From: skunk-works-digest-owner@mail.orst.edu To: skunk-works-digest@mail.orst.edu Subject: Skunk Works Digest V5 #588 Reply-To: skunk-works-digest@mail.orst.edu Errors-To: skunk-works-digest-owner@mail.orst.edu Precedence: bulk Skunk Works Digest Tuesday, 2 January 1996 Volume 05 : Number 588 In this issue: Re: diamonds Aurora? 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: albert.dobyns@mwbbs.com (ALBERT DOBYNS) Date: Mon, 01 Jan 96 00:12:00 -0500 Subject: Re: diamonds MS> Date: Sat, 30 Dec 1995 22:11:30 -0500 (EST) > From: Mary Shafer > Subject: Re: diamonds MS> We call them shock diamonds and they're caused by the reflection of the > shockwave in the exhaust plume at the edge of the plume. Pretty, aren't > they? Any good aerodynamics book will explain the phenomenon. They're > sort of standing shocks. I suppose that you can tell how fast the exhaust > plume is by counting the diamonds, but I've never heard anyone actually > say that this is possible or how to do it. MS> If you look at a really good photo or up close in real life (standing at > the center taxiway for the SR-71, for example), you can see that there's > actually quite a bit of structure in the plume--little diamonds inside the > big diamonds, etc. Usually by the time you see a photo of a moving plume, > scanned in, you get blobs instead of beautiful sharp-edged diamonds. MS> The phenomenon is not limited to the SR-71, by the way--I've seen it on > every plane with an afterburner. MS> Mary Shafer DoD #0362 KotFR shafer@ursa-major.spdcc.com > URL http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/People/Shafer/mary.html > Some days it don't come easy/And some days it don't come hard > Some days it don't come at all/And these are the days that never end.... Those exhaust plumes with the shock diamonds certainly are a sight to see! I don't understand how they are formed so I won't even attempt to explain them. I have noticed one thing about them that you and others may be aware of: the length between the diamonds seems to be related to the velocity of the exhaust. In the movie "X-15" there is a test of the new rocket engine. The X-15 is firmly anchored. The exhaust is being filmed from inside a bunker (or whatever those sturdy buildings are called). Anyway as the throttle is advanced, the distance between the shock diamonds lengthens. I believe Scott Crossfield was the person in the cockpit during this test. As he is reducing power, you can seen the diamonds get closer to each other. At one point all that is visible is a few flames coming out as if the "fire" is going out. Then there is an attempt to restart the engine. This is followed by a tremendous explosion that looked to me like it was powerful enough to destroy the entire plane! But the cockpit was sturdy enough to keep Mr. Crossfield alive....I don't know if he suffered any injuries at all...such as whiplash. Another good source of video on the engine test is in the documentary narrated by former tv newscaster Lloyd Dobyns (not sure if we are related). I believe the title is called "Rocket Pilots". I have seen it on the A&E channel a few times. I taped it several years ago but gave the tape a friend who sent a few rolls of undeveloped film shot at the museum in Dayton. He took a whole roll of film on their SR-71 and another roll on their YF12A. Considering the value (to me) of what he sent, I think the least I could do was send him the X-15 documentary videotape. <-AL-> - --- þ SLMR 2.1a þ Tu-144 became the first SST to fly on December 31, 1968. ------------------------------ From: "Terry Colvin" Date: Mon, 01 Jan 96 14:06:24 EST Subject: Aurora? Topic 4 Craft Identification (at nauvax.ucc.nau.edu) alt.paranet.ufo 8:23 am Jan 14, 1994 A couple of years ago while conducting work for the USFS, a friend and I were the focus of a craft with a bright light late at night. We were conducting survellance of an area northeast of Flagstaff, Arizona, when we noticed that a light in the sky was heading directly for us, getting brighter as it approached. We were positioned on top of a hill and were a bit perplexed as to what we were seeing. It made no noise as it approached and then it banked and we noted that it was composed of three bright lights in triangular form which illuminated the belly of the craft which was composed of rectangular plates, it was at this moment that we heard a low rumble as it drifted slowly off towards Chavez Pass. I have since heard of other similiar sightings in this area and wonder if this may be our Stealth I have heard so much about? - ----- message separator ----- Topic 4 Craft Identification Steve.Gresser (at f100.n1012.z9.FIDONET.ORG) alt.paranet.ufo 11:36 am Jan 16, 1994 On Jan 14, 1994 (nauvax.ucc.nau.edu) wrote: > were a bit perplexed as to what we were seeing. It made no noise as it > approached and then it banked and we noted that it was composed of.... While I don't know if that's the F-117 ("low rumble" and "drifted slowly" and "rectangular plates" is somewhat un-NightHawkish), it's very possible that it's the new Aurora, which purportedly goes at VERY high speeds and at VERY high altitudes (and therefore probably needs ablative plating like the shuttle has), and is also supposed to be able to hover and fly very slowly. But the noise level - that throws me, too! Might I ask -- what were you "survellance"-ing? Also, what day/night was this and what other reports were made? Is there a common area where this has happened (like "right over there on that hill they see them every thursday" or something)? See, I'm in Phoenix and I'd love to see what you're seeing if I can. Thanks very much, Steve - ----- message separator ----- Steve Gresser - via ParaNet node 1:104/422 INTERNET: Steve.Gresser@f100.n1012.z9.FIDONET.ORG UUCP: !scicom!paranet!User_Name Topic 4 Craft Identification Response 2 of 2 Steve.Gresser alt.paranet.ufo 11:07 am Jan 20, 1994 (at f100.n1012.z9.FIDONET.ORG) (From News system) >> it's very possible that it's the new Aurora, > doesn't sound like it. Why? >> which purportedly goes at VERY high speeds and at VERY high altitudes > yes. >>and is also supposed to be able to hover and fly very slowly. > No, it is not. It would however "fly slowly" when taking off and > landing. I beg to differ. On a number of occasions I have heard reports that the new aircraft is supposed to be able to hover. Now, if you have information more than the rest of us, PLEASE DO SHARE! If we're actually talking about two completely different aircraft, then PS (or someone, I'm not sure who offhand) was wrong and I'd like to know about it! Steve ------------------------------ End of Skunk Works Digest V5 #588 ********************************* 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. 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