Commando Cody
Tiltrotor wins on speed and range, which is what the Army wanted. So why did Sikorsky bid what was likely to be a losing design? People rightfully questioned whether the X2 could be scaled up to a larger size. Defiant proved the answer is yes.
You are right regarding engines, the Honeywell engine on Defiant was going to be scaled up to provide 7500 hp each compared to the demonstrator 5000 hp, giving a total of 15000 hp, which would provide more lift. Given larger engines and more time, hitting 260 knots, matching the X2, seems plausible. Though fuel burn rate might be very high.
Raider is intriguing regarding its low max speed, it had plenty of engine. Maybe Boeing or Sikorsky figured out how to solve the problem for Defiant? But I don't see how they would have been able to significantly improve aerodynamics. So maybe improving vibration control was the solution?
Last edited by noneofyourbusiness; 15th May 2023 at 13:34.