Picture of the Day - Miscellaneous (10 Viewers)

[MIflyer]

Because its basically a version of a 737, and they don't have MLG doors, never did.

Probably kept falling off, huh?

 

[cammerjeff]

A new type to my eyes, but I love me an old Convair!

Convair NC-131H Samaritan - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Zippythehog]

A new type to my eyes, but I love me an old Convair!
View attachment 815023

Convair NC-131H Samaritan - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Weird. Looks like a goiter or a ganglion cyst.

Either that or something like,
"Bronco 123, keep your speed up-break-Convair 321, take your minimum approach speed, you're following an OV-10 on final. You're 30 knots faster."

I bet you really have to pay attention to an out of CG condition.

 

[MIflyer]

That T-29 obviously was modified by Calspan to be a control configured aircraft. The company previously had modified a A-26 with computers that enabled it to be programmed to fly like just about anything; a friend of mine was killed in it in 1981 when a wing came off. I understand that the A-26 was to be replaced by a modified Learjet but I think that T-29 was modified for a different program before that.

 

[cammerjeff]

I agree, the extra stabilizers on the wings is really odd to my eyes, and it looks like they permanently closed the left forward entrance door and added external stiffeners like a Bf109-F2?

 

[SaparotRob]

A new type to my eyes, but I love me an old Convair!
View attachment 815023

Convair NC-131H Samaritan - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Viking1066]

Fiat CR-42 Falco Stormo 23 Gruppo CT Squadriglia 75 escort Fiat Br.20M to England 1940 ASBIZ

 

[MIflyer]

By the way, the C-131/T-29 was the USAF's first choice for the role made famous by the AC-47. After a USAF officer demonstrated that you could shoot sideways at ground targets, using a Piper Cub and a .22 semiauto rifle. the first choice to build such a gunship was the T-29. It seemed to make more sense than the C-47 at the time. There were plenty of them available, they had a lot more horsepower and were about ten years younger airframes than the C-47. But actual tests showed that the vibration from the guns caused fuel leaks. Unlike the C-47, the T-29 had integral fuel tanks, where the skin of the tanks was the skin of the airplane, and that produced leaks.

 

[Zippythehog]

By the way, the C-131/T-29 was the USAF's first choice for the role made famous by the AC-47. After a USAF officer demonstrated that you could shoot sideways at ground targets, using a Piper Cub and a .22 semiauto rifle. the first choice to build such a gunship was the T-29. It seemed to make more sense than the C-47 at the time. There were plenty of them available, they had a lot more horsepower and were about ten years younger airframes than the C-47. But actual tests showed that the vibration from the guns caused fuel leaks. Unlike the C-47, the T-29 had integral fuel tanks, where the skin of the tanks was the skin of the airplane, and that produced leaks.

That's very interesting. Over-engineering seems to make equipment more versatile but perhaps less efficient.

 

[Escuadrilla Azul]

That's very interesting. Over-engineering seems to make equipment more versatile but perhaps less efficient.

Which seems more efficient

 

[MIflyer]

Over-engineering seems to make equipment more versatile but perhaps less efficient.

I used to tell people about what occurred during the testing of the prototype F4F Wlidcat. Word came back to the Grumman factory that their wildcat had engaged the arresting cable and pulled the hook right out of the airplane, together with various entrails of the airplane. Roy Grumman looked at the drawings for the arrestor hook and its mount and asked, "What kind of design margin is this built to?" The engineer replied, "150%" Grumman replied, "Okay, redesign it for 200%." When the engineer was finished Grumman asked if the parts were designed to 200% and was he sure it would not fail. The engineer replied, yes, that it would not fail now. Roy Grumman replied "Okay, then redesign it with the material thicknesses doubled over what you have there and we'll build it."

I once told General Dynamics that if they were uncertain about a part for the Atlas space booster, then do as Roy Grumman said and double the thicknesses. They laughed so hard they almost passed out.