I sure wish someone would build this (FSX).

[XLR8]

http://youtu.be/1BZGgvhqs5g

[heywooood]

http://youtu.be/1BZGgvhqs5g

it looks like the thing that Steve Austin used to check runway integrity with at the start of every episode of that ancient tv show...

gawdawfulbuttugly bird that

[ST0RM]

After the tests, Boeing drew up several design changes that actually made the jet look better, along with performance upgrades.

That would be the one I'd like to see built for FSX.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/x-32-variants.htm

[Prowler1111]

After the tests, Boeing drew up several design changes that actually made the jet look better, along with performance upgrades.

That would be the one I'd like to see built for FSX.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/x-32-variants.htm

And that´s what ultimately killed it..i remember watching a Nat Geo documentary on the competition, both sides points of view, Boeing´s model outperformed Lockheed´s in most areas (actually, critical areas) BUT when it was down to VTOL and carrier performance, they found out that the airframe had to be re-designed from a "flying body-delta combo" into a traditional wing and elevators design, and it would take like 2 years to get a flying prototype, Lockheed´s was ready, and that killed the "flying hippo". History will say, that while the F-35 does (it really does) looks WAY better, program´s escalating costs would have permitted Boeing to pursue the contract by developing the final X-35 prototype and it MAY have outperformed Lockheed´s model in production costs as well (not my words, i read these somewhere).
Anyway, lol..after the Kestrel´s extremely bad performance as an add on, i´ll stay away from "what if´s" for a period of time.

BUT it does seems, tastes and smells like someone´s "peculiar" kind of aircraft..

Best regards

Prowler

[Sundog]

The reason the Boeing design didn't make it is because the STOVL version suffered from hot gas reingestion and needed to add horizontal tails to meet the NAVAL requirements. The X-32 in it's original form for the USAF variant actually had higher performance than Lockheeds design. The redesign part wasn't really an issue, that was really just Lockheed playing politics. Afterall, the entire ATF competition was held up for a year so Lockheed Martin could redesign their YF-22 prototype when they realized what a dog their original design would have been.

Also, the shaft driven lift fan was always going to work better then Boeings as long as it didn't fail, which I think the Nat-Geo special also mentioned. I was really impressed with the X-32's single piece wing design, though.

[XLR8]

This plane is pretty in a ugly way. I love VTOL/STOL aircraft. JR Lucany built one but from my understanding its fs9 and no VC.

[PRB]

I worked for the company that lost that contract – both times! Around 1996-ish I worked for McDonnell Douglas. We, along with Boeing and Lockheed, submitted proposals for that plane. There was a big announcement, and we all gathered around the big TV to see which two companies would get to build prototypes. Lockheed and Boeing got the call. Big downer. Then in 1997 McDonnell Douglas was “absorbed” by Boeing. Then, when the announcement was made for who would get the production contract, we all gathered around the big TV again, for another disappointment!