Wow...tough crowd tonight.
Tortoise: Yes, that is what we see from the equations where Cd lowers as the length of the tube increases for a given diameter. That's probably not true for all shapes I wouldn't know. However for the SH shape it is true as I understand what has been studied and written about it. Also it seems quite obvious to me that air flowing around a sphere of a given dimension will have a higher Cd that air flowing around a long pointy end tube of the same diameter. Is that unrealistic in your estimation tortoise?
I don't think I admitted anything of the sort tortoise. Wave drag is a component of transonic and supersonic speed as I understand it, but aerodynamic principles remain valid in subsonic and supersonic air flows where shape, length, and volume determine the Cd of a profile. Far smarter people than me have determined the SH shape is one of, if not the least drag inhibitive aerodynamic shapes. I think its common knowledge that well known and peer reviewed mathematical formulas generally produce accurate and dependable results tortoise...I think I'll stick with those rather than find some counterproductive fault based on...well, who knows what your thinking is based on.
Interested Observer: Independent yes, but not inconsequential given the nature of air flow over and around low Cd shapes which SH is without doubt one of the best. Or is that statement suspect in your opinion? Your suggestions I'm sure have value IO, I'm not so sure however that forgetting what I've researched an studied on your say so alone has any value to me in this context.
I love naysayers...they are like finding metal filings in a pan of break-in oil.