As a songwriter for the last 17 years I can say for certain that when setting out to write a song, it NEVER ends the way it was planned. While the song writing is happening, the song almost develops into what it wants to be rather than what the artist wants and often is better than the original idea. Well, now I have experienced the exact same thing in shaping this cowling. Taking into account all the "rules" of low drag, the cowling took a shape that I couldn't have imagined. First, the transition from wing to pipes was "going to be" a 90 degree angle and quickly became a large radius flowing into the leading edge. very nice and easier to layup that way as well. Then the angle from the rear of the canopy to the spinner was steep. But this was not something I would change. It needed to be straight and finish well. This however led to a "sunk" section right in the middle that exposed 2 outside "humps" like that of a Dodge Viper Hood. AWESOME. But waayyyyy not what I was thinking. I tried to envision different angles that would clear the cooling plenums but they all violated the low drag rules so I guess this is the shape it MUST have. Small variations may happen right before glasswork but the rules MUST apply to every square inch. The rules are as follows 1. Do NOT decrease the trailing edge angle by More than 7 degrees from level. 2. Do NOT create corners or edges with sharp transitions where air can become turbulent 3. All angles behind the leading edge must be slow and gradual vs. abrupt.
Tomorrow I hope to have the shape finalized and 1 ply Carbon laid up to cure during ROUGH RIVER!
