The F-302 Fighter..

[dropstitch]

Hey guys, this is my first post, I pretty much signed up to ask this question but I intend on sticking around

Anyway, after seeing the F-302 in Stargate, I became curious at how it can even fly. The design of it suggests it lacks the aerodynamics required to get it off the ground, let alone maneuver in the way it does. But the plotline of Stargate confirms it's a hybrid between Goa'uld and Earth technology, so the writers can pretty much say it flies "..because it does".

I was wondering if anybody had any theories or ideas on how it's able to do what it does in the show, based on it's design. Here's a front-end view of the craft, and as you can see it has really blocky features, little intake.. it just doesn't look like a conventional aircraft.



A top-angle view shows more detail in the wing and forward sections, and obviously the way the wings drop down in the way that they do just adds to my confusion!




What do you think?

[freyr's mother]

TPTB didnt design it to be like an F-22. They didnt even really design it for it to look like it can fly. They just wanted something that was eye candy.

[Stugal]

HI,

I have to agree on the eye candy, as it does look smart in the air - plus why think too much into it when it moves like it does - it works therefore it is!!!

[rlr149]

magnets ............ thats always the answer

dunno tbh,i doubt it utilizes the physics of atmospheric flight as is known now though(flaps, ailerons, rudders etc) + power overcomes alot of the need for aerodynamics, the wings may just be there to get it "airborne" till its "alien" tech kicks in(also allows space for weapon pylons)

[Stugal]

more likley that this is one of those things no one is really going to uderstand, plus seen as its part alien they can always blame the tech on that!!

[Emperor Tippy]

Considering that it has inertial dampeners it needs much less power to get airborne than it woudl in the real world. It weighs pratically nothing.

[jds1982]

I don't really see why it couldn't fly. It just appears to be a forward swept, flying wing (2 links). As for the wings angling down, it doesn't seem to angle that much, and I have my doubts as to whether that would prevent flight, and it may have something to do with it's deathglider inspiration.

[Dutch_Razor]

It's an inverse V-tail, theoretically if the wing isn't shaped too bad with enough power it'll fly.

[Davesg-43]

well in my opinion it mostly doing space combat so probaly dosent matter how the wings are made

[Dutch_Razor]

well in my opinion it mostly doing space combat so probaly dosent matter how the wings are made

It does matter how it flies, otherwise you wouldn't get into space as they did in quite a few eps

[dropstitch]

Ahh, thanks for the replies guys. I see what you mean Jds1982, that clears things up alot. I know it's odd to put so much thought into it, but it's such a beautifully designed plane, and even without the alien tech.. and infact even without it's fighting capabilities, it's design scratches an itch in terms of comming up with a simple, 2-man craft that can go into space. Kinda like the Delta Glider from Orbiter

[Ripple in Space]

GV: What makes it fly?

SAM: It's difficult to explain, Sir. The power plant doesn't exert force against gravity so much as take enertia out of the equation. Even pilots are immune to ordinary G forces. We don't completely understand the physics ---

This is a direct quote from the show referring to the X-301, I imagine the 302 functions either similarly or identically.

[Mister Oragahn]

Obviously, by the time of Allies, some kind of repulsorlift has been addded.
These things were hoevering above the tier like helicopters, and could switfly resume theri course thereafter.

[Zatnikitelman]

The drooping wings would make the craft more unstable which is exactly what you'd need in a multi-role (space and atmospheric) fighter. In civilian craft not designed for stunts, some have an upward V to the wings called dihedral. If the plane rolls slightly, the lower wing gains lift, and the higher wing loses lift pulling the plane back to upright. In a droop-wing, the lower wing would lose more lift and the higher wing would gain more lift which would push the fighter over more quickly. I'm not so sure the wings are forward swept so much as they are tapered near the ends.
FOR THE LAST TIME!!! THE IDs DONT REDUCE MASS! They reduce the intertial effects associated with any acceleration, they do help by reducing the inertial drag of external accelerations (accelerating to orbit, turns etc.)
Yea, I caught that in "Allies" as well. I'm not sure they were hovering so much as they pitched up at a high angle, kept moving forward, then put on the thrust and accelerated away. Some propeller planes can do this infact they can pitch straight up and hover in mid air. I've seen a pic of an RC plane do that and heard of stunt performers at I think AirVenture. Perhaps it is some sort of phenomenon associated with the INERTIAL (not mass) dampener.

[Emperor Tippy]

FOR THE LAST TIME!!! THE IDs DONT REDUCE MASS!

Go watch The Eye/The Storm in SGA season 1. Beckett changes the settings on the Inertial Dampeners to add more mass to the PJ so it doesn't get blown away in a hurricane.

In SG cannon Inertial Dampeners do effect the mass of the craft.