From: skunk-works-digest-owner@mail.orst.edu To: skunk-works-digest@mail.orst.edu Subject: Skunk Works Digest V5 #511 Reply-To: skunk-works-digest@mail.orst.edu Errors-To: skunk-works-digest-owner@mail.orst.edu Precedence: bulk Skunk Works Digest Thursday, 16 November 1995 Volume 05 : Number 511 In this issue: Chuck©s WWW Homepage Re: MAKING TURBULENCE OBSOLETE Re: re> China Lake collectables secret testing at WSMR MMSA 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: Charles_E._Smith.wbst200@xerox.com Date: Wed, 15 Nov 1995 03:51:58 PST Subject: Chuck©s WWW Homepage Well, I got off the pot and created a homepage. Its not done yet- mind you, but it works. I wan`t to get some good links so all suggestions are welcome. Also, how can I make it better in the next version. I know the source is a little garbled, this thing was more evolution than inspiration. See me at http://www.vivanet.com/"csmith9/index.html Skunky stuff and related odors: I will be headed to Buffalo this weekend. Seems a certain flight test group is looking for analysis of an unnamed VSTOL aircraft. The Amazing Stephan has it mathed out, I will be looking at some mechanical responses to be modeled in the system. I will take the digi-camera and see if I can sqeeze off a few. Chuck ------------------------------ From: David Windle Date: Wed, 15 Nov 1995 17:03:01 Subject: Re: MAKING TURBULENCE OBSOLETE Clyde wrote: >Are they planning on changing the wing shape locally to >the sensor (i.e. distributed control)? That, if feasible, would >give a very stable platform but programming each controller to >react such that they don't buck each other would be tricky. One >could optimize them for lift, speed, or stability. That would >be very Skunky. I know UCLA and CalTech have been working on two projects using micro-flaps to cancel turbulence. One project is funded by ARPA..from memory that relates to control of the vortex from a delta wing, which is generated..so I'm told, in a very localised area on the wing's leading edge.The system integrates pressure sensors and tiny, pin head sized elecro-magnetic flaps that open and close in reponse to the onset of turbulence, thereby controling it.They believe the a/c on board computers will be able to handle the control data. They hope to be able to dispense with the tail plane of the a/c using this technology (RCS bonus score) , because by manipulating the vortecies they can control a/c movement, possibly to the point of making flat turns. The other programme is the USAF funded 'Smart Wing' which does the same thing..but on conventional wings..this is a whole can of beans, because threadlike worms of turbulence happen randomly over a wide area. To solve this one, the micro-flaps will use neural network computers so they can operate autonomously in real time. The professor I spoke to had some amazing drag reduction figures, with reduced fuel consumption etc. There's some great science going on in the USA :)..I'm always in the market to hear about more projects (End of ad !) Best D ------------------------------ From: clarence@spooky.chinalake.navy.mil (Clarence Dent) Date: Wed, 15 Nov 1995 09:38:39 -0800 Subject: Re: re> China Lake collectables >Clarence, > >>Doug, I don't know of any specialty places around here off hand, but I do >>know that occasionally programs give out decals and patches. There are a >>few people around here who have quite large collections. I'll check into >>where they got them and write back with an address. We do have a Craft >>tech center where you can get mugs and decals, but I don't know about >>patches. I'll ask them too. I'll get back to you soon. > >I'd be interested in the address also, if I could be so bold to request it. >Also the Craft Tech Center address or phone number. > > >Thanks, > >John Stone John and Doug, sorry about the wait. The guy with the largest collection has been on travel. He has collected stuff from everywhere and has been around a long time. I suspect he has 2-300 patches and decals in the display in our main hall here. In two separate wall-hanging cabinets. I did get the phone number of CraftTech here. It is 619-939-3252 and the woman to talk to is Jennifer deJarnette. There are mugs, decals, patches and other items from various programs representative of programs testing here at China Lake. She also said that they would be willing to mail orders out. You can set up the purchase details with her. If I get any more info, I will let you know. Good luck!... Clarence Dent Do you mean to tell me there are places where you _don't_ have to water every day just to keep plants alive?... ------------------------------ From: TRADER@cup.portal.com Date: Wed, 15 Nov 95 13:49:27 PST Subject: secret testing at WSMR [this was originally posted as a follow-up posting in another newsgroup. Since it deals with a skunky subject I felt I should post my reply here also.] In an earlier article, Tom Mahood wrote: >Recently, I spent some time around White Sands, and what I found did not >support the idea that anything resembling a brightly glowing orb could be >secretly flown out of there. >The layout of White Sands is that of a long rectangle, running north-south. >Right down the middle of this rectangle are the San Andreas Mountains, a >narrow range that forms a "spine" to White Sands. All 4 sides of White Sands >are bordered by significant roads Let's forget about orbs for the moment and discuss the capability of White Sands Missile Range for staging classified tests. Tom -- remember the RCS stuff you sent me on the RAMS site and RATSCAT? RAMS certainly conducts classified RCS tests of stealth aircraft and missile designs. (RAMS is a US Air Force radar cross section testing facility on the northwest part of White Sands Missile Range, just east of Skillet Knob Peak and the San Andreas Mountains, near the Rhodes Canyon Range Center.) There are several ways a classified test at WSMR can be conducted. Here are some excerpts from "WSMR Range Customers Handbook", 1993, which is marked "DISTRIBUTION LIMITED TO US GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, THEIR CONTRACTORS, AND POTENTIAL RANGE CUSTOMERS". (Yes, I got a copy under the Freedom of Information Act.) "Movement of personnel and equipment on the Range is supervised by NR-C [note: Operations Control Division] through the use of roadblocks, range patrols and evacuation notices [note: for ranchers in the surrounding area.]" "Roadblocks are manned by personnel from the Law Enforcement / Security Guard Division". Procedure for High Risk Situations "The test involves classified debris, events which reveal classified information or the external view of the object is classified and the test is located where it is difficult to ensure denial of visual access. Launch site should be chosen to deny access. Impact area should allow rapid recovery. Public may be denied access along any route." Also, in a separate FOIA case, the FOIA office at nearby Holloman AFB provided information about a "USAF HARVEST BARE site" on one of the Army WSMR maps. According to the Air Force, the HARVEST BARE (and other HARVEST designators) refer to a program that involves buildings that can be set up in remote locations, such as control towers, hangars, etc. During the Gulf War (and training exercises such as those at Nellis AFB in Nevada) small airstrips have been set up in remote desert areas, and pilots have flown off of dry lake beds. So, there is nothing to prevent the Air Force from setting up a temporary airstrip in a flat remote area of WSMR, blocking the public roads, and doing a test under the cover of darkness. Paul McGinnis / TRADER@cup.portal.com / PaulMcG@aol.com http://www.portal.com/~trader/secrecy.html ------------------------------ From: kerry@Hungerford.chch.cri.nz (Kerry Ferrand) Date: Thu, 16 Nov 1995 16:54:47 -1200 Subject: MMSA Recently in a local library I found another of those glossy "coffee table" type aviation books: Over The Horizon by Philip Handleman 1994 Airlife (UK) ISBN 1-85310-398-5 The book covers present & future advanced aircraft & concepts and has alot of those artist's conception paintings that you usually see in manufacturers advertisments along with the usual pretty photos. On pages 84-85 there is an entry entitled "MMSA:A Plane for All Missions" It describes a VTOL flying wing aircraft created by the "futurists" at the Lockheed Skunk Works. There are virtually no facts at all except that it uses a "fan-in-wing propulsion system" like that tested on the XV-5A in the 50's. The basic gist is that the airframe could be adpated for many roles hence MMSA - Multi-Mission Support Aircraft. The text also mentions a "fairly voluminous bay in the aircraft's mid-section" beyond that the rest is speculation. The illustration (looks like a computer graphic) shows a large B-2 like flying wing lifting off, gear down on the thrust of its wing-mounted jets. Its pictured in silver bare-metal and really does look like something from the 1950s. I was immediatly reminded of the SENIOR CITIZEN research by Paul McGinnis - this concept seems to almost exactly fit the bill. If such aircraft were already operational they could easily account for some of the 'flying triangle' UFO reports..although I also think some of those are rigid body LTA craft. Does anyone else have any info or references to info on the MMSA, the above book its the only place I've seen mention of it. ------------------------------ End of Skunk Works Digest V5 #511 ********************************* To subscribe to skunk-works-digest, send the command: subscribe skunk-works-digest in the body of a message to "majordomo@mail.orst.edu". If you want to subscribe something other than the account the mail is coming from, such as a local redistribution list, then append that address to the "subscribe" command; for example, to subscribe "local-skunk-works": subscribe skunk-works-digest local-skunk-works@your.domain.net To unsubscribe, send mail to the same address, with the command: unsubscribe skunk-works-digest in the body. Administrative requests, problems, and other non-list mail can be sent to either "skunk-works-digest-owner@mail.orst.edu" or, if you don't like to type a lot, "prm@mail.orst.edu A non-digest (direct mail) version of this list is also available; to subscribe to that instead, replace all instances of "skunk-works-digest" in the commands above with "skunk-works". Back issues are available for anonymous FTP from mail.orst.edu, in /pub/skunk-works/digest/vNN.nMMM (where "NN" is the volume number, and "MMM" is the issue number).