraft radar signatures.

Fullsize image: https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/h...n_fullsize.jpg



Previously:

Boeing EC-135N A/RIA instrumentation aircraft - GIF
747 turned into flying observatory - GIF and photos
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...895#post156526
First Boeing 747 airliner - photo
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...077#post199221

[schuylergrace]

Ouch! I hate it when they use a rectal radar.

[owen moore]

For a minute there, I thought Oscar Mayer came out with a weenie plane!

[Frank S]

It has Jimmy Durante's nose, ah cha,cha,cha

[Toolmaker51]

Very artistic re-use of fairings, no question. Wonder if those alongside nose, under cockpit windows, are waveguides or bundles of cable?

[Duke_of_URL]

As this photo indicates, when it comes to the military, it's ALL about the Mission!

Was once briefly involved in modernization of older USAF cockpits, and it was explained to me that their 4-Stars, who dictate where the money goes, would say, "I learned how to fly with those exact same instruments, and if it was good enough then, it's good enough now." And he would allocate all monies for the "back" of the aircraft, i.e. the "Mission Equipment."