Stratolaunch roll-out

[Archer]

I know that there's nothing British in this (although BAE Systems did play a small role) but it is impressive to see the size of this beast:


From: http://www.stratolaunch.com/gallery.html

Anyone up for modelling this for FS?

[FlyTexas]

Wow! I wonder how much cost savings the customer should expect using the Stratolaunch aircraft compared to launching satellites using a "normal" rocket launch? As for an FS model, I'm still waiting for someone to build a quality SpaceShipOne model.

Brian

[paulsl]

Please can someone who knows more about these things than I do, please reassure me that this isn't a late April Fools? How on earth is the central span going to have enough strength to resist the torsion effects on something that size when it meets a decent bit of turbulence?

Just curious, Paul

[airboatr]

That was my first thought as well, Paul.. My guess, sizable wing spar.

[Archer]

That, plus the use of composites. I'm sure someone has done a bit of calculating before they started building, they are talking about carrying 500,000 lbs aloft under that thing. They have a bit of experience with the White Knight of course.

[airboatr]

The other question that crossed my mind is, what is the flight crew arrangements.
Pilot in the left flight deck. Co pilot in the right one?

[Archer]

Crew in the righthand fuselage, the other side is completely unpressurised. I guess that they only put windows in as they had some spares and didn't want to make a different mould for that side.

[Nick M]

Certainly is an interesting configuration. I wonder why they didn't join the two horizontal stabilisers together to provide a bit more structural rigidity as with the DH.100 and its de Havilland brethren, the P-38 and the (almost as funny looking) F-82 'Twin Mustang'. At least it would have looked a bit more airworthy, if nothing else!

I guess the Heinkel He 111Z is a pretty close match in terms of general arrangement, which goes to show that in aviation terms (and in life in general), it's hard to come up with something that hasn't been tried before.

Nick

[paulsl]

My guess, sizable wing spar.

"Nah mate, that's not an I beam. This is an I beam"

I'm with Nick joining the horizontal stabilisers. Anyway, I know very little about the nitty gritty of aeroplane design, so I'll not worry. I don't see myself flying that airline anytime soon anyway.

Sudden ageist thought, hands up if you remember "Made in Scotland frae girders"

[airboatr]

Nawmate... I've not been privileged..... I'm of this derivation