HOME | DD

Description
Atlantis Episode 3 introduces the so called "aerial subfighter". Being an aerospace engineer this really didn't sit well with me because they have opposing requirements. Aircraft need to be lightweight and maximise lift, submarines need to be tough, streamlined and with lots of power to overcome friction.
Anyway, after some discussion it was decided that it should actually be more of a submersible aircraft, ie something optimised for air use with a limited capacity for underwater "flight".
So I took an interesting concept I'd once stumbled upon called a fan wing, the idea being that where more lift is required (i.e. at low speeds) the wings extend and the fans powered up. Where less lift and high speed is required the wings retract reducing drag. I figured with a heavy fuselage the fans would help keep it in the air, but would retract whilst under water.
However it was decided that this concept wasn't "gunship" enough, so it's yet another design consigned to the Atlantis junkyard.

Description
Atlantis Episode 3 introduces the so called "aerial subfighter". Being an aerospace engineer this really didn't sit well with me because they have opposing requirements. Aircraft need to be lightweight and maximise lift, submarines need to be tough, streamlined and with lots of power to overcome friction.
Anyway, after some discussion it was decided that it should actually be more of a submersible aircraft, ie something optimised for air use with a limited capacity for underwater "flight".
So I took an interesting concept I'd once stumbled upon called a fan wing, the idea being that where more lift is required (i.e. at low speeds) the wings extend and the fans powered up. Where less lift and high speed is required the wings retract reducing drag. I figured with a heavy fuselage the fans would help keep it in the air, but would retract whilst under water.
However it was decided that this concept wasn't "gunship" enough, so it's yet another design consigned to the Atlantis junkyard.