Post by sunny9850 on May 16, 2011 1:06:18 GMT -5
The smart position for the fighter once the target airplane has begun to comply is certainly not on the larger airplanes six. The highly maneuverable fighter can get there and shoot just about anytime it needs to as long as it is in a reasonable position.
So a slightly high trailing position offset either to the left or right would be the natural choice.
Even the highly efficient wing of the Predator is causing quite a nasty vortex slightly outboard and below the aircraft. And the single pusher prop makes the six o-clock position almost impossible to maintain close in as well. I have been in tight formation in both places in C-210 or 206s and can tell you that you would not want to stay there any longer than absolutely necessary.
As for the Connie turbulence...yes there would be plenty. On a California air show a number of years ago a Beech 18 was flipped over because it took off too close behind a departing Connie and got the worst of the prop and wing turbulence. Our local B-25 declined takeoff clearance exactly to avoid that fate...the Beech driver felt invincible I guess.
I have also had a few chances to play target for various US fighter types attempting a GA intercept. The first was a F16 which did reasonably well as long as the 210 we were flying was in cruise. But simply could not hold a position once we slowed the Cessna to the top of the white arc. The two airplanes basically elected to fly slow race tracks around us...with one behind but catching up....and the other returning to the trail position.
On another occasion we had a pair of F18...The latest version with the square intakes fly a similar tactic.
The final one was the amazing F22 Raptor...which joined up almost effortless and stayed glued in position to amazingly slow airspeeds. The coolest thing about it was watching all the control surfaces move constantly while the airframe was rock steady....at very high AoA of course.
And of course the way it disengaged was also impressive....slide away to the left...dip the nose and accelerate away like we were standing still ;D it may be very much over priced and somewhat overhyped....but it is flippin cool.
So did the baddies shoot down the Mustang...not likely but possible. Contrary to the modern day jets which simply accelerate in a straight line when you shove the go lever forward without nasty tendencies to pitch,roll and yaw the Stang will bite when mishandled. I gave one recent example in my previous post. Here is a very detailed and instructive write up of the incident.
www.avweb.com/news/pelican/pelicans_perch_87_killer_go-arounds_195755-1.html
Since I had the airport all to myself I experimented a bit with Sara tonight and without doing anything foolish tested the benefits and pitfalls of the full fine pitch vs cruise rpm theory in a couple of practice go arounds.
Now my dear Sara is no Mustang and even light as she was tonight with only myself and about 50 gal of 100LL in her tanks thankfully will not replicate the torque roll that killed the Mustang pilot at KCMA. But 300 HP driving a 76" Hartzell prop do make for a bit of excitement if you are of the ham fisted and flat footed variety of pilots.
In one of the tests I hesitated a "second" after pouring on the coals to see just what she would do...pitched up to a slight climb attitude and at max power. The right wing did come up and of course the nose swung to the left. Left to her own devices that would not make for a very happy outcome.
In the next one I did the GA as my CFI had always taught me to do them. Power to what sounds like high cruise, pitch to lightly nose up eyes remaining outside until climb is confirmed. In IMC of course you simply remain on the gauges. In that case you can also set your power to a known high cruise setting. For Sara that's 23 squared.
No drama at all if done this way. Once safely away from the runway and terra firma there is plenty of time to sort out flaps and final power settings.
Cheers
Stefan
So a slightly high trailing position offset either to the left or right would be the natural choice.
Even the highly efficient wing of the Predator is causing quite a nasty vortex slightly outboard and below the aircraft. And the single pusher prop makes the six o-clock position almost impossible to maintain close in as well. I have been in tight formation in both places in C-210 or 206s and can tell you that you would not want to stay there any longer than absolutely necessary.
As for the Connie turbulence...yes there would be plenty. On a California air show a number of years ago a Beech 18 was flipped over because it took off too close behind a departing Connie and got the worst of the prop and wing turbulence. Our local B-25 declined takeoff clearance exactly to avoid that fate...the Beech driver felt invincible I guess.
I have also had a few chances to play target for various US fighter types attempting a GA intercept. The first was a F16 which did reasonably well as long as the 210 we were flying was in cruise. But simply could not hold a position once we slowed the Cessna to the top of the white arc. The two airplanes basically elected to fly slow race tracks around us...with one behind but catching up....and the other returning to the trail position.
On another occasion we had a pair of F18...The latest version with the square intakes fly a similar tactic.
The final one was the amazing F22 Raptor...which joined up almost effortless and stayed glued in position to amazingly slow airspeeds. The coolest thing about it was watching all the control surfaces move constantly while the airframe was rock steady....at very high AoA of course.
And of course the way it disengaged was also impressive....slide away to the left...dip the nose and accelerate away like we were standing still ;D it may be very much over priced and somewhat overhyped....but it is flippin cool.
So did the baddies shoot down the Mustang...not likely but possible. Contrary to the modern day jets which simply accelerate in a straight line when you shove the go lever forward without nasty tendencies to pitch,roll and yaw the Stang will bite when mishandled. I gave one recent example in my previous post. Here is a very detailed and instructive write up of the incident.
www.avweb.com/news/pelican/pelicans_perch_87_killer_go-arounds_195755-1.html
Since I had the airport all to myself I experimented a bit with Sara tonight and without doing anything foolish tested the benefits and pitfalls of the full fine pitch vs cruise rpm theory in a couple of practice go arounds.
Now my dear Sara is no Mustang and even light as she was tonight with only myself and about 50 gal of 100LL in her tanks thankfully will not replicate the torque roll that killed the Mustang pilot at KCMA. But 300 HP driving a 76" Hartzell prop do make for a bit of excitement if you are of the ham fisted and flat footed variety of pilots.
In one of the tests I hesitated a "second" after pouring on the coals to see just what she would do...pitched up to a slight climb attitude and at max power. The right wing did come up and of course the nose swung to the left. Left to her own devices that would not make for a very happy outcome.
In the next one I did the GA as my CFI had always taught me to do them. Power to what sounds like high cruise, pitch to lightly nose up eyes remaining outside until climb is confirmed. In IMC of course you simply remain on the gauges. In that case you can also set your power to a known high cruise setting. For Sara that's 23 squared.
No drama at all if done this way. Once safely away from the runway and terra firma there is plenty of time to sort out flaps and final power settings.
Cheers
Stefan