Favorite aircraft

[Bruno Ogorelec]

I've seen too many movie clips of rocket-powered experiments spiralling out control--I wouldn't want to be attached to one of them gone awry.

True. But, rocket technology has improved greatly over the past half a century. Blowups still happen, but they are comparatively rare. Just look at the continuing Russian operation (US-financed) to resupply the Space Station. Everything about it is positively ancient, but the whole creaking thing still works, time after time. And it is about a million times more complex than the thing that Rutan craft has strapped on its rump.

Is the PDE really Honda Civic-based? I was under the impression that the piston part was custom-built by Rotax.

[Anthony]

I've seen too many movie clips of rocket-powered experiments spiralling out control--I wouldn't want to be attached to one of them gone awry.

True. But, rocket technology has improved greatly over the past half a century. Blowups still happen, but they are comparatively rare. Just look at the continuing Russian operation (US-financed) to resupply the Space Station. Everything about it is positively ancient, but the whole creaking thing still works, time after time. And it is about a million times more complex than the thing that Rutan craft has strapped on its rump.

Is the PDE really Honda Civic-based? I was under the impression that the piston part was custom-built by Rotax.

Looks like a flat-four engine to me...

As for rockets, well, the Ariane rockets crash pretty often, and with pricey satellites inside the cargo bay...

[Viv]

I've seen too many movie clips of rocket-powered experiments spiralling out control--I wouldn't want to be attached to one of them gone awry.

True. But, rocket technology has improved greatly over the past half a century. Blowups still happen, but they are comparatively rare. Just look at the continuing Russian operation (US-financed) to resupply the Space Station. Everything about it is positively ancient, but the whole creaking thing still works, time after time. And it is about a million times more complex than the thing that Rutan craft has strapped on its rump.

Is the PDE really Honda Civic-based? I was under the impression that the piston part was custom-built by Rotax.

I dont think you mean creaking that way old mate but I will pick up on it any way:-) I prefure to think of it as good solid heavy engineering with loads of margine built in to it.

I watched something the other day about the history of the design bureus and we should remember that these projects were so high profile for the government that failure would have been very very nasty for any individuel that the failure was traced too.

I think most would have wanted to in the rocket if it exploded rather than have a knock at their door later.

I think the result was a focused design team like no other in history!

Viv

[Bruno Ogorelec]

I think most would have wanted to in the rocket if it exploded rather than have a knock at their door later. I think the result was a focused design team like no other in history!

Well, knowing a bit of history -- and having lived under Communism for about 30 years -- I don't think you can have creativity at gunpoint in the longer run. Russians had a very long run -- more than half a century of the space program. Many other factors were at play there. It was a very complex program that included internal competition etc. Prizes were high. Working conditions were excellent.

Also, Russians are not stupid. They understand human (and other) error as well as anyone else and allow for it. The Soviet society in general was much more complex than most Westerners think. One factor working in their favor was very simple and powerful: science. They had an educational and scientific machine without a parallel in history. Scientists were public heroes and elite in practical, everyday life. It gives you a very good foundation for a space program.

[yipster]

browsing my favorites i came acros this site http://www.walter-rockets.i12.com/

[steve]

Here's a few more good ones:

Rutan Pond Racer
http://www.aerofiles.com/_rutan.html

Hughes H-1
http://www.airspacemag.com/asm/mag/supp/AM03/h1rr.html

Hughes XH-17
http://avia.russian.ee/vertigo/mcdonnel_crane-r.html

[Bruno Ogorelec]

The Pond Racer looks like something that might have made a terriffic fighter in World War II with two Merlins up front.

For me, Rutan is a name to conjure with. I know of no other designer in history to have made such a great number of truly oddball designs work so incredibly well so consistently. A genius of the first water.

Just look at how easily and well his Long Eze adapted to XCOR rocket power! I can't help seeing a pulsejet in the tail of that machine.

[steve]

I just found this and had to post it. It just jooks so... evil
like something out of a bad science fiction movie.

It is truly amazing what the Russians can create when given an unlimited budget!

http://www.airbornegrafix.com/HistoricA ... krano1.htm

[Bruno Ogorelec]

I have run into a reference to a curious aircraft that might be just the ticket for pulsejet propulsion. Namely, it looks like a big moving thrust augmenter. Ideal for our purposes. It also looks so ridiculous that I can't help loving it.

It's a Stipa Caproni. Does anyone know anything about the properties of those barrel wings? I know that the French also experimented with them (the Coleoptere jet). Maybe we could really make a breakthrough here.

[pezman]

Bruno,

There is a PDE project at Wright Patterson that uses a Long-EZ as the test platform. Maybe this os old news, but if not, I can probably dig up a reference.

[Bruno Ogorelec]

Bruno,

There is a PDE project at Wright Patterson that uses a Long-EZ as the test platform. Maybe this os old news, but if not, I can probably dig up a reference.

Yes, I've seen it. It's the one that uses a four-cylinder piston engine as the driver for four PDE tubes, right? A fascinating machine.

[larry cottrill]

It's a Stipa Caproni. Does anyone know anything about the properties of those barrel wings? I know that the French also experimented with them (the Coleoptere jet). Maybe we could really make a breakthrough here.

Here's a link pilfered from an issue of ModelFlight online magazine from a couple months ago. It's basically a ducted prop design, less efficient than a ducted fan but better than a conventional open prop. I don't remember if any claim was made for lift from the duct, but if I'd re-read the article I'm sure that would be mentioned. I just happened to remember ModelFlight had a picture of it, and went into their archives to grab the link.

http://www.seqair.com/Hangar/Zuccoli/Le ... gends.html

L Cottrill

[Bruno Ogorelec]

Larry, yes I realize the effect of the ducted fan is there, but evidently lift is generated, too. How would the Coleoptere fly otherwise?

[dynajetjerry]

The Forum members might be interested to know that one of the experimental F-84 "Thunderscreech" planes is on display at the Museum of the U. S. Air Force in Dayton. Also there is an F-85, U-2, SR-71, Wright 1908 Flyer, P-75, Kennedy's Air Force One, A-12, P-26, and hundreds of other items. How 'bout that variety?
dynajetjerry

[Al Belli]

Hi,

From Jane's research and experimental aircraft.

Al Belli