Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1998 23:59:37 -0700 (PDT) From: Rauhnee Ranshanka Subject: Re: Technology in MKC mweb wrote: > Rauhnee Ranshanka wrote: > >As for the TurboKat, I am thoroughly convinced that bird > is not pure technology. A minimum of seven engines (four > of them completely retractable), likely it is really nine > (the two in front may look like air intakes, but they are > VTOL thrusters). This does bring up the point of how do > engines run with no apparent air intakes and where the ? fuel is kept (it should take a lot to keep the jet up ? as long as it does, particularly when they go into orbit). > > Well, there are some military aircraft (Mig-29 ??) that > have air intakes on top of the fuselage that open during > take-off & landing to prevent runway debris from entering > the engines. You are correct, the Su-27 Flanker, Su-30 (Two Seat, Multi-role Fighter -- Flanker upgrade #1), Su-35 (Flanker upgrade #2) all have retractable titanium grates to protect the intakes and the MiG-29 Fulcrum has above wing intakes and doors to cover the lower intakes for take off and landing, but they are not sufficient for extended flight (and close off in favor of the lower ones as soon as the nose wheel is off the ground). And the TurboKat does not have any of these extra openings (of course, with sufficient technology, the engines may not need air (Total Conversion), or the entire skin of the craft could intake sufficient air, and there are always super-efficient engines that need a lot less air (making option 2 more feasible)). > Since most VTOL aircraft use some sort of deflector to "aim" > the engine exhaust downward, it is not entirely impossible > (in the realm of cartoon physics) for the exhaust from the > 2 rear outside engines to be diverted back out through the > front yellow air intakes. At the same time VTOL is engaged, > intakes on top of the Turbokat would provide air for the 3 engines. We must disagree about redirecting the exhaust. Not even in (reasonable world) cartoon physics world this work unless you begin discussing inter-dimensional physics and /or teleportation (and that is a whole other discussion I don't mind going into). They are just too far apart (at the front of the engines and not even near the middle like the Harrier -- I'd love to see a diagram of how this could rout exhaust from near the tail to over half way up the fuselage). Take a look at a AV-8B Harrier II Plus in action (or even better, a diagram of one) for better info. There's plenty of data out there (book and net) if you care that much (including my site on next update). If I'm wrong, point me to the source of new data -- I'd like some of this too be true. > As for the fuel, well... > They get really good gas mileage! :) > Not to mention the fact that it can run off of gas from a volcano! Which brings up my pet theory that the TurboKat uses a modified Total Conversion Engine to provide thrust exhaust; anything goes in, correct exhaust goes out. This, of course, goes *way* beyond the probable technology curve for the next couple centuries in all likelihood. > >Then there is the minor point that every so often TurboKat flies > itself -- at the end of The Pastermaster Always Rings Twice when > T-Bone is out cold and Razor doesn't know it. No one is flying > but the jet pulls out of a spin and levels out, all by itself by > all appearances. > > Doesn't the new F-18 have avionics that'll do pretty much the > same thing when a pilot loses control? It is the F/A-18 Hornet and as of the last data release I have access to, no aircraft has such a system installed. There are a few aircraft (the F-117 Nighthawk primarily) that has a button the pilot must press that will position the craft flat, level and upright without any other impute, but an auto system does not yet exist in practice, and likely never will -- it's too dangerous to have your craft suddenly decide to level itself out in the middle of a dogfight (katfight?, birdfight? -- do kats actually mention a word for this?). -- ----------------- Rauhnee Ranshanka GateKat@SWATKats.Net ************************************************************************* As the first faint streaks of dawn poked over the distant hills the blast came. A vivid flash of light pierced the desert darkness and lighted up the entire countryside. It lasted but a moment or two then was gone. All eyes turned toward the spot where the bomb had exploded. They saw a big ball of furiously churning fire, smoke, sand and debris rapidly rising from the ground in huge, rolling waves. The afterglow remained for several minutes while the mushroom cloud continued to rise then drift away and apart. Then sun was still below the horizon but daylight was coming fast. Broad streaks of sunlight slanted over the mountain tops like ghostly fingers clawing at the heavens. Rumbling of the shock wave continued for nearly five minutes, bouncing back and forth from one mountain wall to another. Nevada Highways & Parks 13, no2, "Observation Shot Project", (Jun-Dec 1953): 3-16 ************************************************************************* -------------------<< Advertisement >>------------------- High bandwidth usage? No problems. http://www.astrax.com - Astra X Specialised Web Hosting ---------------------------------------------------------