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Sänger Amerika Bomber "SilverBird"

41.5k MrVaultech  8.3 years ago

All right, so, a replica... this is a first for me. The SilverBird, a Amerika bomber that could fly around the world. So, something VERY important; this jet is EXTREMELY unstable, so the highest the throttle should be at is 30%, and that's pushing it. Really, if you go faster than that, your well being is not my fault. Now some information from Luft '46.

In June 1935 and February 1936, Dr. Eugen Sänger published articles in the Austrian aviation publication Flug on rocket-powered aircraft. This led to his being asked by the German High Command to build a secret aerospace research institute in Trauen to research and build his "Silverbird", a manned, winged vehicle that could reach orbit. Dr. Sänger had been working on this concept for several years, and in fact he had began developing liquid-fuel rocket engines. From 1930 to 1935, he had perfected (through countless static tests) a 'regeneratively cooled' liquid-fueled rocket engine that was cooled by its own fuel, which circulated around the combustion chamber. This engine produced an astounding 3048 meters/second (10000 feet/second) exhaust velocity, as compared to the later V-2 rocket's 2000 meters/second (6560 feet/second). Dr. Sänger, along with his staff, continued work at Trauen on the "Silverbird" under the Amerika Bomber program.           The Sänger Amerika Bomber (or Orbital Bomber, Antipodal Bomber or Atmosphere Skipper) was designed for supersonic, stratospheric flight. The fuselage was flattened, which helped create lift and the wings were short and wedge shaped. There was a horizontal tail surface located at the extreme aft end of the fuselage, which had a small fin on each end. The fuel was carried in two large tanks, one on each side of the fuselage, running from the wings aft. Oxygen tanks were located one on each side of the fuselage, located forward of the wings. There was a huge rocket engine of 100 tons thrust mounted in the fuselage rear, and was flanked by two auxiliary rocket engines. The pilot s flanked by two auxiliary rocket engines. The pilot sat in a pressurized cockpit in the forward fuselage, and a tricycle undercarriage was fitted for a gliding landing. A central bomb bay held one 3629 kg (8000 lb) free-falling bomb, and no defensive armament was fitted. The empty weight was to be approximately 9979 kg (22000 lbs). 
          An interesting flight profile was envisioned for the "Silverbird". It was to be propelled down a 3 km (1.9 mile) long monorail track by a rocket-powered sled that developed a 600 ton thrust for 11 seconds (please see diagram below). After taking off at a 30 degree angle and reaching an altitude of 1.5 km (5100'), a speed of 1850 km/h (1149 mph) would be reached. At this point, the main rocket engine would be fired for 8 minutes and burn 90 tons of fuel to propel the "Silverbird" to a maximum speed of 22100 km/h (13724 mph) and an altitude of over 145 km (90 miles), although some sources list the maximum altitude reached as 280 km (174 miles). As the aircraft accelerated and descended under the pull of gravity, it would then hit the denser air at about 40 km (25 miles) and 'skip' back up as a stone does when skipped along water. This also had the added benefit of cooling the aircraft after the intense frictional heating encountered when the denser air was reached. The skips would gradually be decreased until the aircraft would glide back to a normal landing using its conventional tricycle landing gear, after covering approximately 23500 km (14594 miles). 
         The final test facilities for full-scale rocket engine tests were being built when Russia was invaded in June 1941. All futuristic programs were canceled due to the need to concentrate on proven designs. Dr. Sänger went on to work on ramjet designs for the DFS (German Research Institute for Gliding), and helped to design the Skoda-Kauba Sk P.14. Although the Luftwaffe did its best to stop Dr. Sänger from publishing his research results, a few copies went unaccounted for and made their way to other countries. After the war, he was asked to work (along with mathematician Irene Bredt) for the French Air Ministry, where in a bizarre plot, he was almost kidnapped by Stalin, who recognized the value of the Amerika Bomber. 

General Characteristics

  • Created On Android
  • Wingspan 41.1ft (12.5m)
  • Length 51.5ft (15.7m)
  • Height 9.2ft (2.8m)
  • Empty Weight 25,185lbs (11,424kg)
  • Loaded Weight 25,609lbs (11,616kg)

Performance

  • Power/Weight Ratio 0.131
  • Wing Loading 83.6lbs/ft2 (408.2kg/m2)
  • Wing Area 306.3ft2 (28.5m2)
  • Drag Points 3782

Parts

  • Number of Parts 64
  • Control Surfaces 6
  • Performance Cost 340
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  • Profile image

    You may want to shorten the wings and rudders a bit and sweep them back slight for better stability!

    1.2 years ago
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    41.5k MrVaultech

    Ah, I see someone uses that list at least.
    Well, quite glad you enjoy it, and am not the only one who built this unique aircraft.
    @Thelegitpilot13

    5.2 years ago
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    @MrVaultech I went on your WWII German list, and saw this. I knew when I saw it I had to upvote this. It’s so good! I did make my own, tho this one flies much faster (albeit maybe a little unrealistic (30+ g turns at high speed XD)). Still awesome!

    5.2 years ago
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    41.5k MrVaultech

    Quite glad you enjoy it, and especially intriguing how you managed to come this far back in my build history.
    @Thelegitpilot13

    5.2 years ago
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    This Silbervogel is wunderbar!

    +1 5.2 years ago
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    41.5k MrVaultech

    Thanks! And also it was inteneded to carry a 8000 lbs bomb.
    @InternationalAircraftCompany

    8.3 years ago
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    Flight- 10/10
    Detail- 10/10
    Landing/Takeoff- 420/10 (actually 10/10)
    Bomb Load- 5/10- I don't know how much it could carry in real life so I'll just give this a 5.
    Paint- 10/10
    -Bonus-
    Backstory/Instructions- 7/10
    I'm not going to judge any more than this so everyone else has a chance.

    8.3 years ago
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    11.3k kukimuki1234

    SILVERBOGEL

    8.3 years ago
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    2,470 Smasher

    @MrVaultech I love Monday's mostly because of my job but I hate fridays

    8.3 years ago
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    41.5k MrVaultech

    When it's not summer; no.
    @Smasher

    8.3 years ago
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    2,470 Smasher

    @MrVaultech when it's not sumer holaday

    8.3 years ago
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    41.5k MrVaultech

    Summer; really don't care.
    Any other time; Definitely
    @Smasher

    8.3 years ago
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    2,470 Smasher

    @MrVaultech random question do you like Mondays

    8.3 years ago
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    41.5k MrVaultech

    Well, okay.
    @Smasher

    8.3 years ago
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    2,470 Smasher

    @MrVaultech I did not know that I only started a few days ago

    8.3 years ago
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    41.5k MrVaultech

    The section named "Rules" In the drop down bar. Everyone should know that.
    @Smasher

    8.3 years ago
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    2,470 Smasher

    @MrVaultech not quite what I mean I mean as in direct me where

    8.3 years ago
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    41.5k MrVaultech

    UnstableOrbit was fairly direct with what he meant.
    @Smasher

    8.3 years ago
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    2,470 Smasher

    @MrVaultech and then started an agument

    8.3 years ago
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    2,470 Smasher

    @MrVaultech I didn't mean as in not calm I meant as in he wasn't direct

    8.3 years ago
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    41.5k MrVaultech

    UnstableOrbit pointed it out in a calm manner.
    @Smasher

    8.3 years ago
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    2,470 Smasher

    @MrVaultech what my point is all he had to do was point out the tag that fits

    8.3 years ago
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    41.5k MrVaultech

    Hmm... I looked into it. UnstableOrbit is kinda right. Giving a forum unnecessary tags Is, well, unnecessary.
    @Smasher

    8.3 years ago
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    2,470 Smasher

    @MrVaultech yep

    8.3 years ago
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    41.5k MrVaultech

    Control freak?
    @Smasher

    8.3 years ago
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