Northrop N-204

Northrop N-204
Role	High altitude reconnaissance
Manufacturer	Northrop Corporation
Status	paper project only
Primary user	United States Air Force (intended)
Number built	none completed

The Northrop N-204 was a high altitude reconnaissance jet aircraft designed in the United States in the 1950s.

Development

In fall 1957, Northrop submitted a proposal to the United States Air Force for a subsonic high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft, having capitalized on their earlier N-165 design study. The concerns by CIA pilots that the Lockheed U-2 was being tracked by radars on spy missions over the Soviet Union prompted Northrop to make low observable technology a part of the N-204 design, as was later done with the Lockheed A-12.^[1]

Although Northrop estimated that the N-204 could go into service in 1960, the N-204 project did not proceed to the hardware stage.^[1]

Design

The N-204 was similar to the Lockheed U-2 and Yakovlev Yak-25RV in having long, straight wings like an ordinary sailplane, and a v-tail. However, the engines of the aircraft were not buried in the wing roots or podded under the wings, but instead were buried in the outboard end of the wing center-section.^[1]

Specifications (estimated)

Data from ^[1]

General characteristics

Crew: two, pilot and flight engineer/RSO officer
Length: 105 ft 8 in (32.2 m)
Wingspan: 273 ft 9 in (83.44 m)
Height: ()
Wing area: 5,000 ft² (464.52 m²)
Loaded weight: 34,000 lb (15,422 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 75,000 lb (34,019 kg)
Powerplant: 8 × Westinghouse J54 turbojets, 6,075 lbf (27.02 kN) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 480 knots (553 mph, 885 km/h)
Range: 3,000 nm (3,452 mi, 5,556 km)
Service ceiling: 85,000 ft (25,908 m)

References

1 2 3 4 Chong, Tony, 2016. Flying Wings & Radical Things: Northrop’s Secret Aerospace Projects & Concepts 1939-1994. Forest Lake, Minnesota: Specialty Press.

Northrop aircraft

Manufacturer
designations

'Greek' series	Alpha Beta Gamma Delta

'N' series	Note: Northrop company designations include a wide variety of technologies. Only aircraft, aero engines, and missiles are linked here. N-1 N-2 N-3 N-4 N-5 N-6 N-7 N-8 N-9 N-10 N-12 N-14 N-15 N-16 N-18 N-19 N-20 N-21 N-23 N-24 N-25A N-25B N-26 N-29 N-31 N-32 N-34 N-35 N-36 N-37 N-38 N-39 N-40 N-41 N-45 N-46 N-47 N-48 N-49 N-50 N-51 N-52 N-54 N-55 N-59 N-60 N-63 N-65 N-67 N-68 N-69 N-71 N-72 N-73 N-74 N-81 N-82 N-84 N-86 N-87 N-94 N-96 N-102 N-103 N-105 N-110 N-111 N-112 N-117 N-124 N-132 N-133 N-134 N-135 N-138 N-141 N-144 N-149 N-150 N-151 N-155 N-156 N-165 N-204 N-205 N-250 N-267 N-285 N-300 N-301 N-302 N-303 N-304 N-305 N-306 N-307 N-311 N-320 N-321 N-322 N-330 N-370

'P' series	P530 P600 P610 P630

By role

Attack	YA-13 XA-16 A-17 Nomad YA-9

Bombers	YB-35 YB-49 B-62 BT B2T B-2

Drones	Q-4

Fighters	3A XP-56 P-61 XP-79 F-89 XFT F2T F-5/CF-5/CF-116 YF-17 F-18L F-20 YF-23

Reconnaissance	F-15 RF-61 RF-5 N-165 N-204

Trainers	T-38

Transports	Alpha Beta Gamma Delta C-19 C-100 YC-125 RT

Experimental	N-1M N-9M JB-1 MX-324 MX-334 M2-F2 M2-F3 HL-10 Tacit Blue X-4 X-21

Names

Northrop N-204

Development

Design

Specifications (estimated)

See also

References