posted on Oct, 25 2003 @ 02:15 PM
the key to the C-17 extremely good takeoff performance is the blown flaps, it diverts thrust form the turbofans and forces it into the trailing edge
of the wing creating airflow over the wings and thus creating lift, it allows the plane to fly at very low speeds and takeoff and land in short
spaces, unfortunatly this system is useless on the aurora, because of its mixed delta wing configuration and engine location, its very difficult to
add flaps to a deltawing, because they would act like the elevators and constantly push the nose down, rather than aiding in lift. plus the engines
exhaust are located at the rear of the trailing edge of the wing, to divert the thrust up and over the wing would require very large and very heavy
ducting. which is no good on a hypersonic aircraft
the north sea sighting
the A-12 is a flying wing thats 36ft long and has wings swept back at 20 degrees, the F-111 is 74ft long, the black deltawinged plane spotted
refuelling over the north sea was larger than the F-111 and was also described as having its wings swept back at 70 degrees, there is no way it could
have been the A-12.
BTW the tankers that were used to refuel the SR-71's with the exotic fuel it needed are still very active and are still deployed off american soil,
so why keep a whole fleet of tankers active to refuel a plane which is out of service(SR-71) or a plane that does not exist(Aurora) and why are the
tankers not deployed on american soil