Fastest speed for a prop driven airplane?

[Unregistered]

Re: Fastest speed for a prop driven airplane?

My Father was a leed engineer on hypersonic programs at Northrop in the '50's.

Not where the paper came from though.

So it wasn't part of the NACA studies huh? Hmmm..gotta think about this. Fits right into my current realm.

[AirDOGGe]

Re: Fastest speed for a prop driven airplane?

Millenium Falcon

.5 beyond light speed....

Made the Kessel run in under 4 parsecs....

Geekdom be mine!

That spoken line always makes me wince every time I watch the flick. A parsec is a measurement of distance, not of time. One of many flubs in that movie.

It's just like saying:

"I just set a record lap time at Reno"

"what was your time?"

"3 miles"

"What?"




.

[TOR_DP]

Re: Fastest speed for a prop driven airplane?

That spoken line always makes me wince every time I watch the flick. A parsec is a measurement of distance, not of time. One of many flubs in that movie.

It's just like saying:

"I just set a record lap time at Reno"

"what was your time?"

"3 miles"

"What?"




.

Yeah, enough to make ya want to barf. (3 miles! whadya forget to retract the gear?!)


Where I work we use large, high-pressure vessels to travel short distances at slow speeds. We actually use the clock to determine our speed... for example "32 minutes to Whittaker Station" would be considered rippin' it up. While 45 minutes would be pokey.

Visit www.cassrailroad.com to see the madness...

Although my pistons are downright huge compared to them weasly ol' airplanes...

Try a 17" bore and an 18" stroke (!).

Sorry, I got OT there for a minute....

[W J Pearce]

Re: Fastest speed for a prop driven airplane?

Nope... Sorry neither are correct...

I'd think (just a guess) North American Aviation in the late 50s. Looks like the wing (assuming the 3-view and the paper are related) articulates for a little compression lift like the XB-70.

But I really don't know.

[Victor Archer]

Re: Fastest speed for a prop driven airplane?

Hmmmmmm... Not NAA but your on to something with the XB-70.

[Blue Foam]

Re: Fastest speed for a prop driven airplane?

Where does this document stand in relation to the X-15A2 scramjet tests that melted the airplane?

[t-dub]

Re: Fastest speed for a prop driven airplane?

Here's a shot of the XF-84h in Bakersfield Ca. at the entrance to the airport. It is said that the deafening roar that this aircraft made was heard for miles, and it was so nauseating that it actually made people sick...

[RichH]

Re: Fastest speed for a prop driven airplane?

Um, more than that. Like I said:

Perhaps due to the uncontrollable BMs suffered by any and all who witnessed?

"It wasn't just the volume, and it wasn't sound as we think of it, but shock waves, which are typified by a nearly instantaneous pressure increase. A person standing some distance from the airplane was subjected to rapid fire shock waves. These shock waves acted directly on the large intestine, causing spasms that caused individuals in too-close proximity to soil their pants. Hearing protection made no difference."

http://www.ipilot.com/aircraft/protect/feature.asp?ArticleID=745

[AirDOGGe]

Re: Fastest speed for a prop driven airplane?

Where does this document stand in relation to the X-15A2 scramjet tests that melted the airplane?

Not sure, although that was just a dummy and not a functional engine. They did have plans for a delta winged X-15 variant for faster speeds, but it went nowhere.

Weren't there some concepts for launching a hypersonic craft from the back of an XB-70 once, similar to what they (unsuccessfully) tried with the D-21 and SR-71? I don't have my XB-70 books anymore and I can't recall.

[Blue Foam]

Re: Fastest speed for a prop driven airplane?

Not sure, although that was just a dummy and not a functional engine. They did have plans for a delta winged X-15 variant for faster speeds, but it went nowhere.

Weren't there some concepts for launching a hypersonic craft from the back of an XB-70 once, similar to what they (unsuccessfully) tried with the D-21 and SR-71? I don't have my XB-70 books anymore and I can't recall.

Don't know about the XB-70, I do remember that the parasite fighter/recon vehicle idea came up on every bomber program from the B-36 on. Current strike packages can recon drones (now called UAV's), jamming drones, post strike BDA drones, etc. Gotta have some room left for the ordinance. The best idea I heard for BDA was a stabilized camera deployed by parachute from the cruise missile/smart bomb just before impact. Never heard if that was deployed or not.

The X-15 flight in question was testing a dummy scram jet. The last flight of the one and only X-15A2, it reached the absolute manned aircraft record speed (in the atmosphere, re-entering spacecraft don't count):

M6.70, 4520 mph.

Burned the ablative coating off the airframe and melted the inconnel tail.

Now WHERE was that document from???

[W J Pearce]

Re: Fastest speed for a prop driven airplane?

Not sure, although that was just a dummy and not a functional engine. They did have plans for a delta winged X-15 variant for faster speeds, but it went nowhere.

Weren't there some concepts for launching a hypersonic craft from the back of an XB-70 once, similar to what they (unsuccessfully) tried with the D-21 and SR-71? I don't have my XB-70 books anymore and I can't recall.

Okay, I can't remember where I read this so I am unable to back it up. I remember a third XB-70 being either proposed or actually started. As funding dried up, NAA suggested the third ship be used for piggyback aerial launch. I'll see if I can dig up the notes for my proof.

Also, It was not an SR-71 that had the D-21 drone. Officially it was a M-12, and it was modified from a CIA A-12. M was for Mother and D for Daughter. It was launched three times (I think), two of which were successful. The third and also the first with the M-12 in level flight, the D-21 slammed back down on the M-12. (Have you seen the video?)

[W J Pearce]

Re: Fastest speed for a prop driven airplane?

Okay, I can't remember where I read this so I am unable to back it up. I remember a third XB-70 being either proposed or actually started. As funding dried up, NAA suggested the third ship be used for piggyback aerial launch. I'll see if I can dig up the notes for my proof.

Found it: "Valkyrie North American XB-70" by Steve Pace 1st and 2nd edition.

On Sept 21, 1960 NAA was contracted to build 2 XB-70s and one YB-70. By March 5, 1964 the program was cut to the two XB-70s even though the YB-70 was well along in fabrication. As interest was lost, NAA proposed several ideas for the XB-70 including an X-15 launch bed.

It barely a foot note so the I doubt the design went go far.

[MerlinV12]

Re: Fastest speed for a prop driven airplane?

600+mph is insane for a warbird!!
I have seen a number of aircraft related things on discovery channel they said that a prop driver aircraft could never be faster than 500 mph.
You just have proved them wrong.
Maby it's time to set the record straight 4 ever and set the prop driven speed record.

[Hauler Driver]

Re: Fastest speed for a prop driven airplane?

Maby it's time to set the record straight 4 ever and set the prop driven speed record.

Sounds like a great challenge. What do you have in mind? Let's go get it!

Don

[AirDOGGe]

Re: Fastest speed for a prop driven airplane?

I have seen a number of aircraft related things on discovery channel they said that a prop driver aircraft could never be faster than 500 mph.
You just have proved them wrong.

I've never been overly impressed by the accuracy of some of the stuff they show on the Discovery Channel

Maby it's time to set the record straight 4 ever and set the prop driven speed record.

It's already been done, and the D-channel once again proven incorrect:

QUOTE:
"On August 21, 1989 an unlimited racer Grumman F8F Bearcat "Rare Bear" set the world speed record for a single engine prop driven aircraft of 528.33 mph."