Double "Ponie"

[Debrody]

Wondering if there was any connection between the Twin mustang and this concept from '42:

[Cthulhu]

Actually they didn't.  The problem was solved by the same guy working on propeller mach flow problems.

I am not sure how much design work you do but in my design days we call it a design error.

You're referring to John Stack at Langley who helped identify the cause of the problem.
And where would you do this illustrious design work Randy?

[GScholz]

That was also my impression.  So far as I know, F-82, like the other WWII planes, had no autopilot.  Hand-flying twelve hour missions in a fighter plane would tax the stamina of anyone.

- oldman

Why didn't it have an autopilot? There were other aircraft that had autopilots, like the C1 in the B-17. Some single engines aircraft had autopilots too; like the long range reconnaissance-bomber versions of the 109G and some G-series 190s for example. They had to sacrifice their cowl-armament to fit these electro-mechanical autopilots though.

[Randy1]

And where would you do this illustrious design work Randy?

Designing nuclear power plants.

[Cthulhu]

Designing nuclear power plants.

You must have a lot of free time on your hands then.

Regarding the "design flaw", had every other contemporary fighter been designed with an all flying tail (the best known solution to the compressibility problem at the time), then I would agree that Lockheed was negligent in not designing around the problem. But the problem was barely understood in 1941, and the P-38, because of it's clean airframe, got to "take point" out on the leading edge of the problem. Without benefit of a time machine to see into the future, they and the other manufacturers did the best they could.

I agree with you that some mishaps are entirely due to design flaws. Years ago I did a lot of the stress analysis for the RCC nosecap, chin panel, and leading edge panels on the shuttle. RCC with a silicon carbide coating to prevent oxidation is amazing stuff. It's able to shrug off aerodynamic loads @ 3000 degrees F with ease. But it ain't worth a damn when you smack it with foam insulation going 400 mph at room temperature. NASA was aware of the problem and decided to ignore it. Just like the famous O-ring leakage, THAT was a design flaw, albeit one driven by bureaucratic pressure to fly no matter what.

[earl1937]

The F-82 is not even listed in the records.

ANT-25 flew from From Moscow to San Jacinto, California, USA in July 1937, 11,500 km/7,100 mi
Two British Vickers Wellesley bombers which flew from Egypt to Australia in November 1938, 11,523.9 km/7,160.6 mi

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_distance_record

I think it was only a Air Force record and I am not sure of that, but the flight is well documented in aviation circles.

[Puma44]

That was also my impression.  So far as I know, F-82, like the other WWII planes, had no autopilot.  Hand-flying twelve hour missions in a fighter plane would tax the stamina of anyone.

- oldman

We did a 12.6 flight one hot August night.  Most of it hand flown by yours truly. Lots of AR along the way, towering CUs, a very unreliable auto pilot, and a back seater with a photographic memory, great radar/computer skills, but hands that just couldn't hold the Rhino still for very long.

[mbailey]

Since the F4 Phantom was already mentioned a picture is called for.
(Image removed from quote.)
The fighter plane of my youth
(Image removed from quote.)

Just beautiful (the Phantom not u Rich  )....by far my fav ac of all time

[morfiend]

We did a 12.6 flight one hot August night.  Most of it hand flown by yours truly. Lots of AR along the way, towering CUs, a very unreliable auto pilot, and a back seater with a photographic memory, great radar/computer skills, but hands that just couldn't hold the Rhino still for very long.

(Image removed from quote.)

(Image removed from quote.)

  I can see it now..... REO take over I need a break,12 seconds later,I dont need a break that bad!




   

[earl1937]

Just beautiful (the Phantom not u Rich  )....by far my fav ac of all time

I guess everybody has seen the "Blue Angels" Navy aerobatic team by now. They were the most impressive and put on the best show when they were flying the F4F Phantoms!

[Puma44]

  I can see it now..... REO take over I need a break,12 seconds later,I dont need a break that bad!




   

Zackly, Morf!  Except, it didn't quite take 12 seconds.  The poor guy felt bad that he couldn't help out more.  He just wasn't used to the pitch sensitivity of the stab at our cruise altitude. 

[Randy1]

You must have a lot of free time on your hands then.

Retired.

Several new ones in the works.  Built like the Japanese build theirs.

[PJ_Godzilla]

To be sited where? I can't imagine them being permitted in the us anymore - it's impossible to permit a new refinery even, here. We're in the midst of a bit of a Luddite period here.

[Cthulhu]

To be sited where? I can't imagine them being permitted in the us anymore - it's impossible to permit a new refinery even, here. We're in the midst of a bit of a Luddite period here.

Luddite DECADES is more like it. I'm 57. I remember all the exciting technological promises of my youth. Space travel, hypersonic flight, deep sea exploration, nuclear power. Where is it? After half a century I expected a Hell of a lot more than Justin Beiber, Twitter, and an explosion in Bariatric medicine. We're not mere Luddites. We're actually going backwards.

[Randy1]

To be sited where? I can't imagine them being permitted in the us anymore - it's impossible to permit a new refinery even, here. We're in the midst of a bit of a Luddite period here.

http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactors/col/new-reactor-map.html