The roomy cabin (1) can be quickly converted to serve many purposes; V.I.P. lounge, or with full capacity seating as personnel carrier. The cockpit (2) can take pilot and co-pliot, navigator/radio operator, or with pilot only and a 'black box' taking the crew's place. The stabilisers (3) become necessary at supersonic speeds and also help to keep a nose-up attitude when landing on Cloudbase. Separated by pressure bulkhead (4) the instrument compartment contains radar antennae (5) and flight computer links serving gust detectors and air-speed indicators in the nose probe (6).
Shows strong, double-egg construction. The lower fuselage bulge is largely given over to housing fuel tanks (3), giving the craft enormous range. (1) Cabin area. (2) Cabin service ducts (air, oxygen, and lighting cables kept well away from fuel tanks). (4) Bagage hold.
Twin reheat turbo jets of a special Spectrum rating, either one of which will keep the plane airborne. (1) Compressor blades. (2) Firing chamber. (3) Turbine driving compressor. (4) Bled-off air for retro braking. (5) Fuel pumps.
It is unusually light and compact. The diagrams show it extended (A), beginning to retract with wheels folded under (B) and swinging inboard (C).
When landing, the entire outer wing turns through 90 degrees to act as an airbrake. Hydraulic rams (1) rotate the high-tensile actuating rod connecting the two wings. This is attached to the main fuselage members at brackets (2) and to the wings (3). The shadowed area behind the undercarriage shows the wing position for normal flight.
ITC/PolyGram/Carlton
