Nord 1500 Griffon Project

[Al Belli]

Hi Bruno,

From Jane's 1976 ISBN 0-02-080670-1 :

Al Belli

[milisavljevic]

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[Al Belli]

Hi Milisavljevic,

My present finances prevent Me from any rapid advancement on the development of the airframe, but Your generous offer to design the proper pulsejet for this project is greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Al Belli

[Bruno Ogorelec]

Hi Bruno,

From Jane's 1976 ISBN 0-02-080670-1 :

Al Belli

Al, does Jane's say that such funding was against the law at the time? I am really curious about that detail because it seems too silly to have been incidental.

Griffon is such a beautiful machine. Brutal but beautiful.

[Al Belli]

Hi Bruno,

Jane's made no comment about the legality of the funding, but I doubt that any impropriety was involved, since project funding is part of the public domain process.

Al Belli

[milisavljevic]

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[Al Belli]

Hi Milisavljevic,

Thanks again for Your interest in this project. I'll keep You posted on any of My major development efforts.

Al Belli

[Bruno Ogorelec]

Hi Bruno,

Jane's made no comment about the legality of the funding, but I doubt that any impropriety was involved, since project funding is part of the public domain process.

Al Belli

Al, I have it on a very good authority, but it does not really matter. It is just one of the tiny details that looked curious. No big deal. Forget it.

However, since you display trust in the public governance, let me just suggest that the right phrase is "...supposed to be part..."

You forget that governments are never really honest. They are kept as honest as they are (which is not much) only by constant vigilance of concerned citizens.

You also forget that times and attitudes in the 1950s and 60s were quite different from what they are today. Back then, the citizens trusted the government much more than they do today. Covert operations were thus vastly simpler.

[Anthony]

Hi Bruno,

Jane's made no comment about the legality of the funding, but I doubt that any impropriety was involved, since project funding is part of the public domain process.

Al Belli

Al, I have it on a very good authority, but it does not really matter. It is just one of the tiny details that looked curious. No big deal. Forget it.

However, since you display trust in the public governance, let me just suggest that the right phrase is "...supposed to be part..."

You forget that governments are never really honest. They are kept as honest as they are (which is not much) only by constant vigilance of concerned citizens.

You also forget that times and attitudes in the 1950s and 60s were quite different from what they are today. Back then, the citizens trusted the government much more than they do today. Covert operations were thus vastly simpler.

The Cold War context allowed the goverment to do pretty much everything they wanted if they said it was good for their country. Had positive parts and downsides...

[Al Belli]

Hi Milisavljevic,

I did some rough calculations, and due to wing loading requirements, I settled on 1/6 scale for the airframe.
The engine bay I.D. will be 6", and the available length is 49".( after the intake ellipse to circular transition cone )
It will be lined with 0.011" aluminum sheet for heat shielding.
I am interested in seeing what You can design to fit into the engine bay. ( with some room for cooling airflow )
I have the machines and materials ready for construction of the engine, and look foreward to performing some thrust and fuel consumption tests.

Al Belli

[milisavljevic]

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[Al Belli]

Hi Milisavljevic,

The scale ID. at 1/6 scale is 9", but I was trying to reserve 1 1/2" per side for airframe structures. I can reduce the reserve to 3/4" if I design using some carbon fiber reinforcement; thus giving an available ID. of
7 1/2". The all-up weight is targeted at 26 pounds with a wing loading of 44 ounces / Sq. Ft. I have also considered the manufacture of an all aluminum ( inner and outer tube ) engine bay attached to a conventionally constructed airframe that will straddle the engine bay. This could bring the ID. up to 8", but I don't know if the added complexity will be worth the major amount of metalforming involved.
Augmentor intake air would be supplied by blow-in doors, that are lightly sprung shut under ambient conditions, and will open at a predetermined pressure differential. The placement of these doors will be in a position that will allow the admission of a maximum amount of airflow.

Thanks,

Al Belli

[milisavljevic]

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[Al Belli]

Hi Milisavljevic,

Fuel load is estimated at a maximum of 6 Lb., for an estimated flight time of about 5 Min. At the performance level of this model, 5 Min. should be more than sufficient to challange the pilot! I have a very experienced R/C modeler, that is an excellent pilot, who can handle an aircraft of this performance capability. I look foreward to seeing Your engine design.

Thanks,

Al Belli

[milisavljevic]

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