Once the forebody detail optimization achieves ' saturation,' the 'front' of a streamlined vehicle constitutes less than 6% of the overall vehicle drag, compared to almost 73% at the 'base,' behind the car. This is why the aft-body is so important to drag reduction. Why the GOODYEAR airships are shaped the way they are.
With Kamm's, simple, prismatic wind tunnel model, removing the aft-body created a jump in drag, from Cd 0.21, to Cd 0.70.
Kosin & Lehmann's fuselage went from Cd 0.066, to Cd 0.384.
W. A. Mair's 16% thickness, boat-tail research model went from Cd 0.066, to Cd 0.204.
From bio-mimicry, consider that the Peregrine falcon can achieve 255-mph vertically, on 1.5-pounds of thrust.
Or the 1929, ZMC-2, Metalclad airship,( 'Tin Bubble' ), by the Detroit Aircraft Company, pushing 2,108-square-feet of frontal area through the air, at 70-mph, with 299- horsepower.
