Physics question

("Rich S." wrote)
In your illustration, the gunner fires straight back
before the Me-109 is directly behind the B17. He can hit
if he fires at precisely the moment his gun crosses the
flight path of the Me-109.

Not so. The bullet simply falls to Earth and the ME-109 passes safely 50
yards (or so) behind the B-17.


Agreed.

(For those who don't agree)
Think of a pickup truck driving along at 40 mph. I'm standing in the bed
with a baseball.

When we reach the manhole cover in the middle of the street I let fly out
the back of the truck with my best stuff, which just happens to be a 40 mph
fastball g. That ball will not go past the manhole cover.

If you're a batter (or an ME-109) standing at the manhole cover - which
every kid knows is home plate - you won't get hit by my fastball ...or be
able to hit it. (I'm unhittable!!)

Now, if I flip the ball into the air, but a little to the left, and you are
standing in the street when the truck drives by, you will be hit by a 40 mph
ball. Just thought I'd toss that one out there :-)

So long as the ME-109 is not moving (at all) in the same direction as the
"magic" B-17, when it crosses behind the Flying Fortress, it will be safe
from the bullet.. I would think wind drift would not be an issue (with
perpendicular plane paths) since it will drift the B-17 too ... away from
the ME-109.


Montblack ..."car"