Posted on 12/30/2011 7:38:59 PM PST by sukhoi-30mki
The late maestro of aerodynamic cleanup Roy Lopresti used to make almost any plane about 20 mph faster with aerodynamic cleanup. Homebuilder Kent Paser found 70 mph.
The arm chair aero guy I am I'd love to see someone to see if they could tweak this bird. I know, the utilitarian mission might be in conflict aero fairing etc. But the increase in climb rate and range/loiter time might be impressive.
Check out this book some time...
1. Be clear that it is/was the Pentagon/AF Brass that didn't like the A-10. AF pilots loved it and embraced its multiple missions. I am occasionally in the company of AF pilot trainees. The A-10 is a sought after assignment these days. F-22 Raptors? not so much. (100% air superiority can get boring while there is still a lot of action at tree level.) (The F-35 is also a sought after assignment and that craft may yet prove its critics very wrong. We'll see.)
2. My dad was the Head Engineering Officer for the 1st Sqd., 2nd Air Commando Group in India/Burma/China in WWII. He and his pilots absolutely loved their P-51’s and would defend it as the best fighter in the war, bar none. Yet, at Squadron reunions over the years, they often spoke about how vulnerable they were in the ground attack role. None of the pilots liked their vulnerability to ground fire. The liquid cooling system was especially a problem. They wished they were in Corsairs or Thunderbolts over the target and in the Mustang all the rest of the time.
Be clear, the “ground game” is a tough environment for airplanes and pilots.
One last thing. The support required for a squadron of piston engine planes was immense. By 1944, Dad's squadron had pallets full of Packard Merlins ready to change out whenever needed. 50-60 hours on a front line aircraft engine was plenty. They never repaired an engine, they just changed them out. As presently composed, our AF is incapable of sustaining anything like that effort. Hence, the explanation for the continued pressure to pursue the (fantasy) idea of efficient cheap easily maintained aircraft in the L.A.S. mode. Congress and money is driving this search, not military needs.
Just my opinion.
Oldplayer
I used to work at Ontario Airport (Calif., not Canada). There were two Tigercats that were based there as fire bombers. My office was 100 feet from their service pad.
Fire season was like a 24-hour a day air show to me.
They are BIG airplanes up close.
Thanks for the picture.
Oldplayer
bkmrk
How many of those 8K are going to be opposing me?
Probably no more than 8.
But if there are, I’ll take out the 8 and then haul a$$! ;oD
Those little glorified P-40s will only do around 350mph.
I can almost double that in my F-15.
God’s Blessings on you for a Happy and Prosperous New Year!
Just so the guy in the jet fighter knows that, and breaks off the mission when he sees it’s you. ;o)
How much of a weapons load do you need if you are hunting the Taliban, Muslim rebels in Mindanao or bombing the FARC along the Colombia-Ecuador border? A Super Tucano can carry a handfall of Hellfires and rockets along with 12.7mm gun. The A-10 can carry much more but costs much more to operate.
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