Choosing an air intake for a fighter jet

[RandomGuy1824]

I am building a fighter jet using BDarmory and wanted to know what the best intake for that is. At first I planned on using shock cones but they didn't into the design. The only air intakes that work well with it are the radial mounted ramp intakes but they don't bring in much air. I was using twin turbo ramjets If that has anything to do with it. All help is appreciated.

[GoSlash27]

3 of those radial intakes should be sufficient to feed an engine to it's full potential. Try 6 of them.

Best,
-Slashy

[RandomGuy1824]

8 minutes ago, GoSlash27 said:

3 of those radial intakes should be sufficient to feed an engine to it's full potential. Try 6 of them.

Best,
-Slashy

Thanks!

[GoSlash27]

You're welcome. Hope it works out for you.

-Slashy

[RandomGuy1824]

On the topic does it matter where the radial intakes are positioned? If so where is the best place (aerodynamicly or looks) to put them?

Edited December 26, 2016 by RandomGuy1824

[swjr-swis]

42 minutes ago, RandomGuy1824 said:

On the topic does it matter where the radial intakes are positioned? If so where is the best place (aerodynamicly or looks) to put them?

Both to minimize drag and to maximize the air intake, you should place them as much as possible parallel to the airflow - intake opening pointing to the front of the craft.

Placement on top/bottom (dorsal/ventral) makes no difference for drag or air intake. It does make a difference for heat, but that only comes to play if your fighter tries to go orbital or do Mach 3+ speeds for extended periods of time, in which case placing them on the top/dorsal of fuselage or wings will keep the intakes from heating up.

[Wcmille]

What is the method to precisely engineer intakes such that you are not carrying more weight than necessary?

[RandomGuy1824]

Thanks swjr-swis !

[GoSlash27]

16 hours ago, RandomGuy1824 said:

On the topic does it matter where the radial intakes are positioned? If so where is the best place (aerodynamicly or looks) to put them?

I prefer to put mine as far back as possible and mount them on the top of the plane. This way the added drag is behind the CoM and improves stability while giving good thermal protection to the intakes and maximum ground clearance during takeoff and landing.

Best,
-Slashy

13 hours ago, Wcmille said:

What is the method to precisely engineer intakes such that you are not carrying more weight than necessary?

Wcmille,

 The drag penalty is actually the most important part. We have a discussion going on in this thread:

There's a lot more info on the subject, but it's been so long I don't remember where it all is now.

Best,
-Slashy

[Fearless Son]

I tend to favor putting the intakes low and to the front of the craft, like real fighters.  Mostly because I find that when cruising at high altitudes, I tend to need to keep the nose up just a little, and by having the intakes below their airflow is not occluded by the bulk of the plane.  

As for what kind, I prefer the adjustable ramp intakes.  I often try to place something like the cubic octagonal strut below the cockpit such that I can directly mount the intake there, with an aerodynamic structural element behind it to make a larger outboard "pod".  Like this one I built a while ago: