Re: Random Shot Of The The Day
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Big_Jim
That year was definitely a 'tale of two Mustangs'. Everything went perfectly for Dago, and Voodoo had the most up and down week of any racer I can remember. I think that's the prop and spinner off of Art Vance's Mustang, after Buckwheat had the prop run away during qualifying. New engine too. I have video from Saturday morning of race week when they came back from the dawn patrol test totally drenched in oil after a line came loose. And then there was the miscommunication when Race Control was messing with them as he was taxiing out for the race and they couldn't make up their mind if he was eligible or not...and ended up calling him back.
Gee Big Jim -- you got a bunch of things wrong here, if I remember events correctly -- that does not not happen very often (actually that applies to my memory too). After Voodoo ate its prop and motor a friend of Buckwheat's flew his Mustang in from Utah and loaned his prop and spinner to Voodoo for qualifying. That propless Mustang in the background is the "Mormon Mustang". After qualifying with literally minutes to spare the Mormon Mustang was made whole again and a prop borrowed from (I think) Dan Martin for the rest of the week. To add to all the drama I think this was the year that Dago was found to have a cracked nose case and associated problems. The Dago guys looked across the aisle and saw a trashed engine with a usable nose case. The rest is history!
I hope my 71 year old memory is serving me well with all this. We were spending a lot of time with the Dago folks during this period and Birgitta especially was spending a lot of time on the Dago trailer. We have a LOT of pictures of the whole business. It was fun and interesting to watch -- a LOT less fun if you were turning wrenches on any of the airplanes involved. All in all a typical Reno soap opera...
Neal
Re: Random Shot Of The The Day
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Big_Jim
A clipped-wing, Griffon Spitfire on a grass strip as the sun is coming up. There is just something 'right' about that combination.
A lot of people don’t like the square tips because it defeats the elliptical design but screw ‘em it looks the best :cool:
Re: Random Shot Of The The Day
Quote:
Originally Posted by
GRNDP51
A lot of people don’t like the square tips because it defeats the elliptical design but screw ‘em it looks the best :cool:
Looks are okay. But me being the nerd that I am, I am much I'm more interested in how it affected performance. Faster at low level in a straight line(less frontal area), better roll rate(less inertia), worse turn rate(worse wing loading, aspect ratio, and induced drag). This lines up with the same reasons the unlimiteds have been running clipped wings for all these years. And it also shows with the Sea Furies how cutting too much (and I have suspicions some of the P-39/63s had the same issue) can cause the detrimental turn rate to negate any straight line increases (especially since the faster unlimiteds are in a turn 65% of the time).
Air Fighting Development Unit at Duxford
Clipped-wing (32ft 6ins) Spitfire versus standard wing (36ft 10ins) Spitfire
The following information comes from flight trial held late in 1942.
Method of test
Two Spitfire Mk Vb aircraft were selected with as near-identical performance as could be managed, the loading and equipment carried were standard in each and the propeller, engine and finish of each aircraft were similar.
A test flight was made under maximum cruising conditions and no differences could be determined. The wing tips were then removed from one aircraft and trials were carried out, each trial being performed twice to enable the pilots to be changed. The wing tips were then replaced and removed on the other aircraft and the tests repeated.
Differences in speed were taken as relative increases or decreases owing to possible instrument inaccuracies, and position error differences with and without tips.
Readings for level speeds were taken at 10,000, 15,000, 20,000 and 25,000ft, zoom climbs were made 10,000 - 15,000ft and 20,000 - 25,000ft and dives were made with similar engine settings.
Results of Comparative Tests
Level Speed
10,000ft: In each case the clipped-wing Spitfire proved the faster by a small margin of about 5 mph.
15,000 and 20,000ft: The average results at these two heights showed that the difference in speed is not measurable.
25,000ft: The standard Spitfire is very slightly faster than the clipped-wing Spitfire.
In all level speed runs the clipped-wing Spitfire accelerated faster than the standard Spitfire.
Climb
The average difference in time during zoom climbs from 20,000 to 25,000ft was 15 seconds in favour of the standard Spitfire.
From 10,000ft to 15,000ft no differences were indicated.
Dive
In all diving tests the clipped-wing Spitfire drew away from the standard Spitfire.
Manoeuverability
At all heights to 25,000ft the rate of roll is considered improved by the removal of the wing tips.
Roll rate for a standard Spitfire was 105 degrees per second at 200mph. This was increased for the clipped-wing version to 175 degrees per second at the same speed. It should be noted that the clipped-wing version suffered the same difficulties in the rolling plane as the standard fighter as the speed of the aircraft increased.
The response to aileron movements is very quick and very crisp. Four dogfights were carried out, starting with the standard Spitfire on the tail of the clipped-wing Spitfire. On two occasions the clipped-wing Spitfire evaded so rapidly in the rolling plane that it was able to lose the standard Spitfire and reverse the positions in about 20 seconds. On the third occasion the clipped-wing Spitfire was also able to lose the standard Spitfire. The fourth occasion was at 25,000ft and the standard Spitfire was able to keep the clipped-wing Spitfire in sight.
The minimum turning circle of the clipped-wing Spitfire at 20,000ft has been increased by 55ft at 1,025ft compared with the Fw190 turning circle of 1,450ft (RAE Farnborough figures). This slight increase does not therefore detract from the fighting qualities of the aeroplane in any way, since the clipped-wing version is unlikely to be in combat with the standard Spitfire.
Take-off
No difference was detected.
Landing
No difference was detected.
General
The view downwards over the reduced wing tips is improved considerably. The strengthening of the wing by removal of the wing tips may permit higher maximum IAS to be used.
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Reno 2008 - The Grim Reaper
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The spirit of bottom gun.
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I see you. :cool:
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Re: Random Shot Of The The Day
Top secret.
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Re: Random Shot Of The The Day
Last one from me for the next 4 days, going fishing. :cool:
Battle of the titans.
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