Idea for an unlimited racer
Thu Jan 15, 2009 1:56 am
Hey, I was thinking of taking a semi truck and putting wings on it..
No really, I was thinking about taking a T-33 and putting an R-4360 or 3350 as a pusher plane. I think it would be a cool idea to break some speed records at Reno. Maybe, I should ask Matt Jackson or someone about that. I'm a professional engineer, rebuilder and pilot, and believe it can work.
No really, I was thinking about taking a T-33 and putting an R-4360 or 3350 as a pusher plane. I think it would be a cool idea to break some speed records at Reno. Maybe, I should ask Matt Jackson or someone about that. I'm a professional engineer, rebuilder and pilot, and believe it can work.
Thu Jan 15, 2009 8:22 pm
i'm no engineer but wouldn't you have serious c.g. issue?
Thu Jan 15, 2009 8:44 pm
Well then put an R-2800 in the nose to balance everything out!brucev wrote:i'm no engineer but wouldn't you have serious c.g. issue?
Thu Jan 15, 2009 8:58 pm
How much does a J-33 weigh?
Fri Jan 16, 2009 7:31 pm
brucev wrote:i'm no engineer but wouldn't you have serious c.g. issue?
I don't think CG would be the big engineering challenge. The radial engine would have to be buried deep inside the fuselage, as far forward as possible, with a propeller shaft running out the tail. That's where the jet engine's main weight was located. However, there are plenty of other issues to deal with. Would the stock jet air intakes be able to provide enough cooling and breathing air for the radial engine? A propeller would have to be designed such that it would have sufficient ground clearance, yet provide enough "bite" to move the airplane. There's not much clearance between the T-33's rear fuselage and the ground. Some means would have to be provided for keeping the prop from hitting the ground on taxi, takeoff, and landing. There would have to be some means provided for jettisoning the propeller to allow the pilot to bail out of a stricken aircraft. Looking back at all of the failed or marginally-successful attempts at similar designs, I'd say that such a project would be quite the engineering challenge. . .
Dean the armchair aeronautical engineer wannabe
Fri Jan 16, 2009 8:07 pm
Hey Dean:
My thoughts exactly.
My thoughts exactly.
Tue Jan 27, 2009 11:27 pm
when I was a high school student I drew up an idea for an unlimited racer using a donor F-86.
1) Put a tricked out Griffon 57 V-12 in the fuselage facing aft with a long P-63 type propellor shaft running aft to the tail. (the F-86 was designed to be pushed through the air not puled by a propellor on the nose.) The propellor blades should be composite material, and with short blades that can avoid the problems that longer blades have with going supersonic. Maybe some blades taken from the Piaggio Avanti turboprop pusher that can cruise at 460 mph. stock!
2) Contra rotating propellor blades so as to minimize p-factor. Also eliminates having to "twist" the vertical fin, enlarge it or many other torque relatied mods.
3) put the radiators, oil coolers etc. in the nose inside the intake and where the 50 caliber guns formerly were. This eliminates scoops, ducts and other high drag items that are found on the Mustang and Yaks, etc.
4) Modify the ailerons so that they can be "drooped" to increase lift on take off and landings and convert the flaps to flaperons that move with aileron input for increased effectiveness and lower drag at high speeds.
5) Modify the gear to accept T-38 or other high speed wheels and tires and braking. I'm told that landing speeds for a T-38 at max allowable landing weight with flaps up is close to 200 mph.
6) Since it's not a taildragger, it can accept much higher takeoff and landing speeds. Why not chop a few feet off each wing? It has flaperons you know.
7) the airplane already has electric trim and someother niceties and because one could aggresively lighten and shorten the wing, maybe it would make sense to install a drag chute for landings.
a Heads up display so the pilot never has to look inside during the race. Or maybe some instruments with an "aural report." Hope I said that right.
9) Change the canopy out for something a lot smaller like on some of the P-51 racers.
That's all I can remember for now.
1) Put a tricked out Griffon 57 V-12 in the fuselage facing aft with a long P-63 type propellor shaft running aft to the tail. (the F-86 was designed to be pushed through the air not puled by a propellor on the nose.) The propellor blades should be composite material, and with short blades that can avoid the problems that longer blades have with going supersonic. Maybe some blades taken from the Piaggio Avanti turboprop pusher that can cruise at 460 mph. stock!
2) Contra rotating propellor blades so as to minimize p-factor. Also eliminates having to "twist" the vertical fin, enlarge it or many other torque relatied mods.
3) put the radiators, oil coolers etc. in the nose inside the intake and where the 50 caliber guns formerly were. This eliminates scoops, ducts and other high drag items that are found on the Mustang and Yaks, etc.
4) Modify the ailerons so that they can be "drooped" to increase lift on take off and landings and convert the flaps to flaperons that move with aileron input for increased effectiveness and lower drag at high speeds.
5) Modify the gear to accept T-38 or other high speed wheels and tires and braking. I'm told that landing speeds for a T-38 at max allowable landing weight with flaps up is close to 200 mph.
6) Since it's not a taildragger, it can accept much higher takeoff and landing speeds. Why not chop a few feet off each wing? It has flaperons you know.
7) the airplane already has electric trim and someother niceties and because one could aggresively lighten and shorten the wing, maybe it would make sense to install a drag chute for landings.
a Heads up display so the pilot never has to look inside during the race. Or maybe some instruments with an "aural report." Hope I said that right.
9) Change the canopy out for something a lot smaller like on some of the P-51 racers.
That's all I can remember for now.