Query: Argentina Nuclear Powered Jet Engine Scam

[SABRE]

I remember couple of years back I came across an article about Argentine nuclear powered jet engine/aircraft program which later turned out be a scam by its designer (who was may be a German or a French). I can't seem to find the reference of it. (May be it was some other country?)

If anyone remembers and has the reference, please share.

 

[blondfeet]

I remember couple of years back I came across an article about Argentine nuclear powered jet engine/aircraft program which later turned out be a scam by its designer (who was may be a German or a French). I can't seem to find the reference of it. (May be it was some other country?)

If anyone remembers and has the reference, please share.

I remember watching a programme on discovery about nuclear powered aircraft and it was the americans who were trying to develope a nuclear powered strategic bomber called the convair x-6. The test aircraft had a nuclear reactor fitted in the bomb bay, they thought it would be-able to stay airborne for weeks. Hope this can be of some help I think there is some more information about this on Wikipedia.

 

[SABRE]

I remember watching a programme on discovery about nuclear powered aircraft and it was the americans who were trying to develope a nuclear powered strategic bomber called the convair x-6. The test aircraft had a nuclear reactor fitted in the bomb bay, they thought it would be-able to stay airborne for weeks. Hope this can be of some help I think there is some more information about this on Wikipedia.

No. I know about the American project and they even built a prototype (I think). The Argentine project turned out be a scam; the designer took large funds from the government and disappeared.

 

[AegisFC]

I remember watching a programme on discovery about nuclear powered aircraft and it was the americans who were trying to develope a nuclear powered strategic bomber called the convair x-6. The test aircraft had a nuclear reactor fitted in the bomb bay, they thought it would be-able to stay airborne for weeks. Hope this can be of some help I think there is some more information about this on Wikipedia.

What you are referring to was basically a B-36 with a couple reactors in it that didn't really power anything.

No. I know about the American project and they even built a prototype (I think). The Argentine project turned out be a scam; the designer took large funds from the government and disappeared.

A Google search of all the possible terms I can think of revealed nothing but this does sound interesting.

What you are talking about sounds a lot like Project Pluto, which is was a weapon that sounds something a Bond villain would come up with rather than a serious weapons project.

 

[SABRE]

A Google search of all the possible terms I can think of revealed nothing but this does sound interesting.

What you are talking about sounds a lot like Project Pluto, which is was a weapon that sounds something a Bond villain would come up with rather than a serious weapons project.

I have done google search; result is nothing. & no its no Project Pluto. I remember to have seen the info about it on the net (even on wikipedia) couple of years back.

 

[Toptob]

I remember to have seen a documentary about competing US and soviet programs to build nuclear powered jet engines. Both programs where eventually deemed unfeasible.

But I do remember that the soviets actually flew around with nuclear powered jets on a bomber. But it left a trail of radiation. Oh and most of the crew died soon after flying, or developed horrible illnesses. Now why would this be a bad idea??

For one, the nuclear engines never gave enough power to keep the plane in the air, so it needed auxilliary engines to stay airborne. Its also not a good idea to fly around in an aircraft that constantly spews out high levels of radiation, a big fat radiation plume would also be detected very easily. Proper shielding for a nuclear reactor would be waaaaay to heavy and if you dont shield it your aircrew will die!

So there are endemic problems with nuclear powered aircraft that two of the most powerfull powers that ever existed could not solve. So the Argentinians would never ever ever be able to solve these problems. I find it highly doubtfull that they even seriously considered it.