Silhouette challenge
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Wales, UK
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Could well be mate!
Would you like to take the thread?
Would you like to take the thread?
Mind you, she's mine - go find your own................
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Austin, TX
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Bowlus/Burnelli Crash
buttrick and SincoTC, you have more knowledge of Burnelli than most. Email me if you're interested in helping to get Burnelli's name back into the history books and into aerospace education. I'm workin' on it.
Yes, the first glider crashed but not from a design flaw or handling properties. Ballast was loaded without being secured. The backwash from the tow plane put the glider into a porpoise motion. This sent the unsecured ballast to one corner of the glider which, of course, severely altered the center of gravity. After that the glider was doomed.
The unknown guy who placed the ballast and failed to secure it most likely carried the most guilt for the crash and the deaths. Like Bowlus, I doubt he fully recovered from this. Probably just a kid at the time too.
Yes, the first glider crashed but not from a design flaw or handling properties. Ballast was loaded without being secured. The backwash from the tow plane put the glider into a porpoise motion. This sent the unsecured ballast to one corner of the glider which, of course, severely altered the center of gravity. After that the glider was doomed.
The unknown guy who placed the ballast and failed to secure it most likely carried the most guilt for the crash and the deaths. Like Bowlus, I doubt he fully recovered from this. Probably just a kid at the time too.
Join Date: Jun 2011
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It was indeed an ugly bastard...
From 31st May 2011, 19:56 - It was indeed an ugly bastard...
The Burnelli was indeed 'different' than any other commercially accepted design. Ugly? Just a matter of perspective. Only Northrop and a few independent designers attempted to break away from the standard, inefficient tube and wing design. Only Burnelli lead the way and continued to improve his designs until his death in 1964. If you haven't already, check out this design at burnelli.com.
In fact, his last design has been compared to NASA designs of the 21st century. Rick Wood, Senior Aeronautical Engineer, NASA, Langley, used the word "striking" in a paper he wrote after stumbling onto the aircrash.org site over 10 years ago. He compared the GB-888A to the X-43B specifically but all the X-43 designs are very similar as is the latest that was tested last year, the X-51 WaveRider.
For all the advantages, e.g., twice the fuel economy, slower take offs, faster top speeds, less drag, more stability, more safety, it could be perceived as butt ugly by most and I'd still feel safer in one than in any tube and wing or the BWB. The GB-888 would our perform the BWB in almost every area just as it did with every similarly powered and sized plane of its day.
Check out the only known RC of Burnelli's 1964 supersonic airliner at the burnelli site, 1st page in. I'm workin' on it. (OK, I'm new to this so don't know how to post a picture on the page yet.)
The Burnelli was indeed 'different' than any other commercially accepted design. Ugly? Just a matter of perspective. Only Northrop and a few independent designers attempted to break away from the standard, inefficient tube and wing design. Only Burnelli lead the way and continued to improve his designs until his death in 1964. If you haven't already, check out this design at burnelli.com.
In fact, his last design has been compared to NASA designs of the 21st century. Rick Wood, Senior Aeronautical Engineer, NASA, Langley, used the word "striking" in a paper he wrote after stumbling onto the aircrash.org site over 10 years ago. He compared the GB-888A to the X-43B specifically but all the X-43 designs are very similar as is the latest that was tested last year, the X-51 WaveRider.
For all the advantages, e.g., twice the fuel economy, slower take offs, faster top speeds, less drag, more stability, more safety, it could be perceived as butt ugly by most and I'd still feel safer in one than in any tube and wing or the BWB. The GB-888 would our perform the BWB in almost every area just as it did with every similarly powered and sized plane of its day.
Check out the only known RC of Burnelli's 1964 supersonic airliner at the burnelli site, 1st page in. I'm workin' on it. (OK, I'm new to this so don't know how to post a picture on the page yet.)
Thanks Ken.
Interesting info mate. Might be best if you start a thread on the subject? It is history and nostalgic. Your site sounds good but a link would be useful.
Should have scrounged around for a Burnelli design, but this will have to do....
(OK, I'm new to this so don't know how to post a picture on the page yet.)
Should have scrounged around for a Burnelli design, but this will have to do....
Join Date: Feb 2011
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Graeme, there was a passing mention of a "burnelli.com" ( http://www.burnelli.com ) site in Pope's post.
I gave it a cursory look and it seems very weel done.
I've always liked out-of-the-box thinking and designs, but I wonder... when a design which is supposedly this good is never translated into reality then there might just be something wrong with it... As of now, I can think of nothing.
We'll see if Boeing will finally accomplish that... I, for one, am curious about it
I gave it a cursory look and it seems very weel done.
I've always liked out-of-the-box thinking and designs, but I wonder... when a design which is supposedly this good is never translated into reality then there might just be something wrong with it... As of now, I can think of nothing.
We'll see if Boeing will finally accomplish that... I, for one, am curious about it
Thanks HP...
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...Loening Air Yacht?
(cockpit part doesn't seem right though)
Edit: I mean Loening OL-8, "air yacht" can be confusing
Edit^2: on nth thought I think it's the OL-9...
Recent image by armyjunk1 on Photobucket
...but you left the machine gun out!
(cockpit part doesn't seem right though)
Edit: I mean Loening OL-8, "air yacht" can be confusing
Edit^2: on nth thought I think it's the OL-9...
Recent image by armyjunk1 on Photobucket
...but you left the machine gun out!