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Old 2019-11-06
MichaelLevy MichaelLevy is online now
Non-WIMAC Member
First Name: Michael
Last Name: Levy
MAAC Number: 15553
WIMAC WINGS: Solo Planes
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 313
MichaelLevy is on a distinguished road
Here are some pictures of the catastrophic aftermath of the bird poop strike on my SR-71 during takeoff which I described in my earlier post. The fan and fan shroud were completely obliterated by the impact. Splinters of fan blades can be seen embedded on the inside of the engine nacelle and the fan hatch was blown off. This is what I had been fearing the most when flying this airplane. With the engine nacelles so far outboard, the loss of an engine in flight results in asymmetrical thrust and critical loss of control. Bird poop strikes are no joke, but there is a silver lining to this mishap, as I have decided to replace the two outboard 64 mm power units with a single multiblade 70 mm unit slung under the fuselage. It will hardly be visible and provide tremendous advantages over the twin-powered system. For one thing, I will no longer have to worry about losing an outboard engine in flight or worse still, on takeoff. With a 6s battery, compared to the current 4S, it will provide more than 1600 gm of static thrust vs the current 1100 gm using the twin 64 mm fan/motor setup. With an estimated overall weight of 1100gm, the power to weight ratio will be about 1.5 to 1, outperforming by far any of my current EDF jets resulting in greater speed and almost unlimited vertical performance. It will be also be more efficient, meaning longer flight times and all this with no increase in overall weight! Finally, it will sound a heck of a lot better, with a more realistic jet sound. It won't be ready this fall as we are at the end of the season but will roar back to life next spring. By that time, this battle-scarred Blackbird airframe will be over 10 years old, but that old crow may still have its best days ahead of her.
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