Military-Type Questions

[Perianne]

Who can answer military-type questions?

I have a couple, but will start with this one:

When a bomber drops its payload, do they calculate in the turning of the earth?

[darin]

They don't. has no effect on accuracy, due to the very short-time the bombs fall. Plus, the Plane is moving too - like when you are in a car and drop a french fry, the fry drops exactly down between the seats - no leading required.

[NightTrain]

Yeah, besides that all the new ones are guided, so they'll steer to target even with winds pushing them off course.

I don't think we're even using the WWII era 'dumb bombs' anymore.

[Perianne]

I should have said that I was referring to WWII high level bombing, at say, 20,000 feet.


Wouldn't it take 30 seconds or so for the bomb to hit the ground? If the earth is moving at 1,000 miles per hour, that is about 17 miles per minute, or 8 miles in 30 seconds.

I suppose I don't understand why they would not have to calculate the fall time.

[NightTrain]

Good question.

Artillery, Naval Gunnery and snipers take it into consideration for long shots, but I'm not finding anything for bombers. I would guess that it's because you're directly overhead instead of laterally away from the target, and the big variables in WWII for that was making sure the plane was absolutely level and accounting for winds. The bomb sights at the time didn't take Coriolis Effect into consideration.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norden_bombsight

[jimnyc]

Suppose you hold up a marble, in a wind proof room, about 20 feet high. Next to it, you hold up a steel weight, about 500x the weight of the marble.

Which one moves faster and which one hits the ground first?

(sorry for OT, but it's sorta not OT to an extent. I just recall this question/experiment from my physics class. I normally can't remember more than 20 minutes ago. This was like a million years ago!).

[Perianne]

Good question.

Artillery, Naval Gunnery and snipers take it into consideration for long shots...

That was my second question, about snipers.

[Perianne]

Who can answer military-type questions?

I have a couple, but will start with this one:

When a bomber drops its payload, do they calculate in the turning of the earth?

My second question:

I have a friend who is wanting to join the military eventually. She talks about a program where the military will pay for her schooling to become a nurse, and then she must serve. She is interested in a career, not just the minimum time of service.

My question is this: how would that work? What rank could someone in her position eventually achieve?

[Gunny]

I should have said that I was referring to WWII high level bombing, at say, 20,000 feet.


Wouldn't it take 30 seconds or so for the bomb to hit the ground? If the earth is moving at 1,000 miles per hour, that is about 17 miles per minute, or 8 miles in 30 seconds.

I suppose I don't understand why they would not have to calculate the fall time.

WWII hig level bombing was "carpet bombing". They had a Norton sight, high tech in its day, but they used paper maps for recognition. A Huey Supercobra carries more firepower nowadays than a B-17 did in WWII.

As NT said, it's all laser guided. If you got the grid coordinates you can drop a bomb in a hat.

But I DO like WWII fighters/bombers. My great uncle felw a P-47,my grandfather flew a P-39. and my other grandfather was part of the Big Red One. Not that everyone in my family's military, or anything.:laugh:

[Noir]

The earth is rotating on its axis, but this includes the atmosphere that the plane is in.

If a plane was stationary at 20,000 feet, the earth would not be moving beneath it. You would only have to take into account details like the turning of the earths axis if you were completely outside of its sphere of influence, i.e. firing a rocket form the moon at the earth.

[Gunny]

The earth is rotating on its axis, but this includes the atmosphere that the plane is in.

If a plane was stationary at 20,000 feet, the earth would not be moving beneath it. You would only have to take into account details like the turning of the earths axis if you were completely outside of its sphere of influence, i.e. firing a rocket form the moon at the earth.

Doesn't matter. You got a guided missile and a target, the missile moves with the target. Where the Earth is is irrelevant.

Now you want to get some trajectory in, a .308 (7.62 mm) boattail is 8 clicks up and one click right at 1000 m on an M-14A1 with a 30x Unertl scope. Guess the world ain't spinning fast enough.

[jimnyc]

Suppose you hold up a marble, in a wind proof room, about 20 feet high. Next to it, you hold up a steel weight, about 500x the weight of the marble.

Which one moves faster and which one hits the ground first?

(sorry for OT, but it's sorta not OT to an extent. I just recall this question/experiment from my physics class. I normally can't remember more than 20 minutes ago. This was like a million years ago!).

Answer you bastards!! :poke:

[Perianne]

Answer you bastards!! :poke:

They will both hit the ground at the same time.

[Gunny]

Answer you bastards!! :poke:

We have issues. :)

Just lead them a bit.

[jimnyc]

They will both hit the ground at the same time.

Well that was rather anti-climactic. :( But of course you are correct!

[Gunny]

Well that was rather anti-climactic. :( But of course you are correct!

I'm trying to figure out why there's Bee Gees on my speakers ......

[Noir]

Suppose you hold up a marble, in a wind proof room, about 20 feet high. Next to it, you hold up a steel weight, about 500x the weight of the marble.

Which one moves faster and which one hits the ground first?

(sorry for OT, but it's sorta not OT to an extent. I just recall this question/experiment from my physics class. I normally can't remember more than 20 minutes ago. This was like a million years ago!).

The only value that could change the speed at which both objects fall is air resistance, caused by the friction between the object and the air against its surface.

If there is no air in the room then they will fall at the same rate (mass by gravitational constant)
If there is air then the rate will change based on the thickness of the air, the thicker the air the greater of a difference will be, with the object of most mass hitting the ground first.

[jimnyc]

The only value that could change the speed at which both objects fall is air resistance, caused by the friction between the object and the air against its surface.

If there is no air in the room then they will fall at the same rate (mass by gravitational constant)
If there is air then the rate will change based on the thickness of the air, the thicker the air the greater of a difference will be, with the object of most mass hitting the ground first.

Well stated, young man! We did our tests indoors of course. But yep, resistance from say, the wind, would perhaps change things. In a "perfect" test scenario though, without resistance, they will always be equal.

[Gunny]

The only value that could change the speed at which both objects fall is air resistance, caused by the friction between the object and the air against its surface.

If there is no air in the room then they will fall at the same rate (mass by gravitational constant)
If there is air then the rate will change based on the thickness of the air, the thicker the air the greater of a difference will be, with the object of most mass hitting the ground first.

Want to try again? You're going about WWI.

[jimnyc]

Want to try again? You're going about WWI.

I think he's right, no? He wasn't talking about dropping bombs, but answering my question about dropping marbles or other stupid crap!

[Gunny]

I think he's right, no? He wasn't talking about dropping bombs, but answering my question about dropping marbles or other stupid crap!

I'll whoop your ass at marbles. That ain't even a close call Mr I was born after the Internet. :)

And I just pick on him cuz I can. ;)

[jimnyc]

I'll whoop your ass at marbles. That ain't even a close call Mr I was born after the Internet. :)

And I just pick on him cuz I can. ;)

I don't think I ever played marbles? Only reason I ever had them was because of my wrist rocket slingshot! Getting hit by a marble from 20-25 yards will seriously hurt! :laugh:

[Gunny]

I don't think I ever played marbles? Only reason I ever had them was because of my wrist rocket slingshot! Getting hit by a marble from 20-25 yards will seriously hurt! :laugh:

You never played marbles? Holy shit.

You're fired. :laugh:

And you're doubly fired for these Bee Gees song stuck in my head.

[jimnyc]

You never played marbles? Holy shit.

You're fired. :laugh:

And you're doubly fired for these Bee Gees song stuck in my head.

I was too busy using them as weapons and lighting my army men on fire.

I'm lost on the Bee Gees thing. What song do you have in your head and why? And what the F did I do? :laugh: And how deep is your love?