Can a propeller driven aircraft break the sound barrier?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the question of whether a propeller-driven aircraft can break the sound barrier. Participants explore various aspects of this topic, including theoretical considerations, historical examples, and aerodynamic principles.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant asserts that a propeller-driven aircraft cannot break the sound barrier, seeking opinions on the matter.
  • Another mentions a historical example of a propeller-driven plane with blades operating at supersonic speeds, noting adverse effects from shock waves that led to the program's cancellation.
  • A participant questions the functional differences between propeller and jet propulsion, highlighting their similar mechanism of pushing air.
  • There is speculation that a propeller-driven aircraft could potentially break the sound barrier in a dive, with one participant referencing an individual attempting to achieve this feat without machines.
  • Concerns are raised about the aerodynamic limitations of standard propeller aircraft, with one participant explaining that propeller blades experience flow separation when transitioning from subsonic to supersonic speeds, resulting in a loss of thrust.
  • Another participant expresses doubt about the aerodynamic efficiency and power of propeller-driven planes compared to jets, suggesting that jets have successfully broken the sound barrier while propeller planes have not.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on whether propeller-driven aircraft can break the sound barrier, with multiple competing views and uncertainties expressed throughout the discussion.

Contextual Notes

Some claims depend on specific design considerations for propellers, and there are unresolved questions regarding the aerodynamic properties of propeller-driven aircraft compared to jet engines.

Awsom Guy
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Hope this is the right place for this question, but it is very inetresting to me so I wanted to ask some experts.

Can a propeller driven aircraft break the sound barrier?

My answer, no.
Any opinions will help
Thanks
 
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Some aircraft company made a propeller driven plane where the propeller blades operated at super-sonic speed. Although the pilot was shielded from the shock waves, any personel in the general area were adversely affected by the constant bombardment of shockwaves, so they scrapped the program.
 
Im not sure how a propeller would be different than a jet. They each function by pushing air behind them.
 
I'm sure they can...at least in a dive. There's even some crazy guy that wants to break the sound barrier! (as in, by himself, with no machines)

As for using a propeller to propel an airplane through the sound barrier...I don't think so. But I don't know why :P
 
rcgldr said:
Some aircraft company made a propeller driven plane where the propeller blades operated at super-sonic speed. Although the pilot was shielded from the shock waves, any personel in the general area were adversely affected by the constant bombardment of shockwaves, so they scrapped the program.
Link to wiki article, note the aircraft itself was not super-sonic:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XF-84H_Thunderscreech
 
A standad propeller aircraft won't be albe to power itsself past the spund barrier. A prop blade is like an aerofoil, so when the flow begins to transition from subsonic to supersonic the flow separates and you lose thrust. This is less of a problem for a turbofan, and no problem at all for a turbojet (infact they like going above the speed of sound).

I'm sure that a specifically designed propeller would be able to achieve this though. There are a few guys on here that know about planes, so they'd be better suites to answer this.
 
In my belief I don't think a proppeled plane is aero-dynamic enough and it wouldn't have enough power to make the sound barrier. Many jet planes have made this but a proppelar plane I don't think so.

(Sorry about the bad spelling) hehe
 

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