12 ms·

Like fighter jets, you only hear them when it's too late for their prey. Witnessing an owl in the evening is truly awe-inspiring!

totetsu 6y ago
I was at the beach next to an airport recently. There was a small private jet doing practice approaches along the runway but not landing. It really was the case that I would't hear it until it was on top of me. Also had some raptors silently swoop in and steal my lunch out of my had at that beach. Jerks.
WalterBright 6y ago
My dad (jet pilot) told me how he'd do ground attack in Korea against a fixed gun position: 1. Come in with the sun at your back. The gun crew cannot see or hear you. 2. Attack straight down. Gun crew is extremely reluctant to fire straight up for obvious reasons. This is extremely dangerous for the pilot, too, as you have to be exceedingly careful not to overspeed the jet and you have to pull out in time. But he figured it was less dangerous than a flak shell fired at him. 3. Come in flat at treetop level off to the side at high speed. The gun crew cannot crank the gun around fast enough to get the jet in its sights. Then turn in hard and blast away before they can get the gun aimed.
- 082349872349872 6y ago
  > Come in with the sun at your back. Did he also mention this tactic for air attack? Changing technologies (and different dominance asymmetries) seem to swing a pendulum between antagonistic scenarios of advertising (We're here, and we're badass, so don't mess with us) and concealment ("We'd given the bulk of Chrome's Zurich account to a dozen world charities. There was too much there to move, and we knew we had to break her, burn her straight down, or she might come after us."). In the air scenario, I've read that visual-era twentieth century air forces would use either silver or camouflage livery depending upon their perception of their own local air superiority. Bonus clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CFckjfP-1E https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CFckjfP-1E (sorry, my memory said "owl" but it's really goshawk)
  - WalterBright 6y ago
    For air-to-air combat, the original and best set of tactics are the: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dicta_Boelcke The sun at your back is #1. As for camouflage, Richthofen's Flying Circus was famous for eschewing camo and using bright colors to draw attention.
- 29athrowaway 6y ago
  Excerpts from the "Book of Five Rings" (by Miyamoto Musashi, ca. 1645) > Stand in the sun; that is, take up an attitude with the sun behind you. If the situation does not allow this, you must try to keep the sun on your right side. > You must look down on the enemy, and take up your attitude on slightly higher places.

totetsu 6y ago

I was at the beach next to an airport recently. There was a small private jet doing practice approaches along the runway but not landing. It really was the case that I would't hear it until it was on top of me. Also had some raptors silently swoop in and steal my lunch out of my had at that beach. Jerks.

WalterBright 6y ago

My dad (jet pilot) told me how he'd do ground attack in Korea against a fixed gun position: 1. Come in with the sun at your back. The gun crew cannot see or hear you. 2. Attack straight down. Gun crew is extremely reluctant to fire straight up for obvious reasons. This is extremely dangerous for the pilot, too, as you have to be exceedingly careful not to overspeed the jet and you have to pull out in time. But he figured it was less dangerous than a flak shell fired at him. 3. Come in flat at treetop level off to the side at high speed. The gun crew cannot crank the gun around fast enough to get the jet in its sights. Then turn in hard and blast away before they can get the gun aimed.

082349872349872 6y ago
> Come in with the sun at your back. Did he also mention this tactic for air attack? Changing technologies (and different dominance asymmetries) seem to swing a pendulum between antagonistic scenarios of advertising (We're here, and we're badass, so don't mess with us) and concealment ("We'd given the bulk of Chrome's Zurich account to a dozen world charities. There was too much there to move, and we knew we had to break her, burn her straight down, or she might come after us."). In the air scenario, I've read that visual-era twentieth century air forces would use either silver or camouflage livery depending upon their perception of their own local air superiority. Bonus clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CFckjfP-1E https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CFckjfP-1E (sorry, my memory said "owl" but it's really goshawk)
- WalterBright 6y ago
  For air-to-air combat, the original and best set of tactics are the: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dicta_Boelcke The sun at your back is #1. As for camouflage, Richthofen's Flying Circus was famous for eschewing camo and using bright colors to draw attention.
29athrowaway 6y ago
Excerpts from the "Book of Five Rings" (by Miyamoto Musashi, ca. 1645) > Stand in the sun; that is, take up an attitude with the sun behind you. If the situation does not allow this, you must try to keep the sun on your right side. > You must look down on the enemy, and take up your attitude on slightly higher places.