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Show HAVE VISION OF FLYING AT 554 MILES AN HOUR An airplane capable of flying 554 miles an hour, using existing engines, could be built today by applying known aerodynamic principles to its design and construction, according to John Stack of the national advisory committee for aeronautics. This is 131 miles an hour faster than the present speed record. What such a high-speed plane would be like is described by Mr. Stack in the first issue of the Journal of the Aeronautical Sciences, reprinted reprint-ed In the Literary Digest. It would differ only slightly In form from the transport planes used on transcontinental transconti-nental airways. The wings of the hypothetical plane would span 29.1 feet; the fuselage fuse-lage would be 40 inches In diameter. The plane would have completely retractable re-tractable landing gear or would be atapulated like the early Wright :Ianes, and could land on Its fuse 'age. The engine and pilot would be completely enclosed, vision for the nilot being provided by windows or 'ndirectly by mirrors. The wings would be centered on the fuselage. A model of this plane has been 'ested In wind-tunnels and bears out .Mr. Stack's calculations. The plane would have a landing speed of ICS miles an hour a dangerous speed, hot one which could perhaps be cut with proper auxiliary devices. The same kind of plane, equipped with '1,000 horse-power engines and new types of propellers, could fly at a computed speed of 000 miles an hour or nearly 80 per cent of the speed of sound. |
