Quote:
Originally Posted by Bicycle Bob
Well, that was tedious, digging out a 1927 study, but it says at NACA UK Mirror report description page
that the lowest drag was on the 4.62 fineness ratio. This was at a very low Reynold's number, which may account for all the Zeppelins being much finer.
I see that figure 13, presumably the source of this discussion, does not seem to agree with figures 7 and 9 |
Hoerner shows the smaller fineness ratios to be of lower drag.As airships,these forms are less "stable" in flight,and capable of inducing air-sickness in the crews.The Paul Jaray-designed Zeppelins are of the "lowest" fineness ratios compared to their siblings,and faster on a frontal area/horsepower basis.-------------- The US NAVY ZMC all-clad airships,of 2.8:1 are of the fastest for frontal area/horsepower.------------Also,the US Naval Academy's SQUID,human-powered submarine,with thickness of 2.5:1 was the World's fastest in the mid-90s.