Cliffs of Dover Video Thread V1.0 [Closed]

[mattag08]

Originally Posted by Sven

Not necessarily, example: The Airacobra, an American fighter plane, had it's point of gravity in the middle ( since the engine was placed there ), this was purposely done to create a very manoeuvrable airplane. Engine chopped off will surely cause for a very unpleasant flight, but that's the aerodynamics that mainly cause that, the centre of gravity will probably be where the pilot is, and actually improve flight characteristics, although it doesn't add up to what I previously said.

No, that Hurricane should've immediately pitched up, stalled, and spun into the ground. There is no possible way that removing the engine would not also move the C.G. so far aft as to become uncontrollable. This is true even with today's lighter engines and shorter nosed GA aircraft. It's doubly true for a heavy-engined, long-nosed WWII fighter.

[Strike]

Agree... only way that hurricane could be flyable is if it had a modern flight control system

[Hoverbug]

Originally Posted by Strike

Agree... only way that hurricane could be flyable is if it had a modern flight control system

No, even that wouldn't be enough. The CG would be aft of the center of pressure, so there's an unbalanced couple. No amount of elevator input would change that.

it's pretty simple: you lose your engine on a single engine plane, your CG is gone for good, you crash and burn. No exceptions unless your engine sits bang in the middle of the CG and miraculously drops out of the fuselage..

[BadAim]

I am thinking that the vids of planes flying with wings and stuff missing are definitely not on full realism settings. I clipped about two feet off the end of my hurrie's wing last night and it flew along just fine until I tried to turn! I managed to wrestle her back under control and she flew just fine so long as I was gentle. That's about exactly what I'd expect. When I lost half a wing (damn stutters!) I spiraled straight into the drink. Again, exactly as I would expect.

[15JG52_Brauer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hX8NrgtT8Ww