Side-by-side comparison of the waverider (left) and biconical (right) HGV variants of the DF-17 at nearly the same view angle. Posted by Hainan Homosexual Guy on Weibo.
Chinese Hypersonic Developments (HGVs/HCMs)
- Thread starter A.Man
- Start date
I've been so confused over the last few days due to the unusual orientation of the HGV tipped DF-17 until I saw Holehole's latest explanation:
What everyone was expecting thanks to 2019 parade
What was actually seen in the latest video
Holehole's explanation on how the TEL actually works
Note that both the mock up displayed in 2019 and the scale model he used above depicts the HGV with 3 fins, where as it turns out the real thing has four fins including one on the belly of the HGV. Here's a shot of it with the belly fin clearly displayed:
I suppose it's done so there isn't a fin that sticks straight down on the TEL to make the shape easier to handle, or alternatively no fin sticking straight up to make the enclosure around it taller than it needed to be. Not sure if there's any significance for foreign intelligence agency if they were also tricked for the last 7 years.
I was thinking in my mind that maybe the rocket sat on a turntable that could be rotated once it's vertical thanks to the 2019 display. Made zero sense since you'll just turn the whole TEL instead. Now the new mental model it makes sense.
What everyone was expecting thanks to 2019 parade
What was actually seen in the latest video
Holehole's explanation on how the TEL actually works
Note that both the mock up displayed in 2019 and the scale model he used above depicts the HGV with 3 fins, where as it turns out the real thing has four fins including one on the belly of the HGV. Here's a shot of it with the belly fin clearly displayed:
I suppose it's done so there isn't a fin that sticks straight down on the TEL to make the shape easier to handle, or alternatively no fin sticking straight up to make the enclosure around it taller than it needed to be. Not sure if there's any significance for foreign intelligence agency if they were also tricked for the last 7 years.
I was thinking in my mind that maybe the rocket sat on a turntable that could be rotated once it's vertical thanks to the 2019 display. Made zero sense since you'll just turn the whole TEL instead. Now the new mental model it makes sense.
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Bro just used my drawing.. Dammit I knew I should've put a watermark, I literally also had this epiphany myself a week ago.
For the record, it's been known that there was a fin underneath the belly. Many models just got it wrong
