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Comments on DARPA's Walrus and Griffith's War-Balloons
Not your great-grandfather's airship, the Walrus will be able to lift a fighting force. (Read
the complete story)
| "You know, it wouldn't take much to rice that thing up to look like Thunderbird 2." (DeLameter 9/7/2005 8:42:16 PM) |
| "This could be great when used against forest fires... It could stand right above them and simulate rain for a longer period than conventional planes do!" ( 9/13/2005 3:02:16 AM) |
"Here's a picture of the Thunderbird 2 from the sixties TV show:
(Bill 9/13/2005 8:05:38 PM) |
| "well isn't that just lovely" (kirstie 9/16/2005 1:06:11 PM) |
| "it looks like a giant hand grenage and your going to fill it with hydrogen DUMB IDEA freaks!" (bob diaz 9/20/2005 9:16:26 PM) |
| "It needs 2 layers 1-3 meters apart and nitrogen in between, so the hydrogen inside can't be ignited with just one incendiary round from 7,62 rifle 1000 meters away. Helium is expensive.
3-6 years ago, germans tried to make such airship for civilian use, but investors run out of money or market research predicted too low income. Maybe DARPA invents a way to do it cheaply enough. In any case, military could lease it to civilian use, when military airlift is not needed.
Another use for such airship could be psychological operations. They could put enough LEDs or other lamps to it's side, so that they can display texts like "surrender or die in 6 minutes" or "your tyrant is a lousy leader".
" (leviret 9/23/2005 7:05:32 PM) |
| "Which new & trumped up enemies will we be fighting with this sitting duck gas bag? China, Bin Laden, Ugo Chavez???? Better to use it for civilian/commercial pruposes." (Norm 11/6/2005 11:48:32 AM) |
| "What good is this? The damn balloons use too much space for helium. That is the point afterall, but just does not seem practical. What happens when the compartment containing the bouyant gas is breached? NOT A PRACTICAL MILITARY AIRCRAFT...a couple of good shots could immobilize the craft. It would be much more practical if eventually used for civilian purposes." ( 1/8/2006 2:08:34 PM) |
| "Nope, but it's darn close to my uncle's metalclad, SNAP powered airship of the 60's and I still think it is a good idea. Note, only Hydrogen with Oxygen burns!" (slate 8/1/2006 8:13:07 AM) |
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