The Nuclear Powered Flying Aircraft Attack Carrier - Never Built CL-1201

Check out for more: aerospaceprojectsreview.com
Diagrams of CL-1201 by Scott Lowther
In 1969, Lockheed was tasked by the US air force to design a plane that was so big that it could carry 3000 troops, launch 22 parasite air to air jet fighters and fly for 41 days straight without landing. But it would never see the light of day, facing design challenges such as building a powerful enough nuclear reactor to how to even take off into the sky.
/ foundandexplained
Designed by Lockheed to find the upper size limit of aircraft using conventional 1969 materials and technology - This is the CL-1201, the biggest aircraft never built.
The world of the late 60s was certainly an interesting one, America that faced enemies across the globe.
While the Boeing 747 that had just taken to flight was considered for the airforce, Lockheed was put onto the track to develop something even more gargantuan. A giant city-sized flying aircraft carrier.
The project would be dupped the CL-1201, based on the aerodynamic research for the previous CL-1170 - but with extensively increased dimensions.
The airframe would measure a wingspan of 1120 feet, and be 560 feet long, giving the fuselage an interior space of 2 million cubic feet.
For such a huge plane, conventional fuel wouldn't cut it - this sucker would be nuclear powered, with the reactor system giving out a combined 1.83 gigawatts - allowing this plane to fly 41 days straight at Mach 0.8 over 16,000 feet, only having to land because the crew would run out of food and water. the crew of 475, who would be needed to maintain operations for 24/7. The reactor itself wouldn't need to be refueled for over 1000 operation hours.
You see there was actually two versions of this plane. The CL-1201-1-1 and the CL-1201-1-3. there was technically also a mystery CL-1201-1-2 but all information about it has been scrubbed - but bare with me we will get to that model later.
The CL-1201-1-1 was dubbed the Attack Aircraft Carrier. It would carry eleven fighter bombers under each wing, and two more in the fuselage hangers, for a total of 24 aircraft. the documents they are listed as the F-4 Phantoms.
It would be the command center for any military operation. The plane would also carry ten long-range attack missiles, with Lockheed not ruling out that their warheads would be nuclear-tipped. This plane would never land in enemy land, simply circling the battlefield at 30,000 feet and around 600 miles away.
As for going deep behind enemy lines, that was up to the CL-1201-1-3, or dubbed, the logistic support aircraft or LSA.
This version of the plane would be the carrier for the bulk of the mission, bringing drop troops and other equipmentMITs, or converted Boeing 707s that would fly troops and materials back and forth from the LSA. The LSA would have a fleet of five 707 MITs that would physically dock three at a time to the LSA.
In addition to the 400 troops on the LSA, there would be 150 troops on each MIT, to a combined total of 1150 troops in the mini-fleet.
But these aircraft wouldn't actually operate on their own. It would be a fleet group of a single attack aircraft carrier, and seven, Logisict support aircraft.
In total, the combined fleet would carry 3896 ground troops, 6207 tons of equipment, 30 days food and water, artillery, light aircraft and attack helicopters. Enough for a complete invasion of almost any country in the world.
While such an awesome projection of power would be invaluable for the surrounded United States, there were several major flaws with the design.
The aircraft wouldn't take off from a runway at all. It would fly vertically like a Harrier jet. The LSA would use 54 recently developed turbojet engines from the Boeing 747 to provide over 82,000 pounds of thrust. The aircraft attack version would need a staggering 182 jets to provide vertical lift. Each engine would be in clusters of 20 throughout the plane.
But you might be asking why? If this plane was designed to fly from the continental United States to take on enemies abroad and never land, why give it the ability to land vertically at all?
Above 16,000 feet, the four massive turbojet engines, each with the diameter of a Boeing 747, would powerup with the tips going supersonic.
To power all of these engines, the CL-1201 would have a nuclear fission reactor that would provide 1.83 gigawatts for all operations onboard.
To prevent radioactive material from spilling out during a crash, the reactor was designed to be shut down within 20 seconds' notice and could survive a head-on impact with a mountain traveling at 600 miles an hour.
Speaking of impact, the designers also realized that it would be susceptible to missile attacks - thus the solution was laser cannons and point defense systems to blow them out of the sky in flight.
In the end, the CL-1201 project didn't get any further thanks to its cost, and what could have been has now faded into history.

[@FoundAndExplained]

The diagrams of the CL-1201 in this video were created by Scott Lowther You can see more of his work on top-secret projects here: aerospaceprojectsreview.com

[@changingoftheguard7256]

Yeah one jet collision upon landing and you wipe out all life on Earth with radioactive material raining down. Just stick to chemtrails before you really kill everyone

[@ualuuanie]

Just curious since those fighters would be mounted below the wings how are the pilots going to mount them in mid flight?

[@tsamoka6496]

@Found And Explained Two things. First, a possible version of what the second, unknown version of this plane could be a missile carrier. Can you imagine how many missiles that thing could carry? Second, this reminds me a lot of the P-1112 Aigaion from Ace Combat 6. It's effectively a giant seaplane acting both as a airborne aircraft carrier and a cruise missile launch platform. :) Any chance of a video on how an aircraft like that could work and if we could make one fly for real? =^x^=

[@spaceman081447]

@Found And Explained You've been hanging out too much with Emmett "Doc" Brown, the eccentric scientist from "Back to the Future." Gigawatts is pronounced with a hard G, as in gift or gone or get - NOT "Jigawatts!"

[@HHB799]

this makes me want to be an engineer even more

[@antr7493]

Can you imagine if the engineers in the 50s and 60s had carbon fiber, high grade ceramics readily available ,additive manufacturing and computers with programs like autocad. Sky's the limit as far as design and inventions

[@FoundAndExplained]

They grew up watching the war, and then had a chance to go to the moon. The future for them was limitless

[@grandsome1]

The law of thermodynamics will crush your engineering dreams.

[@kingkea3451]

If you think that's nuts, imagine if they were able to produce carbon nanotubes and graphene sheets of indefinite dimensions! Heck, imagine if we could even do that *now*...

[@kingkea3451]

@@grandsome1 Sad but true... to a degree.

[@FRITZI999]

yeah, then why don´tz we build them today when we have all these Inevntions now? Cause AutCad ist just BULLSHIT - they built the SR71 and other Planes without it !!! See the coincidence?

[@ian1231100]

That thing is basically an Ace Combat superweapon in real life.

[@8bitorgy]

That's what they were going for

[@RandomTrinidadian]

Was just thinking the same thing

[@Vespuchian]

The phrase "the largest aircraft never built" immediately made me think of the _Aigaion_ flying carrier from AC6.

[@Tigermoto]

Was literally about to type that. Glad I read a few comments first.

[@M5xcs]

U mean the arsenalbird

[@hazardinc7797]

I love it when the US government considers building a fucking star destroyer.

[@michaelskywalker3089]

They have to, if enough people sign a petition!

[@griffin_5979]

Google operation starwars

[@meepfanmeepster8620]

This is the best way that Ive seen this sort of thing described

[@fl00fydragon]

You do reaize that the empire were the bad guys?

[@skooptroop3703]

@@fl00fydragon i mean the empire was a clear bad guy but some modern day governments like the us can be hard to say if they are the good guys or bad guys in certain situations... oh and the rebellion also used star destroyers at some point and so did the republic...

[@SephirothRyu]

Fun fact: Ace Combat 7's arsenal bird has TRIPLE the wingspan of this thing.

[@SpartanChief17C]

Weren’t similar designed craft used in Project Wingman?

[@SephirothRyu]

@@SpartanChief17C Only in terms of scale. The ones in PW are powered by the game's "magictanium" nuclear engines and are legitimately basically classical naval warships with wings in role. Not saying the Arsenal Birds aren't crazy like that themselves, but they are primarily flying drone carriers with a laser and some special air burst missiles. Along with the energy shield that requires power being sent to it by the magical space elevator to power. No really, space elevators are one of the most unrealistic things in sci-fi.

[@SpartanChief17C]

@@SephirothRyu on the space elevator being unrealistic: There’s a whole couple pages in the sci-fi novel “Old Man’s War” where the main characters are riding one, and discussing how it’s the most impractical way to get to space, and it’s there PURELY as a flex by the controlling Colonial government and whatnot to keep Earth in line

[@kuakmal4176]

That's what comes to my mind

[@codyneitte9801]

@@SephirothRyu cant u just see a station on the end of unimaginabley long cables slung through space at several times the speed of sound? Lol i mean 🤷🏻. Its not TOTALLY impossible 😅 in i suppose the logistics of producing enough materials would be the hardest part to work out 🤔 weve already worked out geosynchronous satelites so attaching one to a fixed point and adding some sort of maglev capsule would be feasible.

[@CGChris-]

The 1960s...when being an aerospace engineer for Lockheed was like working for Marvel comics.

[@salmonpie]

kzbin.infoFsmE9eyStaQ?feature=share

[@zkechplays2077]

@Neil Peters it is but they hide it perfectly

[@38vocan]

@@zkechplays2077 If they hide it perfectly how do you know they hide it perfectly?

[@helplmchoking]

And easy too! Got a machine of literally any kind? Want to make it awesome? Easy! Just make it 12 times the size and slap a nuclear reactor or two in there, or make it a rocket if you're more a NASA fan.

[@Professor_MemesSquad]

Wdym it still is just look at skunk works

[@Wombart67]

The CL-1201-1-2 version had an integrated flux capacitor, which used the 1.83 gigawatts from the nuclear reactor to travel back in time and destroy enemies before they could become a threat.

[@seancrandall1291]

Why do you think WW3 never happened? There's an alternate timeline out there where Lithuania conquered the whole planet.

[@h3rti785]

@@seancrandall1291 and then why do you think that ww4 never happened its because, the dolphins took of the entire planet after the lithuanians declared dolphins an awful species.

[@baroncandy3939]

This I was looking for this

[@samcoste8971]

Rumor has it it could also travel forward in time

[@salmonpie]

kzbin.infoFsmE9eyStaQ?feature=share

[@MNGLD-do2kc]

Fighter jets: "I can fire missiles from my wing!" This thing: "I can fire fighter jets from my wing that fire missiles from their wings."

[@nordicberserk]

how would the fighters be reloaded though?

[@seahydra3108]

@@nordicberserk They have a docking module for fighters on the wing.

[@kriegsjager]

next generation: we have aircrafts that deploy aircrafts from their wings which deploy aircrafts from their wing which deploy missiles from their wings.

[@xymaryai8283]

@Phagnabot gamer I think they would a sort of internal airport, the large aircraft lift in the center of the fuselage would lead down into a hangar, then they can taxi (or more likely will be towed) to the launching "hardpoints" in the wing. trying to dock upwards has been done in air, but to me it seems infeasible for f4 phantoms that tightly packed to hook themselves into a catch considering the already expansive internal space, but that is possible.

[@chasetoyama8184]

@@kriegsjager plane-ception.

[@RobintalesfighterRacing]

I remember when I was 10 or so I actually designed my own carrier plane similar to this. the main difference being that mine had more WW2 styling as I was fascinated with ww2 air combat at the time. I also designed a literal aircraft carrier with wings attached to it but we don't talk about that

[@TheHatManCole]

Hah! Bro Ive done much the same things!

[@Doggifast]

Lockheed: "Do you have a plane-carrier?" USAF: "No?" Lockheed: "Would you like to?"

[@Yautah]

Lockheed:"You know what would really piss off the navy ?" USAF:"I'm listening"

[@xymaryai8283]

@@Yautah Omg this is 100% how it went down XD

[@friendlyfire3412]

FUCK YEAH.

[@LittleMacscorner]

The sheer Audacity of even thinking this was in the realm of realistic possibility, especially in the 60's, is exactly why I am proud to be an American :D!! If you can think of it, we assume you can do it!!!! Before you make fun of us, just remember who brought you Star Trek and how much that has gone from Sci to reality!

[@alexanderlawrence7403]

Someone probably got a huge raise and a pile of coke for that ideal !

[@maddlarkin]

This, this is why you don't combine drugs and military aerospace engineering projects

[@coolminer6242]

No no, this IS why

[@S_O_U_P]

No this is actually very clever

[@sequenc9-1111]

US* military aerospace engineering projects

[@tambosnipes1652]

@@coolminer6242 exactly

[@lilcargoship6142]

this actually isn't unfeasible especially now

[@craigmoonen6206]

*Lockheed, Ace combat is calling. They want their Aigaion back.*

[@CaptRye]

Arsenal bird has entered the chat

[@quarol732]

[@0lig4rch19]

What color is it up there

[@azcatriz]

@@0lig4rch19 FUCKING ORANGE

[@steviepii]

A deep, dark blue..

[@joeclark1893]

4:22 I love how this implies the military is still considering it

[@Luizz07]

He thicc

[@rodrigonogueiramota4433]

"could carry 3000 troops" RYANAIR: I can make it carry 50.000 passengers and charge 10 euros for the toilet

[@babakane9392]

lol

[@breadboi1248]

And 15 for the stairs

[@jaxsongames7163]

Ha good one

[@ian1231100]

And 50 for the life jackets

[@ZearthGJL]

"Ryanair. It's also the name of our cheapest bread... Rye, and Air."

[@armanohaniantheblacksaturd6090]

This is not an aircraft, this is a MOTHER SHIP

[@the_phoenix__08]

😂😂

[@stephenlamb9008]

Yes and missile's would love to engage with that monstrosity.

[@brandonvelde5774]

@@stephenlamb9008 Just strap some CIWS guns to the fuselage, problem solved!

[@Leviathan-me5qd]

​@@brandonvelde5774 or more lasers

[@bigtony4930]

*Even in death, that thing is intimidating.*

[@SRDPS2]

. Strider 2 Count >

[@darkshadowmusic1802]

yes yes it is

[@puschelhornchen9484]

"What a hell of a way to die"

[@aureusknighstar2195]

"Don't worry, it'll hit on open water"

[@Salamandeer]

Gory gory what a hell of a way to die

[@SWISS-1337]

Seeing how many projects that were cancelled, that were absolutely insane like this, makes me sad that no one actually went ahead with them... Can you imagine seeing one of those flying?

[@riley8704]

"There was also a secret -2 version, but all information has been scrubbed." Oh, so it looks like they chose the 2nd option of the 3. Good to know.

[@1MoreTurn]

This

[@cliffhooper3558]

Haha. Probably not far off bud

[@spuds6423]

So, one can postulate that perhaps one was once or still in operation???🤔🤔🤔🤔

[@glaucousgrey990]

Honestly my bet would just be that the second one was designed to carry some kind of horrific nuclear payload, and so the government just went, "maybe it wouldn't be great to tell the public that we legitimately thought about building a plane with enough ordinance to crack a continent."

[@totallymady42069]

@@glaucousgrey990 What if the plane was the payload

[@TimTDM]

This concept is really cool. The 3D models are amazing. It gets better with every video. PS It’s interesting how Lockheed have so many insane ideas.

[@FoundAndExplained]

Totally agree! For every video I try to mix it up a bit and make the video better and better! Lockheed was paid a lot of money to come up with some super compelling projects

[@alexandernorman5337]

I can see why the idea wasn't thought of as crazy. The United States actually did build two flying aircraft carriers (airships though, not airplanes) in the 1920s - Akron and Macon. These must have been conceived as the spiritual successor.

[@connorcrawford4970]

You do got to admit, if you were in a potentially world ending crisis, such as the cold war, would you start thinking of insane ideas. Not like anyone would be alive to tell Lockheed it was a bad idea to build a flying aircraft carrier.

[@MZ-bl6wg]

Seems impossibly rediculous , I don’t see the reason either , they’ve played with the idea of a 787 sized aircraft with the drones under wing and that’s doable but man this thing would be so quickly shot down and cost surely upwards of $20B per jet of the stealth bomber is $2B seems we should put the insane amount into more Ford class carriers and destroyers and 5th and 6th Gen aircraft.

[@felix25ize]

@@MZ-bl6wg To take off, this giant nuclear bomber would have first need to flatten the area from which it takes off with one of the nukes it carries ^^

[@lemieux-z8933]

*"All units, destroy the Arsenal bird!"*

[@SRDPS2]

. Strider 2 Count

[@Groza_Dallocort]

Nah this is more like the P-1112 Aigaion since the Arsenal bird is unmanned

[@kabob0077]

@@Groza_Dallocort However it stores its aircraft on the underside of the wings like the Arsenal Bird.

[@Groza_Dallocort]

@@kabob0077 I do wonder how you get the pilots into the fighters though it cant be fun to sit there for a couple of hours doing nothing

[@jedispartancoolman]

@@Groza_Dallocort even the name is similar to the aigion

[@SpeltzGDZ]

When I thought it couldn’t get more insane, they pulled out the laser cannons.

[@johndoe62804]

Ace Combat fans: Hey, we've seen this one! Lockheed: What do you all mean seen this one?!

[@seancrandall1291]

Well played, sir. Well played.

[@koharumi1]

Arsenal bird flashbacks

[@Pixy44Chiper]

Aigion

[@Whopparhombus]

@@koharumi1 no, the jeff bezos gigantic drone is not the same as this one. I forgor whats the plane called but it exist and not this one.

[@nimalansri3852]

I thought I was the only one who got reminded of the arsenal bird

[@thefaithfulwisp6272]

If this existed There is going to be a pilot carrying 200 missiles with lasers on an experimental aircraft with a k/d ratio 50/1

[@jaydenmackenzie9670]

Kd ratio should not exist Cause its unbreakable lol

[@redguns.iguazu]

Stinky superfighters with our tech from belka

[@porsche-sandoesnotundersta8184]

Thats gotta be Cipher

[@officialvisaural]

T R I G G E R

[@B-enjoyer]

Gaijin please add

[@snakeplissken1754]

A modern version of this would be having hundreds of parasite drones, a drone remote control center and would be riddled with ciws in case it ever gets attacked, and probably even capable to fly into space... cause why not.

[@JewishMemeMan]

Basically the Arkbird from Ace Combat 5

[@carlcunningham7750]

@@JewishMemeMan Or the Arsenal Bird, which actually directly uses the drone fighter idea.

[@2057ram]

Wasn't the ark bird built in space

[@mamadouniadiabate447]

And also a capable to be use as a docking station for electric plane so they can recharge for long distance travel

[@justarandomtechpriest1578]

@@mamadouniadiabate447 electric planes would be highly impractical

[@Michael-zf1ko]

I'd love to see this as a flight simulator addon. Imagine if some people came up with an accurate flight model for this, and designed a plausible detailed cockpit as well. That would be insanely fun.

[@caav56]

It'd be less of a cockpit and more of an outright combat information center.

[@rakisuzuki-burke4148]

Vehicle that size, it's not a cockpit. It's a freaking bridge.

[@toddkes5890]

Plan your maneuvers in advance, as once this plane starts turning it will keep turning for a few seconds after the yoke is straight

[@GNP3WP3W]

*when he says jigawatts in stead of gigawats...* "Great Scott!"

[@cliffhooper3558]

Bloody rascists 🤣

[@duckdictator6531]

@@cliffhooper3558 I’m gonna win

[@Youtubeuser1aa]

So I knew a scientist who would say jiga instead of giga. Hey explained why and I continued to say giga

[@Squeeonline]

Takes away a lot of professionalism.

[@olympia5758]

And he pronounced 1997 as "nunny nunny seven"

[@sgtsnake8087]

Lockheed Engineer: *hits blunt* Ok hear me out

[@WlerickBigotOfficial]

Lmfao x'D

[@LittleMacscorner]

The sheer Audacity of even thinking this was in the realm of realistic possibility, especially in the 60's, is exactly why I am proud to be an American :D!! If you can think of it, we assume you can do it!!!! Before you make fun of us, just remember who brought you Star Trek and how much that has gone from Sci to reality!

[@AsrielDreemurYT653]

@@LittleMacscorner the fact you copied this word for word is making me think you’re a bot

[@LittleMacscorner]

​@@AsrielDreemurYT653 Bots don't respond back to replies and have PLENTY of time to use their AI to change what they are saying each time. Real humans are not going to re-type out the same shit over and over.

[@salmonpie]

kzbin.infoFsmE9eyStaQ?feature=share

[@jakubchmiel6211]

"A ingenious way" Me: ah, they would use the ocean, makes sense "It would take off vertically"

[@FoundAndExplained]

RIGHT?? it doesn't make sense!

[@lord_hemp]

@@FoundAndExplained well... It does. You can land anywhere that's large and open (that your forces control) without needing a massive runway. If it lands on the ocean, then why not just go with a conventional carrier? You need to be able to reach deep inland, and the VTOL capabilities give you that. Nobody has airfields that large, but there are large, flat expanses of area that can fit the carrier

[@kriegh94]

@@FoundAndExplained Do you happen to know if rocket boosters were considered? It makes more sense to me than using dozens of jet engines

[@Volvith]

@@lord_hemp Yeah, only problem was *_the thing was kinda bloody heavy._*

[@dodecahedron1]

it probably wouldn't because why would they use this behemoth as a VTOL, just using the 182 liftjets to reduce takeoff and landing distance to reasonable levels makes much more sense

[@CosmicRider007]

Can you imagine this monstrosity flying over your city, I want to know how much sound it would produce🤯🤯🤯

[@DontScareTheFish]

Sorry something big flew over and I'm now deaf :D

[@davisdf3064]

WHAT?! I CAN'T HEAR YOU!!

[@JakenTheGreat]

If you've ever actually done maintenance on jets, you'd know this air frame would be an absolute nightmare to ever work on. Beside looking cool, it's absolutely impractical

[@fasterthandragons7908]

Impracticality is my specialty.

[@RENO_K]

Hahah i can see why

[@matchesburn]

"you'd know this air frame would be an absolute nightmare to ever work on. Beside looking cool, it's absolutely impractical" Like the B-2s? Like the B-52s? Like the C-5s? The entire USAF bomber and logistical wings are made of "absolute nightmarishly impractical" aircraft to perform maintenance on. B-52s are likely about as old as the grandparents of whoever is working on them and have to have METICULOUS structural upkeep and tracking because the airframes are old and can suffer metal fatigue and stress fractures. B-2s... well, hell, they need their own climate controlled hangar to keep the RAM coatings from suffering damage and anyone that gets within 5 feet of them better have not only some of the best A&P credentials but have had enough of a background check where the FBI still visits for tea and cookies with your aunt. C-5s? Same thing as the B-52s, only with more use and having to keep on top of logistical supply and movement as well.

[@fasterthandragons7908]

@@matchesburn Can I just say this now, but I love you. Here's a heart 💜

[@gabrielmalta1962]

@@matchesburn While you are absolutely correct, just imagine all those mashed together, except they're about the size of the nieghborhood they live in, have a massive nuclear reactor inside and accompanies roughly a dozen planes that will also need maintenance. If a B-2 is impractical to keep, the CL-1201 would be downright impossible

[@johnparrish9215]

The project ended when they finally ran out of LSD.

[@wernerbro3208]

Good catch

[@A_Box]

I am missing something, when did the LSD part come into place?

[@Armadauzbekistan]

@@A_Box The entire video is LSD

[@ZeroMadeByME]

Hahaha 🤣

[@ShyneSel]

@Ban this youtube shit they were already in the air going supersonic

[@skooptroop3703]

Cant believe that the cameraman had to travel through different dimensions to one where this plane exists and one where the world is superflat...

[@StarFoxZX315]

If the Phoenix lights were indeed a CL-1201, I think it would be scarier than if they were alien technology.

[@vyros.3234]

It woud be impossible to keep something that large secret from satellites.

[@MXedits_1]

@@vyros.3234 Lol as if the average person has satellite data.

[@Professor_MemesSquad]

@Dr Julian Bashir no but Russia and China did

[@someguy4915]

@@MXedits_1 Kinda, the average person can just go to Google Maps... But back then you'd actually need to hire a satellite company to hire their services, which would be expensive. Point is that all those companies (and any foreign government) does employ 'average people' who would leak this thing within seconds... You cannot hide something that's larger than an aircraft carrier, hell we can't even hide those.

[@michaelhallahan875]

@@vyros.3234 why? they coulve built it inside and flown it at night.

[@versamax6307]

Imagine being a russian soldier, expecting an american tank brigade to cross the bridge at any moment, but you see a mountain sized aircraft drop an entire platoon and 22 jets on your position

[@mitchellhogg4627]

Better yet...imagine being the Russian pilot that took out an entire platoon AND fighter wing with a single missile

[@paulallen8109]

How did they not see such a monster on their radars??? With the size of that thing mere anti-aircraft artillery won't have to aim very well... You don't even need guided surface-to-air missiles. Imagine being so stupid to actually building this comic book superhero aircraft.

[@HP_lovecrafts_cat67]

@@paulallen8109 I am pretty sure this ain’t for rushing into enemy lines this is just for transporting troops to far off continents and it would probably just circle the battlefield at a good enough distance to deploy its planes without getting blown to pieces

[@sijenkai3928]

@@HP_lovecrafts_cat67 yes

[@xandorian8242]

@@paulallen8109 Just like the "ridiculous" idea of making a battleship but instead of heavy weapons and armor instead you put planes on it, it's an aircraft carrier, it sits out of range of all weapons and has it's fighters carry the weapons into range

[@andrewmiller4573]

I love how they envisioned this insane futuristic aircraft but thought that F4s and 707s would still be around.

[@justin-ez9km]

Technically both are still around

[@salmonpie]

kzbin.infoFsmE9eyStaQ?feature=share

[@thetman0068]

I mean we still use F-15 jets designed in the 70s and B-52 bombers built in the 60s so…

[@RoonVonBismarck]

The Korean air force still has several F-4s in operation.

[@JohnKickboxing]

Hey . . . anyone knows the purpose of nuclear reactor, as the turbo jet engines need conventional fuel to power the flying carrier ??

[@manuelcorrea8828]

Imagine if the -2 version was a stealth variation of the CL-1201 and is secretly in operation

[@hondoonaka1823]

I’m thinking the -2 version was not cancelled and was actually a source of the lights in Arizona and other states with that whole incident.

[@manuelcorrea8828]

@@hondoonaka1823 Yeah makes more sense than Aliens people thought the B-2 spirit bomber was a UFO. Now I want to be in the airforce so I can see this beast

[@TRINITY-ks6nw]

@@hondoonaka1823 Agreed

[@Black-Re4per]

I mean we always learn about experimental military technologies only after decades who knows what crazy technologies they already use I would even imagine that we already have cloaking devices

[@IshijimaKairo]

Do NOT.

[@mmmmm54321]

Approx. 50,000 to 100,000 sq feet of interior space, if given a 10 foot ceiling. This thing could have housed a whole flying facility with every feature possible

[@aislemontecristo]

I just love it when We realize that Cold War reality was crazier than any James Bond movie.

[@deltacomet5203]

Imagine actually having this be built. I would probably join just for a chance to live in a huge plane like this.

[@nqvy_4546]

Honestly the thing would probably be a huge morale boost for friendlies and a harbinger of doom for enemies. Wouldn’t be surprised if the -2 was designed for psychological warfare and bombing. Fucking thing could probably carpet bomb the entirety of Vietnam if the military wanted it to. Seeing that titanic plane wipe away a bunch of your buddies from relatively low altitude would kill any motivation you have to fight.

[@shewagdhanush1391]

@@nqvy_4546 Dude think about tax payers money.

[@TheNoobish001]

@@nqvy_4546 Cut the crap. This would be a sitting duck

[@nqvy_4546]

@@TheNoobish001 Which is why the AC-130s only fly when friendlies have air superiority.

[@TheNoobish001]

@@nqvy_4546 ac 130 only works against insurgents wearing sandles 😂.

[@bruceblackerby3742]

Back when Engineers were Engineers, didn't know the meaning of the words "it can't be done" and built things like the SR-71 with slide rules. Great presentation. In some alternate universe, the fleet is probably flying high.

[@salmonpie]

kzbin.infoFsmE9eyStaQ?feature=share

[@V8_screw_electric_cars]

Today they'd say it's not green and offends minorities so we can't make it.

[@Gan596]

@@V8_screw_electric_cars maybe one day your brain will fully develop.

[@troublesome726]

@@Gan596 Don’t hold your breath.

[@1mezion]

Now that is a true jumbo jet The fact that this was even conceived of and went to the drawing board is incredible. This sounds like a S.H.I.L.D project. Never came across this channel before but whoa what an introduction.

[@Takon_pilot]

11:43 Some tanks actually use lasers to mess up the missiles targeting sensor or just blow it up entirely. So the designers were actually on the right track for the lasers

[@Blueoriontiger]

Seconding this. In the past five years, there has been a massive upscale in the deployment of lasers for point-defense, and even the US are planning to do a test with this type of weapon on fighter jets. They were very ahead of it's time, and it wasn't an outlandish idea.

[@Alex_Guy1011]

Now i know where the P-1112 Aigaion from Ace Combat got it's inspiration.

[@infiniteadventure1032]

The designers- takes massive hit of blunt “yeah I think we can make this thing a VTOL”

[@Professor_MemesSquad]

Engineer for skunk works: *ties off and shoots up some h* Yea I think this is possible to build

[@fliedlice6985]

The morale boost from seeing this thing pass over the battlefield would be immense, let alone a battle group of 8! Talk about shock, and awe!

[@papasult11]

"Hey dude, wanna know how to piss the Navy?" "I'm listening"

[@xx_insert_cool_username_he6876]

80th like

[@salmonpie]

kzbin.infoFsmE9eyStaQ?feature=share

[@brussell639]

It's fascinating that so many serious engineers were thinking this was going to be possible to build.

[@sh4dy832]

I bet half of them were just afraid to speak the truth

[@kingkea3451]

It's probably less a matter of whether or not they *could*, but more so whether or not they could do so *practically* or *feasibly*.

[@thewanderer7642]

It absolutely could be built. It would just be insanely expensive and impractical. Whatever military advantage it might provide wasn’t worth the cost. But I have no doubt the engineers designed something that was possible. They should take this thing, shrink it down to half its size, and use it for tourism. I’d love to buy a ticket.

[@sh4dy832]

@@thewanderer7642 Do you have any mathematcal backup for your statement? Because otherwise: - Mass increases cubic to size, while material strength only increases by square - They did not have today's lightweight materials - Especially the nuclear reactor shell seems highly unlikely to ever be able to fly - airplanes create tons of turbulences. Attaching other planes to the wings like this? Very unlikely - Maintenance is a thing as well. Today's airplanes get checked thoroughly in a tight schedule. And this one should just be flying all year? - Even on ground: how would you check this beast? That would require weeks to do so and require building and destruction of custom scaffolding - Water landing of such a body isn't exactly friendly to the structural integrity. - Costs are a thing as well. Even if it could be built, they'd be an absolute waste of money. You'd buy a ticket? Well, nobody's selling, since you can't find enough people on this planet ready to pay enough to finance even one of these... But from a physical point of view, it's mainly point 1 to 3.

[@Argentvs]

@@sh4dy832 The soviets flew a nuclear reactor powered aircraft test and the US had several projects. It was possible.

[@justacameraman4900]

imagine this just carrying a bunch of a-10s and all of the a-10s firing at the same time

[@myusername3689]

Holy fucking lord.......

[@user-gn5sg9vj3i]

Better idea: Make a cannon similar to the A10 but make it the size of the plane.

[@bappoprottecandbappoattacc107]

@@user-gn5sg9vj3i it would be 30m instead of 30mm

[@user-gn5sg9vj3i]

@@bappoprottecandbappoattacc107 y e s

[@myusername3689]

@@bappoprottecandbappoattacc107 Jesus......... that’s the size of a fucking nuclear warhead lmaoooo.

[@noahezer9295]

I was imagining a scene like: Imagine, you're walking casually in the streets of New York City and this gargantuan aircraft just passing over you with its massive engines roaring into your ears. I imagine a scene like that would be similar to a Star Destroyer in Star Wars passing over a planetary capital city such as Coruscant.

[@BusterBuizel]

Strangereal called, they want their flying carriers back

[@Paul_Sergeyev]

The absurdly levels reached their limits at VTOL part...

[@u_nuub339]

8:50 "no such [airstrip] exists." there is one, where they landed the space shuttle when it returned, but that would be for later years (~20 years in the future). it could have possibly used salt flats to take off and land, provided that the equipment was cleaned when it was in flight

[@paweszymonjasinski7158]

I think they had propper airfield in one of Fast and Furious series

[@doggo_woo]

You know, with our current AI systems, I think the US could actually pull this off. Removing human error from docking and taking off would be a huge step in making this idea actually feasible.

[@jonconway912]

I would love to see something like this fly. Never used in war!!! That you’ll be bad but just heat ain’t this thing and seeing it block oh the sun like something out of star wars

[@nitroxylictv]

@@jonconway912 a commerical version of this would be epic

[@contrapasta2454]

[Arsenal Bird intensifies]

[@lelarusadze6086]

[@dehavillandcanadatwinotter9621]

@@nitroxylictv they could honestly do so much with it. It could be a hub for anything. Instead of military planes, there could be search and rescue aircraft as a mobile carrier, science and research aircraft and base, even tourism, cargo transport.

[@Khether0001]

What if they attacked this ship? Simple, it transforms into a giant robot and shoots lasers from its eyes!

[@Joshua_N-A]

Might be what Megatron should've been looking instead of stuck with Starscream.

[@gregorydefrances5336]

This gigantic robot kills!

[@luissemedo3597]

Haha, NO

[@oceanic2542]

Or just kinda deploy its aircraft since pretty much it's only option second is just take on whatever is being shot at it and looking how big it is might look like it could

[@casematecardinal]

Or just drop nuclear fallout if anyone was stupid enough to shoot it. Its basically a dmaned if you do, damned if you dont. Shoot it down and get covered in fallout or let the troops land and kill you

[@oriontheraptor8119]

I would love to hop into alternate reality where these things were made (never had to be used though) and see them performing mid air dockings at a once in a life time event at a airshow or something

[@HalNordmann]

Imagine if the Cold War was less about raw military power, and more about technology race...

[@aidensindia8914]

The thing is, with the scale they where planning on building these things on I wouldn’t be surprised if by 2021 there where a few turned into museums. It would be so cool to tour.

[@nitroxylictv]

its literally half a mile wide and a mile long lol this thing is so big it would look like its right above you even at 30,000 feet

[@phoenixtalon100]

i would love to see the modern day reimagining of this vessel. What would they change if they knew about our tech today? What would they keep, would they make it bigger? It's fascinating to imagine what it would look like if they were tasked with creating a new design for one of these today.

[@carterstoinis3397]

thats a good point..i think this plane can be made from todays techs

[@matthew9677]

Yeah, it would be space capable and designed to go invade the Martians

[@toddkes5890]

Hovercraft landing setup instead of wheels? Also change the design so the primary purpose would be carrying cargo from one location to another, where a long enough distance means this nuclear cargo plane can carry a larger cargo fraction than an ICE aircraft. It would carry Standard Shipping Containers rather than the current optimized cargo pods, so after arriving at its airport the containers could be transferred to a train yard while a second set of containers for the return trip are prepped.

[@okipullup3367]

it should be smaller but the rest is much safer and more advance, the design might change alot

[@CIoudStriker]

1.83 Gigawatts?! That almost half again the amount needed for time travel! GREAT SCOTT!

[@ReflexRL]

_One plane to rule them all,_ _One plane to find them,_ _One plane to bring them all,_ _And in the process bind them_

[@nintendo2581]

Trevor’s just gonna crash a crop duster into the back of it

[@maxos2214]

I know your channel is gonna be the legit the moment I saw it

[@FoundAndExplained]

Thanks so much for the kind words :) I really appreciate it

@@FoundAndExplained practically the new mustard

[@jeffperteet2327]

Graphene is going to make things a reality that we never could've imagined soon

[@Fw190A]

Belka: *YES*

[@kabob0077]

Estovakia: *ALL OF OUR YES!*

[@azcatriz]

#belkadidnothingwrong #burnoseatotheground

[@TsukumoEt]

Damn Belkan Witchcrafts all over again

[@BaseDeltaZero1972]

I love how the reactor could survive a direct crash into a mountain...I'm slightly more concerned about the several thousand feet of mountain it would be crashing into on it's way down. This is a superb channel. I am well pleased with my little discovery. :D

[@corb.6837]

With the technology we have to day, especially with improved technology, we can for sure build the CL-1201.

[@pilotmanpaul]

We can build many superweapons today, but its really the practicality of it.

[@ohkabomb917]

@@pilotmanpaul Right. And the costs too. I imagine this thing might even be more expensive than an aircraft carrier or at least on par. And then it just gets shot down by swarms of missiles.

[@julianm.1248]

@@ohkabomb917 exactly

[@topethermohenes7658]

@@ohkabomb917 nah same way as an aircraft carrier, this will be flying on formation with like a missile defense aircraft and tons of stealth interceptors

[@PenisMcWhirtar]

@@topethermohenes7658 Call Elon Musk - build an orbital platform for rapid deployment of space paratroopers and drones 👁 👁 👁️ 👁️ 👁 👁 👄 👄 👄 ISRAEL ALREADY HAS ONE TO BLAST CALIFORNIA WITH ITS SUPER LAZER!!!

[@ruperthart5190]

This should be available in command and conquer

[@winnerloser]

Lockheed: doing the impossible since WW2

[@Youtubeuser1aa]

Impossibly good at boondoggle.... almost as bad as boeing

[@utkarshg.bharti9714]

And that, is exactly how it controls sections of your government that you assume you elected.

[@dehavillandcanadatwinotter9621]

@Eliot Thexton technically it could work with today’s technology. But it would be incredibly expensive, you’d need to really justify the cost for this to become reality.

[@IAmTheAce5]

The feature creep of this hypothetical aircraft's specs reminds me of when I was little and thinking of 'super-planes' that can do _all_ the crazy things.

[@seanbigay1042]

Oh yeah. Along with visions of the SHIELD Helicarrier I was hearing somebody yell, "Thunderbirds are GO!!!"

[@MominEnjoyer]

"Flying aircraft carrier" Venator star destroyer: "Hold my wings"

[@redguns.iguazu]

Aigaion: *Launches Estovakian aces Strigon Team and 999 cruise missles*

[@MominEnjoyer]

@@redguns.iguazu Venator: **H A S S H I E L D S**

[@redguns.iguazu]

@@MominEnjoyer Belkan engineers on Aigaion: *inserts railgun that pierces shields*

[@infinitespace2520]

@@redguns.iguazu *That's not how the force works*

[@redguns.iguazu]

@@infinitespace2520 Fool! Belkan tech surpasses future tech!

[@michaelhallahan875]

Wow the millitary industrial complex was completely out of control in the 60s

[@danimerlyn9844]

If you really want to see something wild from the '60s, look up project acoustic Kitty. I'm so not making this up.

[@nightmarecorporation9991]

*Belkan Want to Know Your Location*

[@fasterthandragons7908]

The United States: *Do it, pussy. Invade I dare you*

[@IshijimaKairo]

I KNEW IT, BELKAN WITCHCRAFT

[@viewpoint5686]

@@fasterthandragons7908 Estovakians: Y'all mind if I *invade USA*

[@fasterthandragons7908]

@@viewpoint5686 The United States: *FUCKING DO IT THAN!* Edit: I can just feel the seething anger of the United States as it screams at these fictional nations.

[@Joshua_N-A]

Some Eruseans will try to hack it.

[@gabrielb9010]

I'm so glad that this channel exist where i can find all amazing and intresting videos

[@FoundAndExplained]

Happy to hear that!

[@gabrielb9010]

@@FoundAndExplained Also congratulations for 31,300 subscribers Nick!!

[@FoundAndExplained]

Thank you!

[@rajkamalpresentations8543]

damn this giant was ahead of its time and wouldnt it be better to built planes that can rearm planes like air refueling tankers both can do the work to expand a fighters operations

[@FoundAndExplained]

Its interesting, this one plane could have changed the way we fly completely. Imagine the engineering tech we would have got out of it in the 1970s

[@aangxazor5759]

But it's a huge target

[@JaneDoe-dg1gv]

@Zet Studios it would've had the carrying capacity for anit-missile cannons. a modern version could use railguns instead of propellant since it would be nuclear.

[@daslynnter9841]

@Zet Studios the idea of an aircraft carrier is to be out of range of the enemy, but be closer than an airfield.

[@alewkard1371]

@Zet Studios I mean, it's technically an aircraft carrier in the sky.

[@shadowthekiller4424]

As someone with megalophobia and a massive fear of airplanes as it..I would probably faint if something that big flew over me

[@tiexiaowang7939]

Sounds like something I'd draw up when first learning about air combat in middle school

[@doctorvasoline]

Okay it seemed somewhat reasonable until they got to the VTOL part. That's when it got truly insane.

[@nitroxylictv]

not impossible, just really difficult

[@zangryomani1257]

Ya. Like a nuclear powered flying aircraft carrier isn't crazy enough, now you want over 100 jumbo jet engines to take off vertically.

[@dehavillandcanadatwinotter9621]

@@zangryomani1257 imagine the fuel cost just to make this takeoff, especially in today’s economy

[@zangryomani1257]

@@dehavillandcanadatwinotter9621 Thats the point the US just steals the oil from everyone

[@Bogdan_Vader]

Yeah i think even building several 20 kilometers runways is much easier and cheaper that giving this thing a VTOL

[@dakshanbalaramesh]

This thing literally sounds like something out of Star Wars. An amazing concept, and love the video!

[@ronarmstrong835]

I hate to say this, but this platform makes more sense than a conventional aircraft carrier. I would be willing to bet that the material it takes to make one conventional sea based ACC would make three of these.

[@kingkea3451]

As soon as you mentioned laser point-defence systems, I immediately thought "Shit, they could probably actually build one of these today if they wanted to and could afford it" There's some theoretical stuff relating to cold fusion or smaller-scale fusion reactors too which could make something like this even more feasible

[@gistar22]

Two words Hypersonic Missile

[@chasetoyama8184]

God dammit, it’s the fucking Arsenal Bird.

[@manticore4952]

​@@gistar22 Laser would be faster than any missile that you could build. That's one of the reasons why they want powerful laser systems.

[@stephenlamb9008]

@@gistar22 yes 50 launched from the floor should keep that laser system busy.

[@B-enjoyer]

@@chasetoyama8184 《all aircraft takedown Big Baby Huey》

[@dathammer101]

"The biggest aircraft... never built" That got me tripping

[@tspshilt]

One thing not mentioned, which I feel like could be more useful, is the ability to dock cargo aircraft to refuel, and restock this thing while in flight. Particularly if it means they can reduce the take off weight.

[@matthewearp3642]

it was mentioned

[@kdrapertrucker]

GREAT SCOTT! 1.81 GIGGAWATTS! That's more then a delorean time machine.

[@Sitti2300]

I would take Arsenal Bird over this

[@ian1231100]

At least if it crashes or (eventually) gets shot down no one dies on board

[@SephirothRyu]

I mean, the thing basically has some sort of energy shield too, so yeah.

[@matteoaievola8643]

@@SephirothRyu and probably a hyperdrive to travel through space 😂

[@SephirothRyu]

@@matteoaievola8643 Alas, it didn't have that.

[@kabob0077]

@@SephirothRyu It did however have Helios missiles, an ungodly number of drones, and a laser.

[@huseyinonatturkglu]

Nuclear reactor, laser weapons as defence measures... Sounds like something that was used in China-US War in Fallout videogame series

[@deadeyecpt.7765]

US govt.: "Aircraft carriers are cool and all, but can we make it fly?" Lockheed engeniers:"Say no more"

[@natusMCMII]

honestly the coolest piece of aviation history I've ever heard of

[@gaugebuseck3375]

It’s crazy to think that these types of things that astonish us were thought of 60 years ago, like really, what in the world are we thinking of now

[@ziggythomas1123]

Even better... What in the world are they _hiding_ from us now? I find it unsettling to think about. I think the S.L.A.M. project is a good example of another 50's thing that was developed _(and tested!)_ and classified at the time.

[@krispykrep912]

I'd like to think that they are thinking of a carrier but in orbit. But kinetic/nuclear bombardment from space is way more practical and powerful. Maybe we'll know in a few decades after the files get declassified.

[@rolandhazuki8787]

Hence why people that time in the 60's or 70's imagine in 2020 there will be flying cars

[@BaseDeltaZero1972]

@@ziggythomas1123 S.L.A.M. really was beyond the pale, an absolute vengeance weapon worthy of Captain Ahab/Khan. We humans are a pretty unpleasant bunch sometimes. Bloody inventive though.

[@destroyer1667]

@@krispykrep912 bombardment from space is actually extremely impractical for just about anything. Only use of it would be if you're already in space anyway, so bombing another planet, but that would be kinda pointless since no other planet harbours life anyway.

[@razor_5982]

Mom, can I have the Arsenal Bird? Mom: No, we have the Arsenal Bird at home. The Arsenal Bird at home:

[@mitrooper]

Straight out of the Strangereal Universe.

[@ServantofErra]

With the advances in RDE, Stealth, Drone, and Fusion reactor technology, aircraft like this become an eventuality due to long range hypersonic cruise missiles forcing sea-born carriers out of range from their planes in a near peer contest.

[@Hobbis187]

Have you ever heard of the Phoenix lights. It Wouldn’t surprise me if we actually have this

[@Hobbis187]

So I watched the rest of the video and yes you have. Lol

[@FoundAndExplained]

I was going to say!!!

[@jackmahoff931]

we dont

[@ilias0171]

Unless this plane has anti gravity i don’t think so

[@Technichian462]

Every time I see stories like this, I am reminded of the 1950's Flying Crow Bar. One hell of a cold war weapon. Could have been a plot point in "Dr Strange Love". Cruise missile designed to 'forever' around the USSR pumping out dozens of hydrogen bombs on selected targets. Using advanced terrain following radar, traveling at mach 3+ speeds, with virtually unlimited fuel. Once it dropped all of its munitions, the Flying Crow Bar would just fly around the country at tree top level, cooking everything it flew over. Seeing as the SCRAMJET engine was being powered by an unshielded nuclear reactor. The avionics were built. The nuclear engine was built, and put on a static test and was able to produce thrust for over 10 minutes...(IIRC).

[@karmavisuals3645]

Normies: this is amazing Ace combat fans: *IS THAT AN AIGAION AND ARSENAL BIRD?*

[@pickledblowfish6178]

Plot twist. AC fans ARE normies.

[@lucf1431]

@@pickledblowfish6178 What about you clear your head, in solitary.

[@pleaseenteranamelol711]

whats the difference?

[@dr.zoidberg4313]

You forgot the indoor pool with sharks that shoot laser beams.

[@dB-hy6lh]

You mean sharks with frickin' laser beams attached to their heads?

[@chr0min0id]

“Don’t let them near the Agaion!” -Random parasite plane

[@kabob0077]

*Battle Of The Dead Sea intensifies*

[@wolfleader17]

Move out of the way, I'm taking off!

[@Lukyan]

I'm so glad you Wendover, and Mustard exist. Please find some way to all make a collab, just for the purpose of having all of your talents and input in one video.

[@Then.72]

Nations wouldn't allow Concorde to fly over because of the sonic boom and nations wouldn't allow this to fly over in case of a crash

[@Then.72]

@Charles Gnarley so you think the USA would become the dark empire and piss the world off? even its allies too?

[@Then.72]

@Charles Gnarley military movement is understandable but civilian complaints cause major problems with their governments. It would all depend on the flight path of the aircraft but as a cold war jet it would be ideal as It would probably be passing across both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans

[@Then.72]

@Charles Gnarley yes during all out war a nation doesn't think about others just victory but during a cold war they do because it's a political war

[@Only_God_Is_Allah_SWT]

Actually, they are developing the sonic boom less engines today. It could go supersonic, hypersonic and without the boom in the near future.

[@the_phoenix__08]

@Charles Gnarley well I don't get why USA feels so insecure tht u need to spend billions on developing weapons. Disarmament doesn't have a meaning only right. But I don't care coz surely this wages war but creates such beasts machines and higher engineering achievements

[@duracell1battery]

Holy shit, it is like a aircraft carrier, nuclear submarine, and plane mixed together.

[@kasparvg]

This is the closest we have ever been to building a star destroyer.

[@matthew9677]

Yet

[@vgames1543]

Okay, this channel is amazing, especially with featuring such overkill projects that really excite me. Subscribed.

[@FoundAndExplained]

:)

[@mattiavenator9931]

Engineers: "see this project" Also engineers: *now i've seen everything* Anyway, great video!

[@moxxie7262]

Engineer Gaming

[@OnxGrid]

Engineer gaming