Posted on 02/16/2017 9:22:19 AM PST by DFG
Known as the 'flying gun', the A-10 Warthog plane was a hero during Operating Desert Storm – but has since been deemed vulnerable and costly to operate. Now, a Minnesota-based startup has unveiled designs for a new attack plane called the 'Machete' that consists of a new metal foam developed in conjunction with the US Department of Energy. The metal foam is lightweight and strong - and is capable of stopping bullets and other projectiles in much less space than traditional armor, while the plane boasts the same 30mm cannon as the Warthog it could replace.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Single point of failure, prop.
Hit that, it’s over.
The vertical stab tails look Russian.
The engine nacelle looks like a Tucano turboprop mounted backwards.
Thanks, I missed that.
Doesn’t look like the plane is big enough for the Warthog 30mm cannon.
20mm Vulcan would probably fit
Good critique.
yeah I once saw a proposal for a variation on an air tractor that looked really interesting
Yep.
The only ones I can think of off the top of my head are the Avro Shackleton and the Fairey Gannet.
Bingo. CAS without redundancy is pretty much suicidal.
That’s what I thought as well.
People are also saying and has only one engine, that’s also foolish. stop being a bunch of idiots.
Maybe you should read a little closer
Looks like a cute little r/c toy.
First time you fired the cannon, it would nose straight into the ground.
The only ones I can think of off the top of my head are the Avro Shackleton and the Fairey Gannet.
It may be more of an efficiency thing. The later (and faster) versions of Spitfire had a contra-rotating props, but jets came into their own and replaced almost all prop fighters. The later Spitfires had the same Griffon engine as the Shackleton.
I think it's a good way of efficiently applying more HP to a smaller diameter propeller.
My brother built a bullet proof house. The walls are 6 inches of foam sandwiching 6 inches of reinforced concrete.
insulated concrete formed construction
If the metal foam armor works, they may be going on the assumption that any damage bad enough to compromise the engine will have chewed the aircraft up to the point that it would no longer fly anyway. This plane has the engine buried in the middle of the airframe, whereas the ‘Hog’s engines are hanging out in the breeze.
Didn’t P-51 racers have counter-rotating props?
Don't be hateful.
It's much better looking, heterosexual, country mate, the Spitfire, had contra-rotating props in the later Griffon powered marks.
No read article. Uses the same 30mm GAU-8 as the A-10.
No backup engine.
No read article. Object is for a cheaper aircraft to operate than the A-10. Twin engine = twin cost.
More of the "Lets drop multi-million dollar ordnance to eliminate 2 people."
More of the "we cannot afford to have any collateral damage, so we must use expensive precision weapons to eliminate 2 people."
Would not using a six bladed prop be lighter and less complex than two counter rotating 3 bladed props and thus be more efficient, even with the torque issues?
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