FA+
Shop
2699 submissions
These are a few brain-fart ideas I came up with recently for aircraft designed specifically for mice, which adults range from 7.5" to about 9" in height, in my universe. The one in the middle is intended to be a very-high altitude recon-type platform that is launched from a larger mothership.
The other two are air racing vehicles. In this universe air racing with mouse pilots has allowed air racing to remain much more popular and common than air racing is in our world. Not only can the races be conducted in a smaller airspace, but it has allowed for more development of new airframes in all classes. Especially Unlimited Class.
One of the problems that has plagued Unlimited Class since the Postwar years is that it is still dominated by warbirds that were built either during or right after WWII. Yes there have been several attempts to modify existing airframes with new wings, and engine upgrades and streamlining has occurred with many of them. Still when you strip it all away you're left with a Mustang, Corsair, Sea Fury, Lightning or some modified Soviet trainer. There has not been a new Gee Bee, H-1 Racer, or Laird Super Solution. Nothing that was designed from the get go for Unlimited Air Racing! Admittedly as performance climbed the cost of development skyrocketed and the warbirds provided a ready made source of proven airframes at a reasonable cost, but it also means that Unlimited Air Races in Reno today look very much the Cleavland Races or 1948.
The one racer at the top of the page is a twin engine pusher/ puller type very much like Dornier 335. The bottom is pure racing airframe with with counter-rotating propellers. Since the races are held on closed courses for either a certain set length of time or number of laps , huge fuel capacity is not necessarily required. Aircraft depending on class could range from just a couple feet long to about eight feet in length. Even with mice great strength-to-body size the larger sizes would have power assisted control surfaces.
The other two are air racing vehicles. In this universe air racing with mouse pilots has allowed air racing to remain much more popular and common than air racing is in our world. Not only can the races be conducted in a smaller airspace, but it has allowed for more development of new airframes in all classes. Especially Unlimited Class.
One of the problems that has plagued Unlimited Class since the Postwar years is that it is still dominated by warbirds that were built either during or right after WWII. Yes there have been several attempts to modify existing airframes with new wings, and engine upgrades and streamlining has occurred with many of them. Still when you strip it all away you're left with a Mustang, Corsair, Sea Fury, Lightning or some modified Soviet trainer. There has not been a new Gee Bee, H-1 Racer, or Laird Super Solution. Nothing that was designed from the get go for Unlimited Air Racing! Admittedly as performance climbed the cost of development skyrocketed and the warbirds provided a ready made source of proven airframes at a reasonable cost, but it also means that Unlimited Air Races in Reno today look very much the Cleavland Races or 1948.
The one racer at the top of the page is a twin engine pusher/ puller type very much like Dornier 335. The bottom is pure racing airframe with with counter-rotating propellers. Since the races are held on closed courses for either a certain set length of time or number of laps , huge fuel capacity is not necessarily required. Aircraft depending on class could range from just a couple feet long to about eight feet in length. Even with mice great strength-to-body size the larger sizes would have power assisted control surfaces.
Category All / All
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 792 x 933px
File Size 50.3 kB
Yeah I always loved the Dornier 335. I thought it addressed several of the problems confronting twin engines design. Especially the problem of asymmetrical thrust in a engine out situation. Less it does complicate bailout scenarios but that is what ejection seats are for!
Yes you do see things like that. Especially for exploration work. This is world where telipresence is not as well established since you have small pilots available for operations. Now if the scenario is just too dangerous they'll send in a bot but often it is mice piloting vehicles that would be drones in our world.
Hmm. It makes me wonder about aircraft design.
With such low weight you'd have much higher relative surface drag to deal with. You'd want high thrust and a nice streamlined body. You might even be able to get away with a lifting body design (like the 2nd, but with more of a cone shape.)
Instead of "drag" type control surfaces, maybe you could have directional puffer jets. And with such small dimensions moving parts would be tricky... maybe a nice simple reed-valued pulse jet? (The noise would be horrible though, especially with those big eared mouse-types)
With such low weight you'd have much higher relative surface drag to deal with. You'd want high thrust and a nice streamlined body. You might even be able to get away with a lifting body design (like the 2nd, but with more of a cone shape.)
Instead of "drag" type control surfaces, maybe you could have directional puffer jets. And with such small dimensions moving parts would be tricky... maybe a nice simple reed-valued pulse jet? (The noise would be horrible though, especially with those big eared mouse-types)
You're also up against the cube-square law the other way -- with an engine half the dimensions you get an eighth the displacement, so you wind up with significantly different engine designs that take advantage of the improvement in cross-sectional strength to shrink the structure of the engine compared to the combustion chambers.
Comments