Pick a blimp, any blimp

[Pappa]

Making Jetfuel more stable.

Any idea what the likely outcome of firing a rifle round directly into a jet wing though?

It makes a hole, and if the tank is ruptured, fuel pisses out.

Would it ignite the fuel though?

It's pretty hard to ignite jet-fuel actually. Even regular car fuel is not that easy to ignite.

I had a jar of aviation fuel that I put on a fire once. I was expecting a bang... but I got less than a whimper. Candle wax is more flammable.

[Faithfree]

Can't believe no one has posted this yet.

[Deep Sea Isopod]

I recently renewed my ADR (dangerous goods) licence on a 5 day course.
They showed a video where a petri dish had some diesel in it. The guy held a flame over it, and it didn't ignite. He then heated up the fuel over a bunsen burner, then held the flame over it... Poof!

[FBM]

I really like the idea of a sterling engine on a blimp, that's pretty clever.

I agree. I've been playing with sterling engines for a while now. There's a huge potential there. Use the sterling to generate electicity, which drives the prop...

[Ele]

I really like the idea of a sterling engine on a blimp, that's pretty clever.

I agree. I've been playing with sterling engines for a while now. There's a huge potential there. Use the sterling to generate electicity, which drives the prop...

Are those the kinds of engines that are used in electric planes?

[Ian]

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Many of the airship models employ solar energy. Although hydrogen and helium are still mentioned. Hydrogen has had a stigma attached to it since the Hindenburg disaster, for sure, although investigations have found that hydrogen was not the main cause of the fire. The surface of the Hindenburg was coated in iron oxide and reflective aluminium paint which are highly flammable. As the Hindenburg docked during an electrical storm lightning could have sparked a fire on the surface skin, causing the hydrogen gasbags beneath to eventually succumb to the heat and then the onboard stores of diesel fuel to catch fire. The hydrogen itself is very light and difficult to ignite and if it is ignited it burns out very quickly. But hydrogen got a bad rap which has hindered its technological development as an alternative motor fuel. Those horrific images remain with us but with more sophisticated technology maybe hydrogen's potential shouldn't be disregarded.

A X-hundred foot long sausage painted in thermite. And SURPRISE, it's on fire. Who woulda thunk it?

[Trolldor]

Giant Airship huh..?

I guess Cid's going to be the one building it for us then? (Bonus points for getting the reference.)

[leo-rcc]

I really like the idea of a sterling engine on a blimp, that's pretty clever.

I agree. I've been playing with sterling engines for a while now. There's a huge potential there. Use the sterling to generate electicity, which drives the prop...

What's the maximum efficiency you reached with one of your Sterling engines? From what I remember its not very high.

[Nautilidae]

My favorites are the Manned Cloud, Turtle, Strato Cruiser, and Rediscovery.

[Ele]

Yes, I like the Manned Cloud concept too. The idea of living in the sky in a floating community reminds me that floating city ship, The World... and it looks like a giant white whale.

[Nautilidae]

Yes, I like the Manned Cloud concept too. The idea of living in the sky in a floating community reminds me that floating city ship, The World... and it looks like a giant white whale.

The Rediscovery concept looks as if it's a giant white ray. Soon, we may have a sky filled with aircraft resembling aquatic organisms

[Deep Sea Isopod]

Many of the airship models employ solar energy. Although hydrogen and helium are still mentioned. Hydrogen has had a stigma attached to it since the Hindenburg disaster, for sure, although investigations have found that hydrogen was not the main cause of the fire. The surface of the Hindenburg was coated in iron oxide and reflective aluminium paint which are highly flammable. As the Hindenburg docked during an electrical storm lightning could have sparked a fire on the surface skin, causing the hydrogen gasbags beneath to eventually succumb to the heat and then the onboard stores of diesel fuel to catch fire. The hydrogen itself is very light and difficult to ignite and if it is ignited it burns out very quickly. But hydrogen got a bad rap which has hindered its technological development as an alternative motor fuel. Those horrific images remain with us but with more sophisticated technology maybe hydrogen's potential shouldn't be disregarded.

A X-hundred foot long sausage painted in Marmite.

:fixed