Can the very thick wing root sections of the swing-wing B-1 and Tu 160, which extend to the swivel bearing, be regarded as supercritical airfoil section? If yes, you have examples of a supersonic application.
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Maybe? I'm not sure they have quite the right shape. A supercritical airfoil isn't just an elliptical leading edge, it's a flat upper surface back a ways.Can the very thick wing root sections of the swing-wing B-1 and Tu 160, which extend to the swivel bearing, be regarded as supercritical airfoil section? If yes, you have examples of a supersonic application.
That thing's wing looks like its mother had a night out with a Handley-Page Victor.
View: https://twitter.com/BaA43A3aHY/status/1776649789003682154?s=19I was recently doing some reading on the history of the F-111 and the difficulties with the wing carry-through box structure resulting in the cold proof load testing procedure. It got me to thinking if there is any information available on what issues the Soviets encountered during the service of their VG fighters and bombers?
I'd have to presume this is one of those unforeseen types of structural failures where if GD hadn't encountered it first with the F-111 other designer would have when their VG aircraft entered service.
Apparently the F-8 SCW demonstrator was an absolute beast, test pilots had to be told to stop mugging F-14s etc.
They got rid of the variable-incidence part?It also landed at 200kts, and the 15,000ft Edwards concrete runway was too short for to land there. Maybe VG would have helped...
Supercritical profiles are great for transonic cruise, but aren't a panacea.