Neil Gerace wrote:

"Pat Flannery" wrote in message
...


Back in the early days of jet engines, thought was given to simply
clustering large numbers of small jet engines to power aircraft



I think that's because not much thought was given to building large engines;
the small ones being built were quite unreliable enough.



It's a pity I can't find a drawing of this thing on the web...if you
ever see a copy of "Project Canceled"; take a gander at the Short P.17D
VTOL platform that is supposed to carry the P.17A attack plane on its
back and up to the altitude where it will leave on its mission...this
thing looks straight out of "Thunderbirds", and is powered by forty-four
RB.108 fixed lift engines, sixteen RB.108 tilting lift engines, and ten
RB.108 or RB.145 propulsion engines with 60 degree jet deflection.
One aircraft..._seventy_ jet engines... :-D

Pat