WHAT IS THE BEST SPEED AND MINIMUM ALTITUDE FOR LOOPING A LANCASTER?

[RODBUSTR]

     I have seen this done several times. "BHAWK51" seems quite good at It" and would like to learn, but I am sure that there is a minimum speed and going to fast  could cause structural damage.  Also what is the minimum altitude to start the maneuver? And  what is the maximum payload or gross plane weight limits?      Maybe this should go in the wishlist category , but maybe the lancs could get rocket engines and ray guns too.  Thanks,   

[DaveBB]

A pilot on this board once mentioned that 4 Gs was about the minimum to loop an aircraft.  But if you think about it, all you need is to be above stall speed at the top of the loop, because as soon as your nose is pointing down, you won't even need engine thrust.  Gravity will do the rest.

[Zimme83]

a lanc takes 14.000 lbs of ords and a LOT of fuel. W 20% fuel and say 2000lbs of bombs you are quite a bit below maximum weight (nearly 30.000lbs) at that point its should be able to loop without falling apart. Not that anyone would try it irl but we are doing a lot of stuff that no one would do irl.

[FLS]

You generally need a 4g pull to return to level flight after the loop. A  3g pull to recover would make a much bigger loop and would result in higher exit speeds from the reduced drag.

You need enough entry speed to avoid stalling when inverted at the top of the loop.

You don't need to be above stall speed because "stall speed" is your 1g stall speed and you can fly at less than 1g at the top of the loop.

Most aircraft can be looped as long as the max load factor is not exceeded.

If you film someone doing it you can see their speeds in your film viewer.

[DaveBB]

Tested it offline. The lanc loops very easily.  Starts creaking and groaning at 2.5 Gs though.  If you stall at the top of the loop, the plane loses lateral stability.  The minimum altitude/airspeed combo that I was able to achieve was 2000 feet and 220ias with a full bombload.  280ias is much better though, along with 5000 feet.  But watch your G-meter and airspeed.  As soon as your airspeed drops below 120, pop full flaps. When your nose is headed back towards terra firma, pull the throttles back to idle.  The biggest issue then is ripping off the wings.  Keep the Gs less than or equal to 2.5.  G-meter in the lanc is left of and slightly above the control column. I suggest zooming in on it.

[FLS]

First drop the bombs, then you can fly a tighter loop and your exit altitude won't be as low. 

[DaveBB]

Did that too.  Capable of looping at 180ias and 2000 feet.

[hitech]

One day Bob Shaw and I were trying to find Min loop speed of my RV8. The real one, not the in-game one.

We would go back and forth to see who could enter at the slowest speed. One of the tricks he taught me was once you are slightly past the vertical (about 20 degs past, make sure you have enough so it dosn't tail slide). Push stick forward to Zero G, and Let the plane take itself over the top. This prevents the plane from stalling. No load = no stall.

HiTech

[DaveBB]

One day Bob Shaw and I were trying to find Min loop speed of my RV8. The real one, not the in-game one.

We would go back and forth to see who could enter at the slowest speed. One of the tricks he taught me was once you are slightly past the vertical (about 20 degs past, make sure you have enough so it dosn't tail slide). Push stick forward to Zero G, and Let the plane take itself over the top. This prevents the plane from stalling. No load = no stall.

HiTech

Interesting, I will have to try that.  Just out of curiosity, is that the same time that you posted the picture of your RV-8 splattered in oil from negative Gs?

[hitech]

Interesting, I will have to try that.  Just out of curiosity, is that the same time that you posted the picture of your RV-8 splattered in oil from negative Gs?

No was a flight once when he was in Dallas for one of our conventions.

The oil after he pulled the joy stick out of its sockit on the down line of a hammer head was in Dayton.

[icepac]

I could swear I remember looping B17s and barnstorming hangars at the bottom of the loops in a super early version of warbirds.

[nrshida]

The oil after he pulled the joy stick out of its sockit on the down line of a hammer head was in Dayton.

Was he frantically looking for the X-key on the keyboard while he fixed it?