Low Tech Tips for Previous Wars

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Then it seems it would have been prudent for the bombers to slow down
a little, no?

That is, isn't racing with your escort rather silly?

"John Fields is an Ass"

** Nope, the Mosquitoes were simply flying at the best speed for long range while carrying a full bomb load - about 240 mph.

Due largely to the efforts of Charles Lindberg ( of Spirit of St Louis fame) the P38 cruised at under 200mph.

( snip JF drivel )

** Corporate corruption by Lockheed resulting in over a hundred dead fighter pilots and lost planes is one hell of a scandal.

The German public used to joke that to acquire an F104, you only needed to buy a small patch of land and wait.

Funny guys, those Germans.

BTW:

Arguing from a position of ignorance, like you are, is a classic logical fallacy.

.... Phil

The local navy base flies a lot of vertical take off planes. The engine and prop rotate 90 degrees from helicopter to fixed wing mode. It's interesting to watch them come in to land. From a distance it looks like a fixed wing aircraft has is slowing and then finally stopped in the sky.

The dynamics of rotating from one to the other must be an interesting control problem, with the rotation speed restricted by the amount of time it takes to pick up speed for the transition.

In horizontal position the larger [than conventional fixed wing] props must have better low speed specific propulsion efficiency than any other aircraft. In vertical position the smaller [than conventional helicopter] props must use more fuel than helicopters but that shouldn't be much of a drawback if they only need to spend a minute or so getting to fixed wing mode.

The higher speed Harrier jump jet must require a faster controller.

Bret Cahill

AFAIK, The Harrier's controller is between the pilot's ears. That's why the selection process, and training are so intensive.

The Harrier design predates fly-by-wire.

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"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence 
over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled."
                                       (Richard Feynman)

And you think in all those years of production they wouldn't have have introduce compute equipment as it became available!

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So after, say, three hours out, the Mosquitoes were 120 miles ahead of
the P-38s, dropped their bombs with impunity and then rejoined their
"escort" on the way back to base?

That doesn't seem to make much sense, so where'd your intel come from?

That must be one of the most obvious control applications. Even a primitive 70 year old EMP proof [pre micro chip] system would be better than nothing.

Who wants to risk his life learning such a [now] useless skill? If it was a safe low budget sport or entertainment or something it might make sense but when lives and big money are at stake it's just crazy.

Bret Cahill

They already did the culinary equivalent:

Bret Cahill

"Ian Field"

** The only way do carry out that job was at low level in daylight - so extremely risky over any part of France or Germany.

The famous break out from the Amiens prison was facilitated by such a daylight raid and the unarmed bombers were escorted by, guess what, fighter versions of the Mossie. On the return trip from this raid, they were pounced on by FW190s and one Mossie crew managed to down three attackers in

90 seconds while flying at tree top height. ** There were 4 x 20mm cannons down low and 4 x 0.303s up high in the nose.

.... Phil