Very interesting. This closely resembles one (of many) techniques used in modern stealth aircraft like the f-117. Extensive use of angled flat panels to reflect radar energy anywhere BUT back to the radar site that is looking for it.
Rick, ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dick Williamson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, March 11, 2002 12:43 PM Subject: Re: [RCSE] Color/Visibility & WWII Brett Jaffee noted: >The worst, of course, is chrome. I have a small T-6 Texan power >plane which has wings covered in chrome monokote. The wings are >almost completely invisible 90% of the time, except when they catch >the sun at just the right angle and the flash blinds you. I did a thesis under a professor who had been heavily involved with visibility/camouflage studies during World War II. One problem he addressed was that of a bomber that got into the beam of a search light. There were many attempts to make the world's flattest black paint with the lowest reflectivity. However, a plane in a search light beam glowed against the background (black night sky) even with the best paints. The solution was to go the opposite direction and use highly reflective paints or polished metal (specular as opposed to diffuse reflection). The most visible part of an aircraft is the wings which act very much like flat mirrors. Unless the wing was perpendicular to the beam of the search light, the reflected beam went off at a angle and formed a spot on the ground far removed from the searchlight. Visible detection of such planes, even with search lights, became very difficult. For sailplanes, I put a strip of chrome on the leading edge. When maneuvering the plane, I get an intermittent flash from the reflected sunlight. This flash has often saved me when the plane otherwise disappeared. Dick -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Dr. Richard C. Williamson Phone: 781-981-7857 Room C-317 FAX: 781-981-0122 Lincoln Laboratory Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Massachusetts Institute of Technology 244 Wood Street Lexington, MA 02420-9108 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED] RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
