Real Life Armor`

[ebotnamnori]

Recently I showed the I.M. movie clip to one of my professors.  Right away he starts with this tirad about how Tony would need to "manipulate gravity" in order to fly.  He mentioned other 'technical challenges' but he summed up by stating that he didn't care for IM because his technology wasn't "based in reality."  BULLS***T!!!  was the jist of my response. I.M. technology is here.  Between the gov't and private reasearch, and global corporations I have no doubt that at least 80%, if not more, of what the suit employs is in exists in some way shape or form.  Like most of you I am constanly drawing diagrams and tinkering with design ideas. I.M. IS THE FUTURE!!! 

[Chaos]

If the suit is aerodynamic and has enough thrust, then it most certainly can fly. It may not be maneuverable or fully stable, but it can do it. Sounds like his response was more personal than realistic.

[IronDisciple]

Oy!  Yeah. .I'd say he needs a good spanking of reality.

I'd have told him that any object can "fly" (read defy gravity) as long as enough thrust is applied to it. Look at the F-16.. From an aerodynamic standpoint, that thing shouldn't be able to fly at all. It is a total BRICK! As far as controlled flight is concerned.. IMs suit uses thrust vectoring in the boots, stabilizers, and a fly by wire system similiar to the principals employed within said F-16 because a human could not make control inputs fast enough to keep it under control (much less in the air, at all) . In the trailer, you can even see stabilizers on his back area moving like airlerons on a wing, to affect the control inputs.

I'd say most of the tech needed to make IM fly has been around for a long time... the only hurdle to overcome it the miniturization needed to integrate it all into a suit. That would still be a ways off, but only because there isn't a demand for an invincible suit of super-hero armor out in the commercial sector!  hehe Maybe we should start collectiong signatures for a petition!

[Tetragrammaton]

ebotnamnori , your prof is correct. The problem with Iron Man's flight is the fact that he doesn't apparently have anything to provide lift.

Thrust is fine from the boot jets, if all he wants to do is fly everywhere in huge ballistic arcs. The F-16 may have been called a brick, but its a brick with wings. Think about those "jet-pack" guys from the '60s. The jets had to be pointed downwards to negate the force of gravity.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THEcWrznicY

Nullifying gravity is so he can maintain level flight. We do know that anti-gravity is one of Stark's available technologies. Alternately, he can be levitating magnetically ("somehow") while the boot jets push him along. A third and final option is a solid invisible force field around the armor in the shape of an air foil.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-66AcTo9TU

[Iron Guy]

Actually the F-16's profile when it's not all loaded up is pretty slick. The reason given as to why it shouldn't fly is Aerodynamic instability. W/O an FBW control system no human beings reflexes would be fast enough to keep it under control. Now the F-4, on the other hand, has been touted as America's proof to the world that with a big enough engine even a brick can fly, & that it has looks that only an aerodynamacist could love! ( I must be part aerodynamacist then, I think it looks fine    )

[The IronJedi]

I'm surprised writers never developed a flight system for Iron Man along the lines of what Vindicator/Guarian I & II employed. IIRC, the Vindicator/Guardian Armors used a counter-polarity magentic field to fly and provide "thrust." Since electro-magnetic manipulation has long been in Tony's bag o' tricks, why he doesn't employ this as an alternate flight system is beyond me.

[ebotnamnori]

ebotnamnori , your prof is correct. The problem with Iron Man's flight is the fact that he doesn't apparently have anything to provide lift.

I understand aerodynamics priciples,  I realize that some sort of lifting surface would be nice to see,  My biggest problem was the way he simply dismissed the suit and its technolgy out of hand.

I'd say most of the tech needed to make IM fly has been around for a long time... the only hurdle to overcome it the miniturization needed to integrate it all into a suit. That would still be a ways off, but only because there isn't a demand for an invincible suit of super-hero armor out in the commercial sector!  hehe Maybe we should start collectiong signatures for a petition!

I may have given you guys the wrong impression: my argument is not flight vs no-flight  I'm looking at the suit as a whole. And as far as no demand.This is being worked on as we speak! Trust me!    Ok I gotta go I missed the entire lecture while doing this

[Iron Kaiser]

I actually find that Iron Man is a relatively realistic hero.  As everyone has said, Iron Man's armor has so much thrust, that little aerodynamic properties are needed.  This is because Iron man's bootjets work like miniturized magnetic compression thrusters that draw in air and compresses it into incandescence and thrusts it outward.  This is how I believe Iron Man's multi-source jets work in an atmosphere.  The air getting absorbed likely provides some degree of lift as it flies through the tiny ducts in the shoulders and through the turbines.  I can recall of a time where an F-15 Eagle got its wing blown off when it collided with an A-4 Skyhawk in the Israeli Air force.  It was able to land successfully because it had a relatively horizontal surface area and the large intakes and elevators/ailerons.  Now, of course, Iron Man may not use ailerons, but actually a magnetic repulsor flight system device like what he used in IM Vol. 4 #1.  However, this device would only aid in maneuvering himself. 

Also, Iron Man uses gyroscopes in his boot-mounted turbines to allow him to stabilize himself when in flight.  You can't forget that.

I'd say the only issue with Iron Man's armor is that it's too far ahead of its time in terms of how well it's been miniaturized.

[bperlow]

You guys REALLY need to understand aerodynamics. Im no expert , but Ive read some books, and can figure out only a fraction of the math. BUt I understand the aerodynamic shapes. The F-16 as a Flying brick is a Relative term.  ITs far more aerodynamic than a guy in a suit.  I find while the moving flaps look cool, they make no practical sense. I too agree that IM needs a Aerodynamic forcefield to effectively fly. You need a sharp pointer front end to push air around, to reduce pressure and turbulence.  Heres things to think about. A toyota camry has a better Coefficient  of drag than a Formula 1 or Indy car. Of course the racing car has way better downforce.  The race cars need more power to overcome the drag for good performance.
Most of the racing cars drag is due to regulations of racing. Cars could be more aerodynamic but they would be so fast and uncontrollable in the tracks. Now I think Stark would be smart enough to have an aerodynamic forcefield to assist in flight.

I still believe his bootjets are just foot repulsors.  I think they would work like  fuel air explosives..

[Tetragrammaton]

Traditionally, the boot jets have worked on a very different principle than the repulsors.

Recent issues of Iron Man have referred to "Repulsor Flight" that may be similar to your ideas for his flight system.

[ebotnamnori]

I remember reading 'Printed Circuits' a long, long time ago and one of the questions was how did IM stay aloft. As much as I can recall the respone dealt with the use of anti-gravity technology.  But I also recall the author of the response gave a half baked sceintific explanation, and told the reader he would have to accept that this is in the capabilities of the armor.   As a side note:  If possible look at the original Marvel  Universe Handbook in it Tony uses  a anti-grav generator in his briefcase to make it possible to carry the armor.  This is shown in my original avatar.

[bperlow]

I think he uses anti-grav to help him in his flight and to hover. Its probably his low speed method of combat.

[Agent 333]

According to the write-up in the back of IM:DOS (I think the write up comes from one of those Marvel handbook thingys), "Flight is now achieved by full-body nano fan arrays. Micro turbines in Shoes are for rapid manuvering."

Umm... yeah.

[Mario Di Giacomo]

According to the write-up in the back of IM:DOS (I think the write up comes from one of those Marvel handbook thingys), "Flight is now achieved by full-body nano fan arrays. Micro turbines in Shoes are for rapid manuvering."

Umm... yeah.

Which issue?

[The IronJedi]

The latest trade paperback: Iron Man: Director of SHIELD