Re: Skydiver Design

Hi Michael Wolff,

You wrote:
> Neither have I and that's something I've always wanted to see.
> But note that the RATO units seem to also be the same tubes
carrying the missiles.
> Is it possible that the tube is a "binary" package: the forward end
being missiles and the aft end being a RATO unit?

The tip of the Sky 1's underwing engine pod looks like that of the
existent Matra 155 18 round pod for the SNEB 68 millimeter rocket,
which is unguided one, carried by the Harrier GR. 1 VTOL fighter
aircraft.
If my memory serves me right, these 18 rockets loaded in a pod are
launched all at once.
And each rocket jets out hot gus, so there must be 18 exhaust holes
at the end of the pod corresponding to the 18 launch holes.
Regarding the Sky 1's underwing pod, there are no way out for the jet
gus if its missile's motor is ignited while in the hole.
So the same missile may be pushed ouf of the hole by another small
piece of solid fuel before it ignite its own rocket motor outside the
hole.

On the other hand, I believe that the Sky 1 flies faster than Mach 5
when it attacks a Ufo.
(Please remember Seagull X-ray was cruising at Mach 4 in the first
episode.)
With such high speed, I'm afraid it is impossible to push out the
missile in this way, because the air resistance must be very strong.
(For the refference, I note that the F-111 USAF fighter cannot fire
its cannon when it is flying at supersonic speed.)
Therefore, the rocket motor of the Sky 1's missile may be ignited
while it is still in the hole as it needs strong trust power to be
launched, and the missile's body and the underwing pod is made so
sturdy to withstand the ignition.

BTW, a Sky 1 has 36 missiles in all, and as far as I have seen each
episode, it launches only one or two missiles against a Ufo.
It seems that SHADO economizes on the missiles...

Anyway, with the above mentioned configuration, I hope such "binary"
package would be possible.
I am looking forward to hearing any comments on this subject by
experts!


Kaoru

Greetings, Kaoru


Something occurs to me. We presume that, because the missile pod resembles
a SNEB, it must therefore *be* one. But what if this is an advanced design,
and the missiles are launched by, say, magnetic rail guns. Or the missiles
might actually be a variation on the SWARMJET or "Smart Pebble" concepts.


>I am looking forward to hearing any comments on this subject by
>experts!


Oops. Leaves me out! :-)

Michael

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Hi Michael,

Thank you very much for your technical answer!

You wrote:
> But what if this is an advanced design, and the missiles are
launched by, say, magnetic rail guns.
> Or the missiles might actually be a variation on the SWARMJET or
"Smart Pebble" concepts.

I think the idea of yours, missiles launched by magnetic rail guns,
sounds very exciting!
I have ever seen an experimental firing of a rail gun demonstrated at
the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science in Japan.
As far as I know, there are two ways of firing bullets by rail guns.
One way is to accelerate a metal bullet which is a conductor of
electricity set between rather long two rails.
I'm afraid such rails are too long to be installed in the forward
section of the Sky 1's underwing pod.
Another way is, if my memory serves me right, to vaporize some metal
just like a bursting charge by high-voltage electric pulse and eject
a bullet by the explosion.
Even by this way, the body of the missile and the pod have to be made
so sturdy...

Sorry, but I don't know of SWARMJET and "Smart Pebble".
I would be very happy if you could teach me these subjects, thank
you!


Kaoru

Hi Kaoru:


>Another way is, if my memory serves me right, to vaporize some metal
>just like a bursting charge by high-voltage electric pulse and eject
>a bullet by the explosion.
>Even by this way, the body of the missile and the pod have to be made
>so sturdy...


I'd be gambling that SHADO might develop a breakthrough which could make it
possible.


>Sorry, but I don't know of SWARMJET and "Smart Pebble".
>I would be very happy if you could teach me these subjects, thank
>you!


In brief, think of both concepts as "The Shotgun From Hell". Both systems
fire a high velocity stream of metal "shot", filling the sky ahead with what
technically becomes a wall of steel. The systems have mainly been
considered for anti-aircraft and air to ground attack, and I suspect an
air-to-air variant would be difficult. But it's something I've considered.

Michael

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