Thanks for the link Bill. I wonder what crazy designs we'll see appear in the future!

Thanks for the detailed explanations too - both of you.
Do you know if they still use any scale (physical) models?

 

One of those earlier images reminded me of the US Stealth Bombers which could fly undetected by radar. Apparently they could absorb the radar signals:-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_Grumman_B-2_Spirit

 

yes the B-2 is very stealthy aircraft and a really expensive one to buy.

It uses special absorption paint, that reduce the reflected signals from the aircraft so it goes undetected by the radar. Also the dark grey color helps with the camouflage.

The main design feature that helps the aircraft being invisible is the flying wing design of it. flying wings are not very reflective of radar signals, its when the wing and the fuselage of the aircraft are blended to make a non conventional aircraft. most important the airplane has a lot of corners and the angles the wings make with the incoming wind makes the aircraft even less visible to the radar. Very beautiful aircraft indeed.

 

Yeah, the F117 is a similar concept. The shapes are so angular because they're designed to bounce the radar signal off in all different directions. I think the B2 does a similar thing, but by then computers were more developed so they were able to make it into a more rounded, aerodynamic shape, instead of being made flat panels.