These boys are lightweights.
A few of us aerospace geeks are going to load several surplus Saturn 5 F-1
engines (1.5 million pounds thrust each) into my `60 Buick. We figure the
fins are large enough to provide yaw stability in the transonic area, but
we'll have to bolt on extra fins from a '58 DeSoto for supersonic operation.
I figure I can talk one of my Marine Corps flying buddies into piloting this
thing, and already several retired Chiefs in our office have volunteered to
be on the pit crew. Quipped one: "gotta see this thing". Now all we have
to do get Lockheed-Martin Skunk Works to sponsor it. Only problem with that
is they would probably insist on a few changes so you wouldn't know it's
coming or going, and news of the results won't be disclosed for ten years.
Rough calculations indicate Mach 7 is obtainable. Still working on the
thermal effects, though. Anyone got asbestos briefs? How about diapers?
Bruce "What me worry, I'm not in it, but in a slit trench" Clough
BTW: well try to stay away from those Arizona cliff walls!
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