YAWP (Yet Another Weird Plane)

[Bill-Higdon]

Presenting the Planet Satellite

Planet Satellite Light Aircraft

The Planet Aircraft Ltd Satellite was a post-war pusher monoplane constructed of magnesium. The aircraft’s structure proved to be weak, necessitating a redesign that was never undertaken.

oldmachinepress.com

 

[BJC]

An inverted, U-shaped magnesium keel reinforcement ran internally along the bottom of the forward fuselage section from the nose of the aircraft to the wing’s leading edge.

It might be better to bail out rather than attempt a gear-up landing.


BJC

 

[TFF]

Just another VK30… well ok its it’s dad.

 

[Kyle Boatright]

That is an awesome looking airplane.

 

[crusty old aviator]

Are those main gear doors or mud flaps?

 

[BJC]

Gear doors.

BJC

 

[Brünner]

"The magnesium fuselage was riveted together for the prototype aircraft, but production aircraft were to be welded."

How the heck do you weld magnesium?

 

[Kyle Boatright]

"The magnesium fuselage was riveted together for the prototype aircraft, but production aircraft were to be welded."

How the heck do you weld magnesium?

I'm no welder, but if you google it, you'll find lots of info. Sounds like it is more difficult than welding steel or aluminum.

 

[cluttonfred]

What, YAWP and it's not French?!? Welding magnesium does sound like it would sometimes be very "exciting."

 

[Dennis DeFrange]

LD , lawn dart

 

[Tiger Tim]

Too bad it didn’t work out, I love that there’s an air cooled air blind six cylinder buried in that fuselage

 

[bmcj]

How the heck do you weld magnesium?

You weld it by accident. I welded magnesium purely by mistake in a gas welding class when I was a kid. I had the steel welding down pretty good, so I had moved on to learning how to weld aluminum. Unbeknownst to me, the instructor inadvertently handed me a magnesium rod instead of an aluminum rod. We finally figured out why it kept flashing on me when I was trying to get a puddle going.

 

[Voidhawk9]

The Northrop XP-56 was made largely of magnesium. They developed the much of the tech as they went.
The prototype still exists, but is in need of restoration after some rough handling following the end of the program. Unfortunately, the magnesium welding required for the restoration has prevented progress so far, so it sits in storage...

 

[PMD]

Interesting that the only aircraft in the last very long time to be able to carry that many people at extremely high airspeeds and altitudes (Otto Celera) has pretty much the same layout with much more sophisticated aero design and power.

 

[BJC]

Interesting that the only aircraft in the last very long time to be able to carry that many people at extremely high airspeeds and altitudes (Otto Celera) has pretty much the same layout with much more sophisticated aero design and power.

It also is interesting that the Satellite never demonstrated its projected performance and that the Celera’s performance remains unknown.

The most recent press release on the Celera web site was 14 months ago.


BJC

 

[PMD]

It also is interesting that the Satellite never demonstrated its projected performance and that the Celera’s performance remains unknown.

The most recent press release on the Celera web site was 14 months ago.

BJC

Point noted, but I am willing to give Otto a fair bit of latitude due to his credentials and the RED engine not being an unknown. After the collapse of Thunder/Orenda/Texas/Trace and possible EPS, I have serious reservations over ANY ambitious aviation project delivering the goods to their theoretical potential.

 

[AeroER]

I have used WE-43 magnesium alloy in a flying airframe, and it will become more common in airliner seat frames as new seats are needed.

The weirdest feature from my perspective is the yield strength response to heat. I checked with the MMPDS committee to be certain the published data is correct. Material properties are published in the MMPDS.

Here's an article about weldable magnesium alloys and processes -

Welding of Magnesium-base Alloys

www.totalmateria.com

 

[Dothetime]

"The magnesium fuselage was riveted together for the prototype aircraft, but production aircraft were to be welded."

How the heck do you weld magnesium?

With a fire extinguisher

 

[jeffwalin]

The Molt Taylor Mini-Imp is similarly strange.

 

[Orange4sky]

Looks like Celera before she was knocked up.

I think soon she will begin the familiar journey to spawn, laying her eggs of disruption and innovision, and then to die, in her natural habitat, the lush greenback waters of Silicon Valley.