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CUTANGUS [2010-05-22 07:35:30 +0000 UTC]

Very interesting story to know. Surelly these carts uses pneumatic starter or even electrical one.
The starting method I envisaged for this particular aircraft-engine combination is cartridge-gas starting method. I remember that the beautiful Hawker Hawk and Sea Hawk of the 50's uses a six-cartridge device to achieve the desired rotation to ignite the fuel and start the centrifugal jet engine. If the first charge is not enough, light the next cartridge...
With such multi-start capability, this particular aircraft will be independent of any cart in his airbase, or even restart the tip ramjets in flight. A flame-out will be a rare event, as the rotational speed can be independent of the translational speed of the warplane.
If the starting cartridges are large enough, can also be used for extra power in case of, in example, run out of fuel: imagine that the fighter lost fuel by battle damage or simply run out of it. The pilot will try to return gliding to base, losing height for speed and, in the last moment of the landing run, start a large cartridge to spin the pusher propeller and, so, regain a degree of control to land safely or even abort a dangerous landing attempt.
In combat, the ignition of a large cartridge on a turbine, coupled to the otherwise free rotor, will allow some vital seconds of strong "push" to catch an enemy or to evade in unpleasant situations.

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Peebo-Thulhu [2010-05-22 01:58:46 +0000 UTC]

Though a small motor mounted in there some where to spin the disk up would allow the plane to be a little more 'independent' on its air field.

Here's a story remembered from an Aviation Magazine.

It seems that some of the older, early cold war fighters needed a large ground cart to start their turbines. So, when different squadrons were practicing war games against each other, those who could 'scramble' faster than others had an edge. One particular group was always managing to get into the air faster, whether to respond to raids upon their air base, or to get into the air to attack the other team.

Eventually, the senior brass wanted to know how this group of pilots were doing their trick. So they called a mock raid and watched the crews do their thing.

Since the squadron had X amount of planes, but only two or three of these 'starting' carts, normally there was only three planes getting started at a time.

What this group was doing was: Lining two air craft up, one behind the other, nose to tail. The lead plane of the pair would be hooked up to the starting cart and its turbines spooled up conventionally, said cart would then move off to another pair of aircraft, while the lead planes' exhaust would 'force' air into the turbines of the plane behind, thus 'kick' starting it's turn over. Hence the squadron was able to 'light' its jet fighters faster.

Needless to say, the airfield mechanics got good commendations for their innovation and ability to 'think outside the box'.

Again, much cheers to you and much thanks for sharing your art with we watchers. *bows*

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contrail09 [2010-05-21 23:14:41 +0000 UTC]

these aircraft would be everywhere if WWII dragged on another year or two.

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Ivanuss [2010-05-21 17:43:57 +0000 UTC]

Que genial Idea. Aunque algo rara, asumo que la única preocupación es hacer que el eje casi no tenga fricción alguna, tomando en cuenta que ya no estaría conectado a ningun mecanismo interno. A menos claro, de que sirviera asi mismo como una especie de generardor, por economía.

Una pregunta tu que sabes de esto.
Alguna vez hubo o hay un proyecto de desarrollar una hélice cuyo rotor funcionara con superconductores, algo así como spiras magneticas. Digo, igual requiere más desarrollo que una turbina, pero en economía igual funcionaría mejor para aviones de este clase.

genial tu trabajo!

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