Hey Carl, I'm sure you've seen the Su-30 vid that's been around for a few years from the air show in Europe, with all the fancy vectored thrust moves... but this on is the first R/C vectored thrust model: http://www.flixxy.com/rc-plane-mig29.htm Wild!
Unbelievable! To see a jet hover, with no prop wash over the flight surfaces for control is simply amazing. Would love to see how they are accomplishing thrust vectoring... and what materials are being used to keep the mounting point from melting the fiberglass fuselage. Moving this to the Yacht Club for others to see...
Wow, the maneuvers look even more elaborate than what the F-22 does with its thrust vectoring system! Well that Mig-29 is a model anyways but amzing none the less!
The real jet that's at the forefront of maneuverability & vectored thrust technology is the Sukhoi-30, ahead of the F-22 even. There's two vids of it here(1) & here(2). Until the USA and Russia decide to play air-to-air war-games with each we'll likely never know, but if you've ever seen the F-22 airshow demos you'll notice that to do the maneuvers the Sukhoi does it seems to have to maintain full afterburners, while the Su-30 doesn't. Mind you, airshows aren't a true demonstration of an aircraft's capabilities since they're flown with minimal fuel loads and no weapons.
Would this technology have any benefits underwater coupled to a waterjet? I have seen these nozzles up close on a jet engine and they are very impressive!
Warped minds think alike Dan! In 1986, I submitted a feasibility study to a congressional committee on the development of a Variable Geometry Venturi for waterjet applications. Our original concept was to modify the rate of acceleration within the venturi and reduce the diameter of the expulsion orifice. We developed several models based on a "turkey feather & camera aperture" design, before I came up with a solution that removed all moving parts from the equation, utilizing pressure differentials to accomplish the same principle. In answer to you question, yes, the idea has merit in waterjet applications, but with one major caveat... foreign debris!
Maybe you thought, remote-controlled planes are lame, yes? No longer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDbQ.../rolfe-winkler/&feature=player_embedded#t=245
