Hitler's Stealth Fighter - More 4 tonight at 10.15

[Mr_B]

Don't blame me if it riddled with inaccuracies, but got to be worth a look.

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/world-war-ii-th...

[DieselGriff]

It (the documentary) seems to be overplaying the stealth capability a bit but I'm sure it's worth a view. Thanks for the heads up.

[Matt172]

It's been on sky a few times already on one of the discovery channels. If nothing else it gives a bit of an insight to some of the stuff they do at the skunk works. I found it pretty interesting

[DieselGriff]

Matt172 said:

If nothing else it gives a bit of an insight to some of the stuff they do at the skunk works. I found it pretty interesting

I find the whole subject of "Luftwaffe 46" (as the modellers refer to it) quite interesting, had the war continued for another year and Germany had the resources it would have been fascinating to see what they would have come out with.

[williamp]

Lots of "what ifs", which could eqully be applied by the British and US sides as well.

And I cant help but thinking the stealth capability was more luck then anything else- there were loads of prototypes designed and tested. This one happened to have stealth capability, but was unstable in flight. Others better in flight, less stealthy

And finally, this would not have been ready in 1940, when the readar was worthwhile. By 1944 we were in northern france and the early warning was far greater on our part.

[Eric Mc]

Saw it a few months ago. The aircraft was NOT designed with stealth in mind - although there is no doubt it would have possessed a stealthier radar signature than a conventional aircraft.

[magpie215]

As an aside what a great model building facility :-)

[jmorgan]

DieselGriff said:

Matt172 said:

If nothing else it gives a bit of an insight to some of the stuff they do at the skunk works. I found it pretty interesting

I find the whole subject of "Luftwaffe 46" (as the modellers refer to it) quite interesting, had the war continued for another year and Germany had the resources it would have been fascinating to see what they would have come out with.

But that was the problem. They did not have the resources to start with when they started the European tour and were going to fail and taking up flights of fancy, I think, would not have made an impact. At least as I understand it. They would have been better sticking to to more conventional stuff but in a way this and other projects diverted scarce resources. Bit hard to do stuff when two armies and converging on you.

Caught the end of the program and got a daily wail feeling to the what if's.

Maybe I am wrong.

[Eric Mc]

It was a bit sensationalist, I thought. Still interesting though.

[MartG]

IIRC the plywood in the original used glue impregnated with carbon, which would have absorbed radar to some extent - a feature not replicated in the programme

[Tango13]

What they failed to mention was that by 1944/5 the entire south coast was saturated in centemetric radar both ground based and airborn, not forgetting to mention the standing fighter patols looking for V1 flying bombs.

They tested the model against longwave radar from the 1940s but were very selective with the results, I would've liked to of seen the "all aspects" radar signature against a centemetric set as I very much doubt the engine inlets were in the slightest bit stealthly.

As for the claim that by 1946 the Germans would have been in possesion of an atomic bomb, that is laughable! What remaines of the Hall Farm tapes of Heisenberg (sp?) and his fellow scientists are a fairly accurate indication that Heisenburg was lying about the feasability of a bomb. He knew how to build one but was lying to Hitler about the free chain molecule length and thus the size of a weapon.

[Eric Mc]

That crossed my mind too. Radar systems improved in leaps and bounds during WW2 snd the technology in use in 1940 was pretty outdated by 1945.

[badgers_back]

MartG said:

IIRC the plywood in the original used glue impregnated with carbon, which would have absorbed radar to some extent - a feature not replicated in the programme

wasn't the old mozzie a but stealthy for the same reason, (accidental) radar absorbent glue.

[CanAm]

And it's still available on demand from that link for another 28 days.

[dafeller]

Dear Santa Claus,

I've been a very good boy this year, and even the year before. If it isn't too much to ask, could you please bring me a giant effing computer-controlled router and a computer-controlled stereolithograph setup with laser Sintering, and fused deposition modelling attachments?

Thanks,

D

[Eric Mc]

dafeller said:

Dear Santa Claus,

I've been a very good boy this year, and even the year before. If it isn't too much to ask, could you please bring me a giant effing computer-controlled router and a computer-controlled stereolithograph setup with laser Sintering, and fused deposition modelling attachments?

Thanks,

D

Is that what the Horten brothers used - or was it a slide rule, paper and a sharp pencil?

[CDP]

dafeller said:

Dear Santa Claus,

I've been a very good boy this year, and even the year before. If it isn't too much to ask, could you please bring me a giant effing computer-controlled router and a computer-controlled stereolithograph setup with laser Sintering, and fused deposition modelling attachments?

Thanks,

D

Custom made cabinets for industrial purposes and shop fittings will have been cut on pretty much identical routers. If it only takes a day or so to cut out all the parts it wouldn't be that expensive.

I wonder if the original plans are available. I'm sure we can source some sort of jet engines. Anchor Surplus in Nottingham used to stock them.

PH joint project anyone?

[Tango13]

CDP said:

dafeller said:

Dear Santa Claus,

I've been a very good boy this year, and even the year before. If it isn't too much to ask, could you please bring me a giant effing computer-controlled router and a computer-controlled stereolithograph setup with laser Sintering, and fused deposition modelling attachments?

Thanks,

D

Custom made cabinets for industrial purposes and shop fittings will have been cut on pretty much identical routers. If it only takes a day or so to cut out all the parts it wouldn't be that expensive.

I wonder if the original plans are available. I'm sure we can source some sort of jet engines. Anchor Surplus in Nottingham used to stock them.

PH joint project anyone?

How about building a Colditz glider first as a dry run so to speak?

[CDP]

Tango13 said:

CDP said:

dafeller said:

Dear Santa Claus,

I've been a very good boy this year, and even the year before. If it isn't too much to ask, could you please bring me a giant effing computer-controlled router and a computer-controlled stereolithograph setup with laser Sintering, and fused deposition modelling attachments?

Thanks,

D

Custom made cabinets for industrial purposes and shop fittings will have been cut on pretty much identical routers. If it only takes a day or so to cut out all the parts it wouldn't be that expensive.

I wonder if the original plans are available. I'm sure we can source some sort of jet engines. Anchor Surplus in Nottingham used to stock them.

PH joint project anyone?

How about building a Colditz glider first as a dry run so to speak?

Nah, people will get bored too soon with a glider. When that jet engine lights up it will fire everybody's imagination too.

Bagsy first go, it'll probably be broken for the second

[CanAm]

Tango13 said:

CDP said:

dafeller said:

Dear Santa Claus,

I've been a very good boy this year, and even the year before. If it isn't too much to ask, could you please bring me a giant effing computer-controlled router and a computer-controlled stereolithograph setup with laser Sintering, and fused deposition modelling attachments?

Thanks,

D

Custom made cabinets for industrial purposes and shop fittings will have been cut on pretty much identical routers. If it only takes a day or so to cut out all the parts it wouldn't be that expensive.

I wonder if the original plans are available. I'm sure we can source some sort of jet engines. Anchor Surplus in Nottingham used to stock them.

PH joint project anyone?

How about building a Colditz glider first as a dry run so to speak?

It's been done and it worked. Though H&S made them use proper glue and fabric rather than an old curtain etc. But it flew!