[Milsurplus] U-2 and SR-71A

Thu, 30 Jan 2003 10:44:30 -0500

Bob, It was an F-104, and I believe the pilot was the famous Ivan 
Kincheloe.  For those who say "it can't happen" because the muzzle 
velocity of the rounds is faster than the a/c, well, it's all relative. 
Sure, the muzzle velocity is faster than the a/c during the firing, but 
remember, all projectiles begin losing velocity  the moment they exit 
the muzzle. They also drop, from gravity, as any shooter who does long 
range work knows all too well.
    There is a  basic Physics proof of this (gravitational pull is a 
constant 32ft/sec squared), the only caveat is that it would have to be 
performed in a vacuum to avoid air resistance, and I don't believe we 
have any environmental chamber rifle ranges around (LOL)....the proof 
goes something like this: Set up any sort of projectile firing device 
(doesn't matter which kind, from an air rifle ton up, with everything in 
between. Insure the barrel of the projectile firing device is perfectly 
parallel with the surface, and secure in place. Devise another mechanism 
that will drop a projectile of the same weight, and place this at the 
muzzle end, with the projectile in the same plane as the one to be fired.

    Next thing, evacuate the whole 9 yards, so air resistance is 
removed. set a pair of timers up to begin at the instant of 
firing/release, and place the stop sensors, one directly under the 
"dropped" projectile, and the other at the impact point of the fired 
projectile. Now, trigger this whole gadget. If you have built everything 
correctly, both the projectile dropped, and the one fired to range will 
impact at EXACTLY THE SAME TIME!!!

    What happened to the F-104 was just like this. The pilot fired a 
burst from either the .50s or the cannon, and then, for whatever reason, 
most likely began a letdown. At any rate, the rounds that had slowed 
down,and dropped,  impacted the aircraft. So yes, it is possible to 
shoot oneself down.
73 es tnx de Greg WA3IVX

Bob Wilder wrote:

> At 11:00 AM 1/29/2003 -0600, mikea wrote:
>
>> Wasn't it an F-104 that shot itself down by running into the
>> stream of slugs that it had discharged?
>
>
> May have been a F-104
>
>
>
>
>> It sure illustrates the principle that the weapon needs to go
>> faster than the weapons platform. Which brings up the interesting
>> question of just _what_ missile, back then, was fast enough that
>> the YF-12A wouldn't drop it off the 0-length rails and then run
>> right over it.
>
>
> The only thing that I remember about the missile was that it was built
> by Hughes.
>
>
>
>> -- 
>> Mike Andrews
>> [email protected]
>> Tired old sysadmin since 1964
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>
> Bob Wilder, AF2HD/AFA2HD
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