Pappy121 Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 G'day People, I want to convert the Kinetic MQ-9 Reaper kit to NASA's Ikhana. The main sticking point I have is the longer wingspan. The Ikhana has an 86' wingspan as opposed to the approx 66' wingspan of the Reaper. My question is how is the wingspan achieved? Is it a case of a wingtip extension or is the wing an entirely redesigned? If it is a wingtip extension, where is the wing tip extension added? cheers, Pappy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 Gee, Google found this photo. It's a fairly hi-res shot and it looks to me to be a new wing... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jennings Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 If it is a wingtip extension, where is the wing tip extension added? Isn't that a self-answering question? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
KursadA Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 (edited) This is the first time I have *ever* heard about a wing length difference between Ikhana and a standard MQ-9. I believe Ikhana is nothing but a delimitarized standard early Reaper. 66' and 86' are very different values, and such a huge difference would have been very obvious in photos (in fact, GA-ASI just very recently released a set of drawings for their high-endurance Reaper proposal with 88' wings, and the difference is very obvious.) I don't think the wings of Ikhana look any different than those of a standard MQ-9, except the experimentational equipment pod carried on some missions. NASA had excellent photos of Ikhana (including a couple overhead shots) on their Web site, but unfortunately the NASA website is shut down along with the rest of the government. Here is a photo showing Ikhana from below : the ratio of wings to fuselage length does not seem any different to me from that of a standard MQ-9: NASA Ikhana Edited October 12, 2013 by KursadA Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pappy121 Posted October 12, 2013 Author Share Posted October 12, 2013 Isn't that a self-answering question? I know what you mean but I cannot see the difference between standard MQ-9's and the Ikhana either from pictures that I have downloaded (prior to the NASA website suspension), and I cannot see any obvious extension, hence the question of a new wing design. This is the first time I have *ever* heard about a wing length difference between Ikhana and a standard MQ-9. I believe Ikhana is nothing but a delimitarized standard early Reaper. 66' and 86' are very different values, and such a huge difference would have been very obvious in photos (in fact, GA-ASI just very recently released a set of drawings for their high-endurance Reaper proposal with 88' wings, and the difference is very obvious.) I don't think the wings of Ikhana look any different than those of a standard MQ-9, except the experimentational equipment pod carried on some missions. NASA had excellent photos of Ikhana (including a couple overhead shots) on their Web site, but unfortunately the NASA website is shut down along with the rest of the government. Here is a photo showing Ikhana from below : the ratio of wings to fuselage length does not seem any different to me from that of a standard MQ-9: NASA Ikhana Kursad, I agree with you, I have not been able to see a longer wing either. It works out that the 20' extension would be something like a 55mm (2") extension in 1/48 scale. The Wikipedia website is the source of my 86" wingspan information,specifically the paragraph relating to NASA. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Atomics_MQ-9_Reaper The longer wingspan is in relation to the 'Altair' variant.The Altair is one of the first three 'Predator B' airframes. These sound like development test beds or ore-production prototypes. I think that my confusion occurred when I misread the first paragraph which states that NASA leased an Altair (de-milled,long wing) variant, because in the second paragraph under the NASA heading, the article mentions that NASA obtained an MQ-9 and named it 'Ikhana'. So it appears NASA has/had two variants, the "Altair" and the "Ikhana", with the Altair having a longer wing whilst the Ikhana has the stock wing? cheers, Pappy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
aim9xray Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 So it appears NASA has/had two variants, the "Altair" and the "Ikhana", with the Altair having a longer wing whilst the Ikhana has the stock wing? Correct. Altair was a one-off, derived from the early Pred B with the original fuselage. While at one time leased to NASA, the Altair has been used as a testbed/demo aircraft by ASI, even appearing in Canada Forces markings. Ikhana is a production Reaper airframe with the deeper fuselage. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pappy121 Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 Gotcha! Thanks for all the assistance guys, it has been helpful, cheers, Pappy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mark S. Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 The longer wings of the Altair are in the Unicraft Models Predator B (Reaper) prototype kit. Additionally it has the original shallow fuselage. They're not the best kits and are expensive. There is artwork of extended wing Reapers including one with wingtip winglets in Aviation Week and the AFA's magazine although I don't know if any of the pictured versions have been built yet. Mark S. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.