Post by: krissel on January 22, 2007, 03:10:17 AM
http://www.techsurvivors.net/forums/index....1&hl=spider
But now it has come out into the open.
http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconva...al/16498751.htm
Post by: dolphin on January 22, 2007, 05:56:58 AM
Post by: snuffysbluff on January 22, 2007, 06:47:41 AM
Thanks for the update Kris.
Post by: Gregg on January 22, 2007, 07:35:41 AM
Loose lips sink ships.
Post by: RNKIII on January 22, 2007, 04:43:34 PM
Bob K. rnkiii
Post by: Xairbusdriver on January 23, 2007, 03:34:35 PM
1. I certainly hope those inflatable pontoon sections are well reinforced! Hate to be in the middle of the ocean and find one damaged by hitting a swordfish at 60mph! Ouch!
2. I don't think aluminum is particularly suited to exposure to salt water. Fresh is OK.
3. Not sure how much 'spring' might be in the suspension but the high seas are not always as calm as S.F. Bay. There are advantages of single hulls when the water gets really rough. This thing looks like it would be real exciting in even 10 foot swells!
4. Slow speed turns would be easy but at the top speed, I'd, again, be leery of both the pontoons safety and the rather high center of gravity, even assuming that the engines are somewhere in the pontoons.
5. While a couple of feet of water is needed by this design, draft is solely determined by the weight of the object and its surface/submerged area. There's nothing magic about the design and the current draft, it's simply the large surface area of the pontoons compared to the relatively light structure. Load up that 'cargo' area with a few dozen troops, gear, food, ammunition, etc. and the draft may increase significantly. Nor would those troops be content to travel across many hours in such cramped quarters! Granted, the purported speeds would decrease the amount of human support items for the trip, but the resupply/maintenance needs will not really be changed. Best bet would be for that to happen by airdrop. And, if your going to do that, why not make the troop delivery the same way?
I suppose, if the scaled up version could be big enough, a case could be made for deployment of some forces. But the speed, even with 'real' pontoons(!), would still be a negative factor. And a lot more effort would be needed to make the design more stealthy.
This high-speed, 'water-borne' delivery system was researched quite a bit by the Soviets several decades ago. But the design resembled more of a <'ground effect' aircraft>. However, it offered many benefits of the 'spider'; low draft, maneuverability, very low support needs, etc. But it also offered much greater speeds and much less dependence on 'high-tech' fabrics, suspensions and smooth seas, IMHO.
6. Finally, we all know that 640MB is more than enough RAM!
Post by: D76 on January 23, 2007, 09:59:41 PM
QUOTE
Representatives of the U.S. Coast Guard and several oceanographic organizations were present at the preview of the prototype.
On Thursday, a group of invited guests headed out into the bay on a charter boat from Pier 40 as the Proteus approached from under the Bay Bridge. The craft traveled in circles around the charter boat, accelerating and turning easily, and at one point glided slowly up to within a few feet of the stalled charter.
How very Turbinia of it.On Thursday, a group of invited guests headed out into the bay on a charter boat from Pier 40 as the Proteus approached from under the Bay Bridge. The craft traveled in circles around the charter boat, accelerating and turning easily, and at one point glided slowly up to within a few feet of the stalled charter.
QUOTE
In trials this achieved a top speed of over 34 knots (63 km/h), so that "the passengers aboard would be convinced beyond all doubt Turbinia was Charles Parsons' winning North Sea greyhound"
As an audacious publicity stunt Parsons brought the ship uninvited to the Navy Review for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee at Spithead on 26 June 1897 and in front of the Prince of Wales, Lords of the Admiralty and foreign dignitaries the Turbinia, much faster than any other ships, raced between the two lines of large ships and easily evaded the Navy's patrol boats.
History repeats itself, sorta.
As an audacious publicity stunt Parsons brought the ship uninvited to the Navy Review for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee at Spithead on 26 June 1897 and in front of the Prince of Wales, Lords of the Admiralty and foreign dignitaries the Turbinia, much faster than any other ships, raced between the two lines of large ships and easily evaded the Navy's patrol boats.