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This was an aircraft I saw recently in an A&K-1 dream. Cpt.Ketra Viktov USAF was one of the first people to come in contact with the "Birdies". As an astronaut abroad the space station Werner von Braun she was one last crew members to evacuate off the station before it was destroyed. She has since volunteered to be part of a global-wide plan to try and destroy major portion of the Birdie space fleet.
Aviation in this world, and in any of my multi-species dreamscapes, looks similar and different at the same time. Mice were the first aviators and in fact the history books general break records into two catergories mice and bigum. In many cases mice set records decades, and in couple cases a century, before they were possible for bigums to do. After all it is much easier to stuff a mouse into a V2 and shoot him space than to lob a bigum.
Of course mouse size aircraft are not without their own problems. While it is possible to build very small but powerful for their size powerplants They are not always the most fuel efficient and therefore just like in bigum aircraft the fuel tanks can make a bulk of the overall size. Mouse size aircraft can be very strong but light for their size but that can make dealing with headwinds winds and turbelence harder. While it is possible to make very small gauges they are VERY expensive. Also issues arise from generating electrical power for onboard electronics and environmental controls and power for flight controls. Finally there is issues in modern aircraft of radio communication and air traffic controllers being able to see them at all.
This means that mouse size are usually larger and heavier than what many bigums might think they would be. Also they tend to operate at altitudes lower than many bigum aircraft. This of course doesn't mean the air traffic controllers like them anymore. Also it means that they usually are not long range things. Intercontinental flight is not their strong point.
This plane was a short range sport model that Ketra owns and is permitted by the base CO to keep it at Edwards Air Force Base where she is training. Late one day she was able to get some stick time. As the sun set her plane flew into the early evening thermals that were rising from the desert below. Using them to her advantage she climbed higher into the early evening. Just her plane flying through the air. This is why she'd becomed a pilot. Flying for the beauty of it. Then as she looked to the west she saw an all too recognizable thing for her world. The rising contrails/ plumes of ground based interceptor missiles, and contrails of fighter aircraft climbing to meet the streaks of enemy craft entering the atmosphere. Then the enviable flashes of warheads exploding, airframes disintegrating and young crews dying. Time to get back to work. Sorry this post was a bit long.
Aviation in this world, and in any of my multi-species dreamscapes, looks similar and different at the same time. Mice were the first aviators and in fact the history books general break records into two catergories mice and bigum. In many cases mice set records decades, and in couple cases a century, before they were possible for bigums to do. After all it is much easier to stuff a mouse into a V2 and shoot him space than to lob a bigum.
Of course mouse size aircraft are not without their own problems. While it is possible to build very small but powerful for their size powerplants They are not always the most fuel efficient and therefore just like in bigum aircraft the fuel tanks can make a bulk of the overall size. Mouse size aircraft can be very strong but light for their size but that can make dealing with headwinds winds and turbelence harder. While it is possible to make very small gauges they are VERY expensive. Also issues arise from generating electrical power for onboard electronics and environmental controls and power for flight controls. Finally there is issues in modern aircraft of radio communication and air traffic controllers being able to see them at all.
This means that mouse size are usually larger and heavier than what many bigums might think they would be. Also they tend to operate at altitudes lower than many bigum aircraft. This of course doesn't mean the air traffic controllers like them anymore. Also it means that they usually are not long range things. Intercontinental flight is not their strong point.
This plane was a short range sport model that Ketra owns and is permitted by the base CO to keep it at Edwards Air Force Base where she is training. Late one day she was able to get some stick time. As the sun set her plane flew into the early evening thermals that were rising from the desert below. Using them to her advantage she climbed higher into the early evening. Just her plane flying through the air. This is why she'd becomed a pilot. Flying for the beauty of it. Then as she looked to the west she saw an all too recognizable thing for her world. The rising contrails/ plumes of ground based interceptor missiles, and contrails of fighter aircraft climbing to meet the streaks of enemy craft entering the atmosphere. Then the enviable flashes of warheads exploding, airframes disintegrating and young crews dying. Time to get back to work. Sorry this post was a bit long.
Category All / All
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 847 x 763px
File Size 61.1 kB
That's why they don't. Yes sometimes mouse aircraft will be involved air combat situations but that will the exception not the norm. They sometimes get used for ground attack and interdiction but there is an important thing to remember. Ordnance size.
The missile on a standard shoulder-launched SAM , Stinger for example, is about 4 ft in length and is very short ranged. A Sidewinder is about 6.5 ft and weighs much more. Even a 7.62mm machinegun with a meanful load of ammo, say 500rds, is going to weigh about 45lbs after you factor in the mounts.
Where mice really shine as aviators is in the recon and spotting role. In fact in this world the science of telepresence, remotely operated vehicles, is not nearly well defined because you can often just put a mouse in and have them operate what we might use a RPV for.
Now not all mice have "The Right Stuff" to be pilots and many have NO interest in becoming one, but there are those mice who do rise to the occassion. Even if they are considered somewhat crazy by fellow mice. Imagine what it must be like being only 8" tall and having to eject possibly miles for the nearest allied forces. Imagine if you had to try and find your way out. Consider that almost any ecosystem you come down in you fall right into the food chain; never mind the enemy troops finding you, and if the wildlife doesn't get the weather can unless you are really careful. Think of what it must be like for bigum Search and Rescue Teams , SAR, trying to find them in field.
The missile on a standard shoulder-launched SAM , Stinger for example, is about 4 ft in length and is very short ranged. A Sidewinder is about 6.5 ft and weighs much more. Even a 7.62mm machinegun with a meanful load of ammo, say 500rds, is going to weigh about 45lbs after you factor in the mounts.
Where mice really shine as aviators is in the recon and spotting role. In fact in this world the science of telepresence, remotely operated vehicles, is not nearly well defined because you can often just put a mouse in and have them operate what we might use a RPV for.
Now not all mice have "The Right Stuff" to be pilots and many have NO interest in becoming one, but there are those mice who do rise to the occassion. Even if they are considered somewhat crazy by fellow mice. Imagine what it must be like being only 8" tall and having to eject possibly miles for the nearest allied forces. Imagine if you had to try and find your way out. Consider that almost any ecosystem you come down in you fall right into the food chain; never mind the enemy troops finding you, and if the wildlife doesn't get the weather can unless you are really careful. Think of what it must be like for bigum Search and Rescue Teams , SAR, trying to find them in field.
Mouse plane versus bigum plane? If the bigum plane is a jet, the mouse plane just has to be able to lift a bundle of large steel nails with drogues attached to dump in front of the intakes, preferably far enough ahead that it doesn't get sucked in, too. For slower planes, drop teams of mouse saboteurs on the plane. :)
Now I'm intrigued. Normally a twin cylinder, opposed air cooled aero engine can have it's exhaust simply dumped out the port with no restrictions, but I'm guessing the exhaust port in the fuselage might be from some sort of "Muffler" system for quieter, "Stealthy" flying? Great drawing though. Another one of my younger fantasies was of "Model" aircraft being built and flown by "Miniature" people just like this. Nicely done.
Actually it can be done for muffle reasons, but my main reason was for cabin heating. I'd run them under the cockpit use them to heat air that is vented into the cockpit. If it is not desired the the pilot can open another vent and dump out the bottom. Not perfect but functional.
The one thing you'd have to be careful about is making certain the exhaust does not leak into the cockpit since even with an open arrangement like this the carbon monoxide would not be helpful. In an enclosed arrangement it could be lethal.
The one thing you'd have to be careful about is making certain the exhaust does not leak into the cockpit since even with an open arrangement like this the carbon monoxide would not be helpful. In an enclosed arrangement it could be lethal.
Hm...
I'm not experienced with nitro engines for model aircraft, but I'd assume any airflow going through those cooling fins around the cylinders would be decently warm.
Would the airflow through the engine be enough to heat the cabin?
Or is this more for 'Clean' air that hasn't been exposed to any contaminants or leaking from the engine? Kind of like that 'Don't fire up an unshrouded rotary' pic that Roy Pounds did.
AND AND AND. Is there anything in this universe keeping mice from piloting a fighter scaled up to compete with Bigum craft? Heck, most of the bulk in a human fighter is pilot space and life support... Scale it down to mouse size and you free up a lot of room and weight.
Plus then you could eject an entire survival pod, like the Aardvark. And strap wheels on it! Escape and evade with a dune buggy!
... Okay, I'm going nuts.
I'm not experienced with nitro engines for model aircraft, but I'd assume any airflow going through those cooling fins around the cylinders would be decently warm.
Would the airflow through the engine be enough to heat the cabin?
Or is this more for 'Clean' air that hasn't been exposed to any contaminants or leaking from the engine? Kind of like that 'Don't fire up an unshrouded rotary' pic that Roy Pounds did.
AND AND AND. Is there anything in this universe keeping mice from piloting a fighter scaled up to compete with Bigum craft? Heck, most of the bulk in a human fighter is pilot space and life support... Scale it down to mouse size and you free up a lot of room and weight.
Plus then you could eject an entire survival pod, like the Aardvark. And strap wheels on it! Escape and evade with a dune buggy!
... Okay, I'm going nuts.
Oooo. I had not considered the dune buggy angle. the main thing would be battery life since R/C car batteries don't run that long before they pooped out so you'd want more storage. Still interesting and who knows maybe it'll pop up in one of my dreams some day. My subconscious seems to be good at that.
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