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CL-1201
	Artist's impression of the aircraft
Role	Transport
Designer	Lockheed
Status	Design study
Primary user	United States Air Force (projected)
Number built	None
Developed from	CL-1170

The Lockheed CL-1201 was a design study by Lockheed for a large 6,000 ton nuclear-powered transport aircraft in the late 1960s. One envisioned use of the concept was as an airborne aircraft carrier.^[1]

Although the Department of Defense does not appear to have records of the study's ultimate outcome, the design itself has nonetheless been cited in several sources.^[2]^[3]

Design

The CL-1201 design project studied a nuclear-powered aircraft of extreme size, with a wingspan of 1,120 feet (340 m).^[4] Had it been built, it would have had the largest wingspan of any airplane to date,^[5] and certainly more than twice that of any aircraft of the 20th century.

The wing would be of crescent form, similar to the British Handley Page Victor V-bomber, but unlike the British design, it was tailless.

A technical drawing of the nuclear power plant to be used on the CL-1201.

Power would be derived from the heat generated by a nuclear reactor and transferred to four jet engines near the rear, where it would superheat the air passing through to provide thrust. The craft would be capable of staying airborne for long periods of time, with an estimated endurance of 41 days. At low altitudes, the jets would burn conventional aviation fuel. In order to take off, the plane required 182 additional vertical lift engines. These were similar to the engines from the Boeing 747, which was new at the time.

Two variants were studied, a logistics support aircraft and an airborne aircraft carrier. There was a rumored third variant, but information on such a model has never been made public.

The logistics support variant would have a conventional heavy transport role, carrying hundreds of troops and their equipment at once.

The airborne aircraft carrier would have carried up to 22 fighter aircraft externally and would have an internal dock capable of handling two air-to-ground shuttle transport aircraft.

Specifications

Data from Large nuclear-powered subsonic aircraft for transoceanic commerce, p.4.^[5]

General characteristics

Crew: 400–845
Length: 560 ft (170 m)
Wingspan: 1,120 ft 0 in (340 m)
Wing area: 125,204 sq ft (11,630 m²)
Aspect ratio: 10
Gross weight: 11,850,000 lb (5,375,000 kg)
Powerplant: 4 × main
Powerplant: 182 × lift-fans

Performance

Endurance: 41 days
Reactor output: 1830 megawatts
Tactical fighters carried (AAC variant): 22

References

^ ^a ^b "Never Built: CL-1201 – Found And Explained". 2021-05-01. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
^ "Lockheed's Insane Attack Carrier: The CL-1201". Mustard. 22 August 2024 – via YouTube.
^ Brewer, G.D. (1982-05-17). The Potential of Large Aircraft. AIAA 2nd International Very Large Vehicles Conference. Washington, DC. doi:10.2514/6.1982-804. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
^ "Large nuclear-powered subsonic aircraft for transoceanic commerce" (PDF). NASA (.gov). Cleveland, Ohio. November 1971. p. 4. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
^ ^a ^b Rose, Bill; Secret Projects: Flying Wings and Tailless Aircraft. Hinckley, UK: Midland Publishing, 2010. ISBN 978-1-85780-320-4.