Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules
Currently, here in California, our electric grid is aging and woefully overburdened, leading to rolling blackouts.Its not a new technology, or an error... It's called a rotary inverter, used as a mechanical means of converting DC power to AC.
I won't get near my two pages on the I-185 for at least a week, so I'll call on your expertise. wasn't it unstable as heck?Yesss. And I-185, please?
I can't even comprehend regular rolling blackouts in a first-world country, or a system that isn't resilient enough to handle regular weather events.Currently, here in California, our electric grid is aging and woefully overburdened, leading to rolling blackouts.
Add to that "planned power shutdowns" during high wind events in rural areas, to avoid a source of wildfires or extreme weather (like heavy snow).
We use generators sometimes for a days on end, in some cases for close to two weeks.
A battery powered "generator" is good for low-demand appliances or for a weekend camping trip, but not for what most Californians need - which is why it's the brunt of a joke.
It is ridiculous, to be honest.I can't even comprehend regular rolling blackouts in a first-world country, or a system that isn't resilient enough to handle regular weather events.
Hell, even NZ's biggest earthquake since 1930's only knocked power out for less than a day
But, to be fair, it's not only California, as I understand it, the whole US grid is beyond its design life.It is ridiculous, to be honest.
One of the major problems, is that California's explosive population increase from the 70's onward was not matched by infrastructure.
Our aquaduct system (which is completely inadequate today) was originally intended for California's vast tracts of agriculture starting at the turn of the century (1900's) and has not grown as fields were plowed under and replaced by metropolitan centers.
The power grid's growth and upgrades have been near non-existant while several nuclear power stations ha e come and gone over the years, leaving us with a few hydro-electric, gas-fired and "alternate" sources.
The alternate sources are solar farms in the desert (which obviously have limitations) and our wind farms are situated where winds occur (but aren't a constant).
It's an on-going political mess and every single election year, is always a key part of a candidate's campaign promise to "fix" - but, here we are all these years later...
I don't think so. I never read about the stability issues of I-185. Saying that... this aircraft was "glorified" by fans after its rediscovery in the post-Soviet period. I could miss something critical.I won't get near my two pages on the I-185 for at least a week, so I'll call on your expertise. wasn't it unstable as heck?
No, the I-185 was quite aerobatic and received high praise from the pilots who flew it.I won't get near my two pages on the I-185 for at least a week, so I'll call on your expertise. wasn't it unstable as heck?
No, the I-185 was quite aerobatic and received high praise from the pilots who flew it.
Problem is, the La-5 entered production before it and it would have cimpeted for resources.
Who ever said politicians were smart?The state of California has passed a law that bans small, gas-powered engines by 2024.
Their list of alternative, battery powered devices includes a battery powered generator...
You know, that group of people that makes things difficult for the rest of us...Politicians?
Isn't that basically a self licking ice cream cone?The state of California has passed a law that bans small, gas-powered engines by 2024.
Their list of alternative, battery powered devices includes a battery powered generator...
Pretty much!Isn't that basically a self licking ice cream cone?
Andrew McKeever was credited with thirty kills with the Bristol Fighter. His gunner, L.F. Powell was credited with another eight. It was possible for a nasty, determined pilot to set up his gunner. On a big aircraft, it was possible to place gunners at all quarters. WWI fighters did not have the gross speed advantage of fighters in WWII
Those speed margins have gone from 20mph to 60mph. Gun technology did not improve between the wars. The guns got bigger, but they continued to be dumb, ballistic devices, aimed by optical sights. In WWII, fast clumsy aircraft used hit and run tactics. They would not have gotten out of range in time in WWI, and they would be hit by AAMs today.It actually goes to the state of technology. The Bristol fighter used a 275hp engine so the two seat fighter had the speed and climb of most of the German single seat fighter (most of which had about 185hp). It also depends upon the actual speed margin. A 130mph plane has a pretty fair speed margin over a 110mph fighter. about like a 390mph fighter vs a 330mph fighter as an example.
I have problems with long range escort fighters.Might it be possible to make a decent long range (or at least considerably longer-ranged) escort fighter before done historically? Or get the Lightning fit for northern Europe earlier? And considering how early the Japanese used drop tanks, may there be a way forward here? I'm thinking escorted daylight Lancaster raids in 1942, or possibly 41 with Tomo's Manchester. Make the lean mean. And the Eight being set up from the word go.
Andrew McKeever and his gunner shot down over thirty German aircraft during WWI. I would not expect this with an unsynchronized gun shooting through the propeller. I assume the gunner's Lewis gun was unsynchronized.The Bristol used a single Vickers gun firing at 600rpm, unsynchronized
My apologies. I was referring to the firing rate of the Vickers guns.Andrew McKeever and his gunner shot down over thirty German aircraft during WWI. I would not expect this with an unsynchronized gun shooting through the propeller. I assume the gunner's Lewis gun was unsynchronized.
WWII guns were mostly more numerous, and mostly bigger. The distance at which they were aimed did not increase much.