Undulating Skin Results In 50% Less Drag
"Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe" The Sea Hawk At Wow Way D0t C0m wrote in
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"Bertie the Bunyip" wrote in message
...
"Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe" The Sea Hawk At Wow Way D0t C0m wrote in
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"es330td" wrote in message
news:991c8471-6955-4565-890e-167de27c4999
@m36g2000hse.googlegroups.co
m. .. ...
Yesterday I was talking about something like this with my CFI and we
discussed the idea of dimpling an airplane like a golf ball. The
upper surfaces of the wings would remain smooth but the fuselage and
undersides of the wing would be dimpled to reduce drag.
There's tape you can get for airplanes as well. It's aplied to the
upper surface of wings, in fact, as well as struts and just about
anything else you care to stick it to, even props.
Bertie
Gee, I think I mentioned turbulator tape. Didn't I...
Yes, but this stuff is different. it's perforated a-la golf ball as
opposed to the zig zag stuf they use on gliders.
But of course, some MXwannaboi trimmed off my entire reply. Hmmmmm
Oh brother.
Now, can you explain to the class what effect sticking this tape to
"just about anything else you care to stick it to," is going to have
on drag?
Well, the dimples form a very shallow turbulent layer that paadoxically
aids in the adherence of the boundary layer to the surface thus reducing
turbulence and as a result, drag as well.
Happy now or would you like me to call you a name as well?
Bertie
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