originally posted by cc45 ...
The VS weighed about 1800 kg and had an area of 53 m^2.
I am mindful of a
video showing the recovery of the V/S. The rudder is clearly jammed at around 30 degrees to starboard, which is consistent with the V/S initially being propelled off its clevis joints in a forward and to port motion. It will have "belly-flopped" into the water on its port side and the rudder will possibly have been rammed over to starboard at that point.
The torn off fuselage skin on the starboard forward side will also have had a part to play and I believe the V/S was moving through the water along a line drawn through the fuselage skin piece to the top and aft end of the rudder, i.e. with the rudder leading the way. On top of that the V/S including the rudder is a large and light aerofoil (8.5m [base] 9.3m [high]), which in this case will not take much wind to get it moving and it will "sail" along quite nicely. The effective waterline length was around 13m (LOA 15m), with the top of the V/S pitched up a few degrees, and the hydro-dynamic drag would not have been high as the base was open to ribs #2 & #3 and didn't present a solid bulkhead.
We don't need the "fat lady to sing" - and hopefully never!
mm43