4 ms·

(Spoilers?) I don't think disintegrating at mach 10 would be survivable. You're basically a meteorite at that point burning up in the atmosphere, not to menti

(Spoilers?) I don't think disintegrating at mach 10 would be survivable. You're basically a meteorite at that point burning up in the atmosphere, not to mention the speed at which you'll hit the ground even with a parachute if the parachute could even stay intact at that speed.

twh270 4y ago
Yeah that scene completely ruined my suspension of disbelief (which was already set to 7/10 because Top Gun is pure entertainment anyway). I guess you could theorize a 'capsule' consisting of some part of the cockpit that would last long enough to decelerate the pilot to a "more survivable" speed, no idea what the engineering tradeoffs are there though.
- dghlsakjg 4y ago
  There is a small, but not insignificant number of aircraft that ejected capsules or protected environments for high mach ejections. The B-58 hustler is one, and the F-111 was capable of separating the entire cockpit from the airframe. Kelly Johnson even claimed that a mach 3 ejection from the A-12/YF-12/SR-71 was survivable in just the pressure suit... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escape_crew_capsule https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escape_crew_capsule
  - raxxorraxor 4y ago
    Is there a large difference between being ejected at mach 3 or mach 10? The heat is probably unpleasant after a while but wouldn't be the strongest drag force be felt around mach 1? Different mechanism but imagining a kung-fu master breaking a steel bar with his pinky right now...
    - zardo 4y ago
      Pretty sure drag keeps going up the faster you go. Naively 3X speed should equate to 9X drag force and 9X heat generation.
      - raxxorraxor 4y ago
        I think the drag coefficient as a derivation of drag peaks around supersonic speed but I am not sure about it. https://aviation.stackexchange.com/questions/79732/why-does-drag-coefficient-decrease-with-mach-number-in-the-supersonic-regime https://aviation.stackexchange.com/questions/79732/why-does-... Not sure what zero lift means in this context, perhaps the drag induced by lift is neglected. It is still > 0 so drag does still increase...
aerostable_slug 4y ago
I've read declassified CIA documents about ISINGLASS and RHEINBERRY, proposed very high speed recon platforms. One "advantage" — apparently not to be emphasized to the pilot — was that there was no way for a pilot to eject and be captured in enemy territory, a la Francis Gary Powers. At the velocities the a/c would reach over the USSR, if it had a mishap the environment would be so severe the Soviets wouldn't even be able to determine from the wreckage if it was manned at all.

twh270 4y ago

Yeah that scene completely ruined my suspension of disbelief (which was already set to 7/10 because Top Gun is pure entertainment anyway). I guess you could theorize a 'capsule' consisting of some part of the cockpit that would last long enough to decelerate the pilot to a "more survivable" speed, no idea what the engineering tradeoffs are there though.

dghlsakjg 4y ago
There is a small, but not insignificant number of aircraft that ejected capsules or protected environments for high mach ejections. The B-58 hustler is one, and the F-111 was capable of separating the entire cockpit from the airframe. Kelly Johnson even claimed that a mach 3 ejection from the A-12/YF-12/SR-71 was survivable in just the pressure suit... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escape_crew_capsule https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escape_crew_capsule
- raxxorraxor 4y ago
  Is there a large difference between being ejected at mach 3 or mach 10? The heat is probably unpleasant after a while but wouldn't be the strongest drag force be felt around mach 1? Different mechanism but imagining a kung-fu master breaking a steel bar with his pinky right now...
  - zardo 4y ago
    Pretty sure drag keeps going up the faster you go. Naively 3X speed should equate to 9X drag force and 9X heat generation.
    - raxxorraxor 4y ago
      I think the drag coefficient as a derivation of drag peaks around supersonic speed but I am not sure about it. https://aviation.stackexchange.com/questions/79732/why-does-drag-coefficient-decrease-with-mach-number-in-the-supersonic-regime https://aviation.stackexchange.com/questions/79732/why-does-... Not sure what zero lift means in this context, perhaps the drag induced by lift is neglected. It is still > 0 so drag does still increase...

aerostable_slug 4y ago

I've read declassified CIA documents about ISINGLASS and RHEINBERRY, proposed very high speed recon platforms. One "advantage" — apparently not to be emphasized to the pilot — was that there was no way for a pilot to eject and be captured in enemy territory, a la Francis Gary Powers. At the velocities the a/c would reach over the USSR, if it had a mishap the environment would be so severe the Soviets wouldn't even be able to determine from the wreckage if it was manned at all.