From: dietz@dls.net   
      
   Henry Spencer wrote:   
      
   > Don't remember the accident-report numbers, but RCC panels are used only   
   > where temperatures exceed about 1250degC, and the stagnation points -- the   
   > worst case -- on nose and leading edge are at about 1650degC.   
      
   The air entering the hole in the RCC was much hotter.  The hottest   
   air at the shock is normally kept some distance from the vehicle,   
   but the hole let that hot air flow directly into the wing.   
      
   I've seen a figure of 8000 F, enough to erode even the RCC   
   to a thin edge at the boundaries of the enlarged hole.   
      
   	Paul   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)