"T o d d P a t t i s t" wrote in message
...
It's really not too much to ask that you
differentiate puzzlers from legitimate requests for help.

Although it was not in my original query, I *did* explain exactly where the
question arose and my purpose in asking it. You must have missed my post of
September 7 @ 6:35 PM in reply to "abripl". I quote:

"I brought this subject up because I was reading an article in the May 1942
issue of "Flying and Popular Aviation". It was titled "Speedy" and tells the
story of a quiet young fellow named Andy McDonough who dove a new Army
fighter to 620 mph a "few weeks ago". He'd like to try for 700."

The airplane was a new P-39 Airacobra. "After his test, McDonough said he
thought of that now-famous problem: 'I wondered what would have happened if
I could have fired a pistol back over the tail. At that speed would the
bullet have rolled out of the barrel and then fallen back?'".

Well, perhaps that was a famous problem in the spring of 1942. I don't know,
having entered this vale of tears late in 1941. But I thought it would be
fun to toss it up here among all these reasonable, logical, polite folks.
"

I have already stated that I regret not stating the problem more clearly and
I feel that it has been obvious from the beginning that I wasn't really
asking for help in attempting to shoot down a Hun. My viewpoint.

Now, shall we put this dog to sleep? We both have more serious things to
worry about, I'm sure.

Rich S.