NOTICE: The page below has been permenently FROZEN as of January 2000. Due to resource limitations, this section of our website is no longer maintained, so some links may not work and some information may be out of date. We have retained this page for archive reference only, and we cannot vouch for its accuracy. Broken links will not be repaired, and minor errors will not be corrected. You are responsible for independently verifying any information you may find here. More Info
For more recent information about Area 51, see the new Area 51 Research Center maintained by Don Emory.
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From: BaDge <baj7d@avery.med.virginia.edu> Date: Fri, 1 Aug 1997 19:47:06 -0800 |
Some of you who know me from the SkunkWorks list know I'm fond of the navy's Sea Shadow. Since it's stealthy, and A51 is intimately tied to stealth, I thought I'd share this. TLC, 'How'd they do That', just played the most in-depth review of this boat I've seen yet. (Sat 7/26 1930ish) They also showed it in drydock, and we finally see the undepinnings in great detail. Basically twin mini-submarines powered by twin engines in the bowels of the hull, are driven by bubble-formation resistant props, with the only other underwater feature being twin airplane-style rudders near the end of each pontoon. This ship was used mainly as a test bed for technologies to reduce heat, wake, sound, radar, and visible signatures. I see no reason why it couldn't almost completely submerge, nor why it couldn't make 40-50 kts as a hydrofoil. The black skin is exactly that. You can see a skeleton of ribs over which the black coating/covering is stretched in one shot. Catch it if you can! ;-) regards, _____ BaDge <baj7d@virginia.edu>
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Created: Aug 1, 1997