Quote:
Originally Posted by winkosmosis
Here is something interesting.. The optimal shapes for holding pressure in a submarine are cylinders and hemispheres. But that is not the best for drag, so submarines used to be designed with an external hull that wasn't sealed, and it would be pointy on both ends.
submarine: Definition from Answers.com |
General Dynamics Electric Boat Division has returned to John Holland's 1900 Albacore Tuna form for the Sea Wolf Attack Sub due to it's inherent low-drag and low acoustic signature.It's not as fast as the Soviet Union's Akula-Class sub which also uses the prolate ellipsoid nose and full boat-tail,but has lower fineness ratio and less skin friction.