Rehashing old concepts with new technology

[Mossie]

That's a good point, surely the ultimate STOL aircraft is possible with todays technology, something with the short field performance of a Lizzie or even a Storch but modern ultra light materials?

[Daryl J.]

OK, given what's been mentioned above:  How 'bout this---->


Composite winged Curtiss Jenny with extended span, external gear driven supercharger, intercooler for high altitude operations. Little interplane rigging apparent.    Also equipped with Marconi's Radiolocation device for the aft cockpit, but the front cockpit is fully glass instrumented.  The antenna, rather than being a Yagi style arrangement, consists of a dozen or so strung wires arranged similar to the old wing-warp machines.  Since a nose gear arrangement is easier to deal with on the ground, the machine also gets full Quadratyre set up with bicycle arrangement of wheels on the port and starboard struts with skids extending forward to prevent noseovers.   Twin guns mounted on the top wing for balloon/Zepplin busting.   Of course, the Kevlar skin, graphite framed, helium filled gas bags are more difficult to knock down.     

Daryl J., with a pair of Lindberg Jennys on the way for this project.

[Daryl J.]

Since BMW is researching flexible materials to skin future vehicles, how about making a carbon fibre frame with articulated joints every 2-3 inches and make an internally controlled, flexible skin Taube devoid of the external rigging.

If automobiles are acceptable, both the VW Bug and the 1966 Corvair get direct injection, computer mapped engines featuring twin scroll turbos and a fully modern suspension not unlike the Audi Quattro to negate adverse handling problems and 80GB hard drives for MP3 uploading.   



Daryl J., waxing wierd

[deathjester]

Battleships refitted as 'sea control' ships, with uav launch/ recovery facilities where the aft turrets were, vls cells, and radar/laser/gps guided 16 inch shells for the main guns-95% hit probability for the first shot, from about two miles away!

[Hobbes]

If automobiles are acceptable, both the VW Bug and the 1966 Corvair get direct injection, computer mapped engines featuring twin scroll turbos and a fully modern suspension not unlike the Audi Quattro to negate adverse handling problems

Weird indeed. You've picked two of the least suitable subjects. Even if you install full stability control systems, having the engine hanging out the back is a huge dynamic disadvantage.
In case of the bug, turbocharging an aircooled engine has its limits, too.

[deathjester]

OH, I think it would be ok, they have aircooled turbosupercharged engines on planes, so maybe a forced air cooling system for cars?

[sotoolslinger]

Here is one I plan on building for the (unofficial) sci fi this GB . I got myself a couple of 1/48 Phantoms at the DFW Supercon. Just as I was leaving one of the dealers just gave be an entire box of kits and said "Here I will never finish these and some may have missing parts but you can use them for your whiffs". In the box are 3 complete 1/72 Catalinas.
2 of the fuselages are going to be the floats for the Phantom floatplane.

[deathjester]

Is this going to be like the convair sea dart, or an old style floatplane? And will it have retractable spats,just to complete the retro effect?!!

[sotoolslinger]

Old style. The Catalina fuselages are long enough scalorama'd to run from the horizontal stabs(which will actually attach to the floats ) almost all the way to the nose so it should only need two floats(what with the antigravity devices)

[Mossie]

Did anyone mention airships yet?  Huge airships are a staple of sci-fi and definatley do-able technology wise.  There are several companies working on the next generation of hybrid airships so it's one that we might well see.  Military wise, I can see them being used for shifting large quantities of troops & supplies in one go.  Civil wise, they can carry vast amounts of cargo & aerial cruise-ships might not be out of the question.

[deathjester]

yes, I saw one on the news not so long ago, it performed a vertical assault landing on a lake, using it's four underside mounted lift fans to give it a soft landing, and then blast it off again. Very cool as a c-130 replacement, and it seemed about the same size.

[Hobbes]

OH, I think it would be ok, they have aircooled turbosupercharged engines on planes, so maybe a forced air cooling system for cars?

You're ok as long as the turbo pressure is kept reasonable. Forced cooling is possible (in fact that combination has been used in the Porsche 917 race car), but the combination of having a. an aircooled engine b. in the back (where you get less airflow than in the front) creates extra headaches a frontengined and/or watercooled car doesn't have. Airplanes are easier to aircool because the plane always moves at high speed in cold air (i.e. at near-optimum cooling conditions). Cars have to withstand idling in a heatwave, and pulling trailers up a mountain.

[Mossie]

yes, I saw one on the news not so long ago, it performed a vertical assault landing on a lake, using it's four underside mounted lift fans to give it a soft landing, and then blast it off again. Very cool as a c-130 replacement, and it seemed about the same size.

Sounds like the Lockheed P-791.  Have you got a link?  The only video I've seen is one of it doing some take off & landings on an runway, be cool to see it on a lake.

Some hybrid airship pics:

Lockheed P-791


Vertical Airship


Waterbomber


Dynalifter


Skycat

[sotoolslinger]

Wow I never thought airships were all that till now

[deathjester]

yes,it was the Lockheed offering I saw doing the water landing-no links tho, it was a while ago on terrestrial tv.  The four big rings underneath provide individual air cushions for taxing,and also iirc provide suction to anchor it in place in strong winds!
Skycat is the British version,not sure which came first, and haven't heard anything about it for ages-definetly think we should get some of them, hell of a lot longer range than either c-130, Or c-17, and far more cargo capacity.