Forum: F-16 Armament & Stores

KAIS, you are correct in saying the drag coefficient is a variable, but Reynolds Number is not the only reason, as Mach Number will also affect it. However, the cross section area A is constant, as the tail fins assure that the angle of attack and angle of sideslip of the bomb are essentially zero. I know there are some oscillations right after ejection, but they don't last long enough to affect bomb trajectory very much.

Loomis, the equation you gave is not an ideal equation, it is real world. The equation does not assume the fluid striking the cross section is halted. The drag coefficient (probably about .05 to .10) reduces the "halted fluid" drag to real world drag.

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Quote:

Loomis, the equation you gave is not an ideal equation, it is real world.

Have to respectfully disagree, johnwill. Look at the first sentence under Discussion in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drag_equation">this</a> Wikipedia article. That pretty much duplicates what I have in a book on the subject.

Also have to disagree with your assertion that the cross-sectional area presented to the airstream is a constant. If the bomb were tossed, would it hit the ground tail-first?

Loomis,
Read the third sentence in the Wikipedia Discussion. It says exactly the same thing I did.

I don't understand your comment on a tossed bomb hitting the ground tail first. Tossed bombs come off the airplane pointy end first, just like normally dropped bombs.

Are you at LMTAS? What group?

johnwill, you're right -- I just noticed that the Wikipedia link defines the drag coefficient differently than I did.

Forum: F-16 Armament & Stores

Maximum range of the MK84