Science Illustrated

Can air drag change the shape of a plane?

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At speeds above the speed of light – approx. 1,225 km/h – the frictional resistance from air molecules is to high that the metal in the airframe is warmed up and expands. For example, the tip of the Concorde reached 127 ° C, and the airframe exapanded by up to 30 centimetre­s because of the heat.

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