Northrop N-204

In fall 1957, Northrop submitted a proposal to the United States Air Force for a subsonic high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft, having capitalized on the company's 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]

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]

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)
• Wing area: 5,000 sq ft (464.52 m²)
• Gross 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) thrust each

Performance

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

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• Beriev S-13
• Lockheed U-2
• Martin RB-57D Canberra
• Yakovlev Yak-25RV