Drag

[flybikefarm]

Very interesting need to watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftq8jTQ8ANE

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Drag

Think about that! On a gross level, the drag from the 4 tail wires would be about the same as an aft wing strut!
Hank

[Pearson]

Re: Drag

That was the most I have been amazed since the cow jumped over the moon.

[M Towsley]

Re: Drag

Wow......amazinng. Thanks for sharing.

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Drag

We did that at Mt. Union College ( now a University) Dr. C.J. Rodman had a 6 in Wind Tunnel that he used for Propeller experiments back in the 20's . WE used it for airfoils in the 60's .
THEN I found out about sticking a test rig WAY up on the hood-roof of a 1955 Ford. We used 70 mph , Burt Rutan later did the same usually wide open on an old vehicle he had ( i think a truck) . "Necessity is the Mother of Invention."
Yes , the drag does increase by the square of the speed.
Hank , Terry & you other aerodynamic folks jump in there. Tell us about free-air and enclosed & Reynolds (sp) numbers....

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Drag

Actually, for all of those interested in "old school" technology there is already a thread in the Aerodrome Forum dedicated to it. We are mostly WW-I fans there but the Taylorcraft is pretty close in performance to the late WW-I top of the line fighters.
You can join the discussion at

http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/replica-aircraft/50275-tecnical-talk-aerodynamics-structures-such.html

Hank

Given a choice of mounts to fly, I am betting I could have done pretty well with a Taylorcraft with a Browning MG strapped to each strut in WW-I. Sure would have looked strange!

[Mark Julicher]

Re: Drag

http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/replica-aircraft/50275-tecnical-talk-aerodynamics-structures-such.html

OK I registered at theaerodrome AAAGH! Information overload. Now through the wonder of the internet I'm connected to hundreds of kindred spirits with the same disease!!

I spent way too many dusty hours in the Tech library at Wright Patt AFB as well as my university - which indeed did have all the NACA reports on the shelf.... hours of techno stuff to fed the inquiring aerodynamic mind.
Hank

Given a choice of mounts to fly, I am betting I could have done pretty well with a Taylorcraft with a Browning MG strapped to each strut in WW-I. Sure would have looked strange![/QUOTE]

Remember when the old advertising brochures compared the Citabria to the Fokker triplane??? They were nearly an exact performance match EXCEPT for three things, the visibility, the fuel consumption, and guns.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Drag

I would abide by "Dicta Boelcke" and use my speed, reliability and altitude advantage to beat his maneuverability advantage.
Dive in from above for one pass then run away. If I am not sure I can get him in the first pass, look for more vulnerable prey.
Hank