From: skunk-works-digest-owner@mail.orst.edu To: skunk-works-digest@mail.orst.edu Subject: Skunk Works Digest V5 #498 Reply-To: skunk-works-digest@mail.orst.edu Errors-To: skunk-works-digest-owner@mail.orst.edu Precedence: bulk Skunk Works Digest Monday, 6 November 1995 Volume 05 : Number 498 In this issue: Booms & such New A-12 Print Re: Booms & such Air International, Oct. 1995 Merv Corning Lithos Very Stealth... See the end of the digest for information on subscribing to the skunk-works or skunk-works-digest mailing lists and on how to retrieve back issues. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: hsapiens@clark.net Date: Sun, 5 Nov 1995 11:34:46 -0500 (EST) Subject: Booms & such The incomparable Mary Schaeffer writes... >I've gone supersonic three time and at no time did I ever feel a damned >thing. No buffet, no nearly unbearable shaking, no nothing. Watching >those movies would convince most people that it's agonizing to go >supersonic. There's no barrier there. None. And to say there is is >intellectually dishonest, no matter how fond you are of some phrase. I have been asked to relay a question... : When you go subsonic again, don't the shock waves that you had been : generating catch up to you now that you are moving slower than they are? : Isn't there some sort of boom or buffeting after the fact? : If not, why not? - -- | $ | |---. ,---. ,---. ,---. . ,---. ,---. ,---. | "If it's not one thing, | | `---. ,---| | | | |---' | | `---. | it's two." ` ' `---' `---^ |---' ` `---' ` ' `---' | -- Unknown | hsapiens@clark.net | ------------------------------ From: ConsLaw@aol.com Date: Sun, 5 Nov 1995 14:00:46 -0500 Subject: New A-12 Print I just received an advertisement in the mail from Tangmere Aviation Art concerninga new art print featuring the A-12. It is a head-on viewpoint of the plane flying in a purple stratospheric sky. The picture is quite striking. I might buy one. It's a limited edition 600 plus 25 artist proofs. The limited edition prints are $125.00. If you are interested, Tangmere's phone number is (210) 349-8130. I have no connection to Tangmere. I thought people on the list might want to know about a new blackbird print. - Conslaw Disclaimer: The opinions expressed should be passed along so generations to come may share my wisdom. (Translated, that means I work for myself, so if anybody sued me, they wouldn't get anything anyway.) ------------------------------ From: "JOHN F. REGUS" Date: Sun, 5 Nov 1995 17:24:40 -0600 Subject: Re: Booms & such > The incomparable Mary Schaeffer writes... > > >I've gone supersonic three time and at no time did I ever feel a damned > >thing. Riding the Concorde confirms what Mary has said, which is why BA puts a "Mach Meter" on the forward bulkhead, so the pax will know they have now been supersonic. BTW its not worth a 20% surcharge on a 1st class ticket to save 5 hours to London. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + John F. Regus ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + internet: wizard@sccsi.com + internet: STRATACOM_WORLDNET@msn.com + internet: jregus@aol.com + voice : (713) 960 0045 + data : (713) 960 0015 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ------------------------------ From: Kathryn & Andreas Gehrs-Pahl Date: Sun, 5 Nov 1995 18:38:59 -0500 (EST) Subject: Air International, Oct. 1995 The latest Air International (available in the USA), Vol. 49, No. 4, October 1995 issue, has the following Skunk Works related info: Part Two of the article "In Valleys of Shadow - The Black World of Stealth" by the infamous Dr. David Baker. This time he doesn't speculate too much, and no 'Shamu', TR-3A, 'Aurora', A-17 or stealth helicopters, etc. is even mentioned -- only known systems are discussed. He actually does not even mention much about F-22, A-X/A-12 and JDAM, while ignoring other stealthy designs like F-23, JSOW, TSSAM, ACM, ASLAM, SRAM II, Tacit Rainbow and JAST/JSF altogether. As usual, I can't keep myself from pointing out the errors he made, while he was copying from Jay Miller and other sources: * the 'Super Hustler' project from (then) Convair -- not General Dynamics -- was called 'Kingfish' (originally 'Fish') -- the LMSC XQ-5 (later AQM-60A) was called 'Kingfisher'; * he calls the M-21 always A-12 (M-12 in a photo caption); * he calls the CIA MD-21 (M-21 with D-21A) program 'Senior Bowl' instead of 'Tagboard' -- the USAF program, using B-52Hs with modified D-21Bs, was called project 'Senior Bowl'; * he writes "the D-21 was never a happy traveller and caused the loss of one aircraft when it pitched forward on release and smashed through the cockpit." I was under the impression the accident happened differently -- maybe Larry Smith can comment on that; * he states "The F-117 was the first aircraft to consciously compromise the aerodynamic efficency." A bold statement, but simply wrong -- any number of mission requirements result in "compromises of aerodynamic efficency" -- always; * Lockheed's Skunk Works (together with Boeing) developed the Tier III Minus 'DarkStar' UAV, not ARPA; ARPA just ordered and paid for them; * he also writes: "Whereas earlier stealth aircraft were intruders and design emphasis was in focusing the harnessed spikes away from the longitudinal axis and off to the sides, Tier III Minus has to loiter over the battlefield for several hours. Consequently, the direction of the spikes is less important because the drone can be manoeuvred to keep the spikes away from ground radar." A statement that shows, he does not understand the design philosophy of stealth at all. The Tier III Minus design creates two radar return spikes along the longitudinal axis of the UAV, because the vehicle is supposed to fly 'along the enemy lines', presenting its (right) side with the sensors towards the (suspected) enemy radars, while loitering. Attack aircraft like the F-117A and B-2 create spikes towards the sides, because they are intended to fly head on towards the enemy radar sites. Attack aircraft can try to evade 'known' hostile radar sites, but not all of them are always known. Surveillance drones on the other hand can't evade the radar sites by flying a different way, because they have to stay in the area of those radar sites, and point their sensors at them. In both cases, the aircraft are designed so that electromagnetic energy from an enemy radar is reflected away from its source. Also, the captions of the Tier UAV pictures are messed up, attributing stealth to Tier II+ and ECM and decoys to Tier III- (but captions are usually not the author's responsibility). - -- Andreas - --- --- Andreas & Kathryn Gehrs-Pahl E-Mail: schnars@ais.org 313 West Court St. #305 or: gpahl@raptor.csc.flint.umich.edu Flint, MI 48502-1239 Tel: (810) 238-8469 WWW URL: http://www.umcc.umich.edu/~schnars/ - --- --- ------------------------------ From: JCarb26622@aol.com Date: Sun, 5 Nov 1995 22:44:45 -0500 Subject: Merv Corning Lithos A very close friend recently came across two framed lithos in her storage room. Her husband was a flight buff who passed away a few years ago. Both of these are accompanied by a registration certificate with the following information. Litho #1 " Captain Eddy", 23"X29",8/75, limited edition of 350, artist-Merv Corning, scene is a dogfight between two bi-planes. Litho #2 "The Man without Fear".26X24,6/79, limited edition of 370, artist-Merv Corning, scene is a lone English bi-plane strafing a a German airfield. I assume the Captain Eddy is Edward "Eddie" Rickenbacker but haven't a clue as to the identity of the other. Where could one inquire as to possible value and marketability of these two framed prints?. She has no interest in them and certainly would appreciate any information and advice. We are in the Las Vegas area. Thanks, Joe Carbone ------------------------------ From: Wei-Jen Su Date: Mon, 6 Nov 1995 02:51:25 -0500 (EST) Subject: Very Stealth... TOP SECRET - DESTROY AFTER READ :) I want the opinion of the following idea from the few geniuos around here... If we make a net that can emited infrared radiation (approximately 700 nm) and cover to any object...The object will become invisible to the human eyes???? Because we can not detect infrared radiation, therefore covering anything around... we will not going to see it. Therefore we can fly a really "Invisible" aircraft... Of course, the aircraft will be a piece of cake for a IR guide missile, but we can fix that later. I asked the opinion of this idea to my Physic teacher (whom is really a geniuo), he said: "It may see a black spot if the light source is behind of the object, but if the light souce is in front of the object, we will see it..." May the Force be with you Su Wei-Jen E-mail: wsu02@barney.poly.edu ------------------------------ End of Skunk Works Digest V5 #498 ********************************* To subscribe to skunk-works-digest, send the command: subscribe skunk-works-digest in the body of a message to "majordomo@mail.orst.edu". 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