Boeing X-32(F-35 competitor) with open weapons bay [800x500]

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shedang@reddit (OP)

Here's what the F-32 would have looked like had it won.

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AntiGravityBacon@reddit

I like how they claim it would look better and almost every picture still entirely hides the inlet that made it look bad. And zero pictures of the plane from the angles where the X-32 looked bad.

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AntiGravityBacon@reddit

almost every picture still entirely hides the inlet

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Despairogance@reddit

Reminiscent of the Myspace Angle that bamboozled many a lad in the early days of online dating.

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dj_vicious@reddit

Holy shit that made my refrigerator cry.

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ThreeHandedSword@reddit

That technique hasn't gone anywhere friend

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Despairogance@reddit

But we are wise to it and not so easily bamboozled now.

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Mr-_-Soandso@reddit

No full body pic with the same hairstyle... nope

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AntiGravityBacon@reddit

Lol, in both cases the truth lies in the neck.

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SaltLakeCitySlicker@reddit

Collar bones if you're still having questions from the neck

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Horror-Telephone5419@reddit

We almost had a chance to welcome back the F-100.

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flapsmcgee@reddit

Surely Boeing could have delivered it no problem!

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Econguy89@reddit

Under budget and on time! With all of the bolts and software that wouldn’t nose dive it into the earth, surely! /s

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ileftmypantsinmexico@reddit

What bigs me about those pictures are all the external weapons mounted under the wings…would not be very stealthy that way.

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captainjack3@reddit

True. I guess they’re trying to depict a “beast mode” (I hate that name) configuration as is available for the F-35. Maybe to it obvious the illustrations are showing a fully combat capable plane?

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ileftmypantsinmexico@reddit

Quite possibly…and i did not know there was a configuration like that for F-35, I’ll have to look that up!

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Bergasms@reddit

There may also be cases where you are against an adversary where stealth is not as important of a consideration, in which case chucking on extra boom might well be worth it

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jdl232@reddit

It honestly looks cool, like in a cod: infinite warfare, futurey kinda way. But in general, F-35 looks so much more badass

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AirForce_Trip_1@reddit

The major systems malfunctions and subsequent emergency landing (without brakes) on its first public flight didnt help the cause.

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Pilot0350@reddit

I love how this always gets posted to proactively counter the argument that the F-32 was one of the ugliest aircraft ever invented

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Imagine a world where the YF-23 was made and then the "F-32" was picked for the joint fighter program. Really really futuristic looking air superiority fighter with a goofy looking whale of a jet to support it.

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Leondardo_1515@reddit

The F-32 “Manatee”

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jade_monkey07@reddit

The first pic in the article makes it look like a f86 sabre

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Accurate_Mood@reddit

I love it for that, so much more radical and uncanny-looking, and even better if they had kept the space-white

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RugbyEdd@reddit

Just NATO jet's looking horrified every time they're sent into battle.

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RugbyEdd@reddit

Would we really have wanted most of NATO to constantly look surprised every time they send the airforce in?

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vonHindenburg@reddit

It looks like it's constantly screaming.

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bemenaker@reddit

I see a big dumb goofy "AYEP" and laughing. Kind of like Goofy

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Ragnarok_Stravius@reddit

What a double edged sword.

It's sad it didn't win, but thank God it did cuz those tails would ruin the X-32.

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Microtart@reddit

Must have been loaded by my niece

She loses the battery compartment covers on every remote she’s ever owned

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Despairogance@reddit

Just a fat happy boi with some fire in the belly.

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rodface@reddit

so happi

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Dark_Magus@reddit

Sailor Inhaler

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SpaceBoJangles@reddit

“Hi! I’m here to wipe your Air Force out. HAVE A GREAT DAY!”

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cgo_123456@reddit

"Quick Harley, to the Jokerwing!"

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Trekintosh@reddit

Hhhohohohohohoho

Hehehehehe

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rodface@reddit

i wish our timeline featured the delta guppy

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boykinsir@reddit

Good thing Boeing didn't win. They would be falling out of the sky.

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BuildingABap@reddit

I see a bomb in there, how would that work? Since the bay is on the side would it have some kind of arm to dangle the bomb out of the bay?

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tatonka805@reddit

Ask alaska airlines

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Ams4r@reddit

It had a special secret bomb-yeeting mecanism !

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BuildingABap@reddit

Maybe there's a little man in there that throws em out.

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Old_Wallaby_7461@reddit

His name is Mr. Actuator

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Tchocky@reddit

Please, Mr Actuator is my fathers name

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ConceptOfHappiness@reddit

Call me hydraulic

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HumpyPocock@reddit

Found it!

Yes — looks like the munitions… rack (?) that both are attached to is hinged at the lower edge allowing the upper edge to pivot outboard for bomb release.

Video shows the pivoting mechanism being actuated and loaded up.

No footage of bomb release, though. Just of actuation and loading munitions. So to be clear it’s an assumption on my part that the JDAM would depart without, you know, slapping the lower door into the void.

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BuildingABap@reddit

Ah I knew it, thanks!

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LightningFerret04@reddit

Meanwhile, almost every WWII dive bomber:

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AceArchangel@reddit

Maybe a rotary weapons bay similar to the B-52. I think the Su-47 also had one as well.

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captainjack3@reddit

X-32 didn’t have a rotary launcher, there was an arm to kick weapons out of the bay.

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Cookskiii@reddit

That looks like an aim-120 to me

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BuildingABap@reddit

Its above the aim-120

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Cookskiii@reddit

Good eye

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FrodoCraggins@reddit

The F-22 and F-35 both have arms to throw missiles out of the weapons bays quickly. This arm: https://www.l3harris.com/all-capabilities/pneumatic-eject-missile-launchers

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Such-Oven36@reddit

It’s a Boeing. It doesn’t have to actually work. Just give them the contract or they’ll lobby legislators/sue to make the DoD change the criteria!

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AntiGravityBacon@reddit

Other fighters eject the missiles too. You don't really want to ignite a solid rocket booster inside your aircraft. It's bad for the interior in general and super bad for it if the release mechanism got stuck.

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fulltiltboogie1971@reddit

Maybe it's a self destruct???

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CakeHead-Gaming@reddit

Monika, I believe?

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Biza_1970@reddit

Battle of the X planes documentary.

https://youtu.be/I6L21um5frs?si=aYScDV6PoFMgq9uY

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fattypierce@reddit

That things was so damn fugly!

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Such-Oven36@reddit

Boeing not being able to get their Vertical Takeoff and Landing Prototype to actually Vertically Takeoff or Land is the most Boeing thing ever. It’s like when they were trying to get conformal fuel tanks on the F/A-18:https://billieflynn.com/conformal-fuel-tanks-no-free-lunch/

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