If it looks right, it'll fly right.
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If it looks right, it'll fly right.
Reading the thread regarding sounds that will be missed and noting that most are sounds of older aeroplanes. I started wondering if we were now in an aural and visual desert as far as military aeroplane design goes.
Looking back over the brief history of aviation, it does seem that the golden age of aeroplane design stretched a mere 30-40 years from the early 30's to the late 60's.
Unfortunately modern aeroplanes are designed by computer programmes and wind tunnel's. No longer does the graceful flick of the draughtsman's pencil add the right touch to a wing tip or a rudders sweeping curve.
Likewise engine development has meant that even aircraft that are designed to be prop driven, now end up with a soulless turboprop.
So with the advent of UAV's and generic designs being turned out by CAD design and wind tunnels etc.... Have we seen the peak of stunning military aeroplanes? Will the Spitfire and Hunter remain the most beautiful and graceful examples of their type? Will the Phantom and FW-190 remain as the most brutal yet stunning looking fighters of their times? And will the Hawker Fury remain the prettiest fighter ever made?
Even the new Typhoon cannot be said to be special and the future F-35 is just pig ugly.
I realise that there are many reasons for each and every line and edge on a modern design but I think it is a shame that none of the aircraft of the past few years will be hailed as classics of design in years to come.
I realise that this is not an important topic, more of a Friday discussion perhaps.
Looking back over the brief history of aviation, it does seem that the golden age of aeroplane design stretched a mere 30-40 years from the early 30's to the late 60's.
Unfortunately modern aeroplanes are designed by computer programmes and wind tunnel's. No longer does the graceful flick of the draughtsman's pencil add the right touch to a wing tip or a rudders sweeping curve.
Likewise engine development has meant that even aircraft that are designed to be prop driven, now end up with a soulless turboprop.
So with the advent of UAV's and generic designs being turned out by CAD design and wind tunnels etc.... Have we seen the peak of stunning military aeroplanes? Will the Spitfire and Hunter remain the most beautiful and graceful examples of their type? Will the Phantom and FW-190 remain as the most brutal yet stunning looking fighters of their times? And will the Hawker Fury remain the prettiest fighter ever made?
Even the new Typhoon cannot be said to be special and the future F-35 is just pig ugly.
I realise that there are many reasons for each and every line and edge on a modern design but I think it is a shame that none of the aircraft of the past few years will be hailed as classics of design in years to come.
I realise that this is not an important topic, more of a Friday discussion perhaps.
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even aircraft that are designed to be prop driven, now end up with a soulless turboprop.
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Well the F-35 is not the best looking aircraft to grace the skies but it's hardly pig ugly. Imangine if Boeing had won the contract with the X-32. That is a strange and ugly looking aircraft.
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Dat581,
Couldn't agree more re. the X-32, one would be embarassed to be anywhere near it.
'If it looks right it flies right' - anyone hearing that phrase will instantly think ' Hunter '.
I work at a museum where there's one, and even people completely unassociated with aircraft stop and say " that is beautiful ! "...
Shame it was a cow to work on, but I have to say the most graceful ( rather than power-impressive ) display of flying I'm ever likely to see was a FRADU bloke over the Somerset levels.
He was just enjoying himself taking up the sky, and I may well have been the only aircraft type to see it - a treat unlikely to come again.
For a grin and the sound of a Merlin, try a well known site called something beginning with ' You ', dial in 'Low Spitfire Pass' and turn up the volume, as long as there are no ladies present !
Couldn't agree more re. the X-32, one would be embarassed to be anywhere near it.
'If it looks right it flies right' - anyone hearing that phrase will instantly think ' Hunter '.
I work at a museum where there's one, and even people completely unassociated with aircraft stop and say " that is beautiful ! "...
Shame it was a cow to work on, but I have to say the most graceful ( rather than power-impressive ) display of flying I'm ever likely to see was a FRADU bloke over the Somerset levels.
He was just enjoying himself taking up the sky, and I may well have been the only aircraft type to see it - a treat unlikely to come again.
For a grin and the sound of a Merlin, try a well known site called something beginning with ' You ', dial in 'Low Spitfire Pass' and turn up the volume, as long as there are no ladies present !
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Powerful Growl
For prop-nostalgics, the sound of Tynes pulling a Transall through the air at low level is a welcome growl - but you have to live near the Pyrenees to hear it (which is alright too) ...
sounds right too
1.3V stall you are so right - but not only did the Hunter look right but sounded right too. The noise it made doing a low level pass at say 300 knots was unmistakeable and unforgettable.
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[QUOTE'If it looks right it flies right' - anyone hearing that phrase will instantly think ' Hunter '.
][/QUOTE]
...or perhaps we will think: Sir Sydney Camm (of Hawker aircraft IIRC) who actually said this.
Concorde: The most elegant piece of metalwork to ever grace the skies.
][/QUOTE]
...or perhaps we will think: Sir Sydney Camm (of Hawker aircraft IIRC) who actually said this.
Concorde: The most elegant piece of metalwork to ever grace the skies.
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Looking at another thread with a few lovely pic's on it. The F-15 and thinking about it the Sukhoi SU27 are probably the last of the few 'right' looking military aircraft developed.
Any others?
Any others?
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If you insist Albert
