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Is there a reason why modern planes can't shoot backwards? A lot of the WW2 planes had turrets a separate gunner would control, but they all seem to have disappeared. My only guess is that dogfights don't actually happen much anymore.
I.e., it might be easier to out-maneuver it this way than to shoot it.
Is there a reason why modern planes can't shoot backwards? A lot of the WW2 planes had turrets a separate gunner would control, but they all seem to have disappeared. My only guess is that dogfights don't actually happen much anymore.
Even if you don't hit the guy you just pull back and go for your station because without rockets you will be gone if the other guy somehow survives 2 and you don't have any.
Dogfights like in the movies don't happen.
Is there a reason why modern planes can't shoot backwards? A lot of the WW2 planes had turrets a separate gunner would control, but they all seem to have disappeared. My only guess is that dogfights don't actually happen much anymore.
Perhaps the maneuver could be used against an incoming missile? I.e., it might be easier to out-maneuver it this way than to shoot it.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Energy. If you fire a missile to your rear then it needs to first accelerate to your original speed just to be staying still, only then can it accelerate towards the target. An AIM-9X can do this, but the kill probability drops rapidly as you move off boresight.
> only then can it accelerate towards the target but in a dogfight (where this move is presumably useful) the target is not stationary, it's moving towards the missile. if all the missile does is accelerate to stay still, it will still hit the target at 700mph
Earlier quoted context omitted.
What about guns? Relative speed against the enemy is the same no matter if you shoot forward or backward. Or am I missing something?
Bullets don't move at the speed of light.[1] Shoot a bullet backwards off a bullet train, that bullet's ground speed is less than if shot from the ground while stationary. Similarly, shoot a bullet forward off a bullet train, that bullet's ground speed is more than if shot from the ground from a stationary position. Shoot bullets backwards off a jet moving Mach 3 (just sayin') those 1700mph bullets will still be movi…
I'm gonna hit the brakes, he'll fly right by
Earlier quoted context omitted.
What about guns? Relative speed against the enemy is the same no matter if you shoot forward or backward. Or am I missing something?
Bullets don't move at the speed of light.[1] Shoot a bullet backwards off a bullet train, that bullet's ground speed is less than if shot from the ground while stationary. Similarly, shoot a bullet forward off a bullet train, that bullet's ground speed is more than if shot from the ground from a stationary position. Shoot bullets backwards off a jet moving Mach 3 (just sayin') those 1700mph bullets will still be movi…
But in the plane's frame, where both planes are roughly stationary and the wind is moving 100s of mph backwards, bullets fired backwards move faster.
And for aerial combat I would argue the plane's frame is the important one.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
What about guns? Relative speed against the enemy is the same no matter if you shoot forward or backward. Or am I missing something?
Bullets don't move at the speed of light.[1] Shoot a bullet backwards off a bullet train, that bullet's ground speed is less than if shot from the ground while stationary. Similarly, shoot a bullet forward off a bullet train, that bullet's ground speed is more than if shot from the ground from a stationary position. Shoot bullets backwards off a jet moving Mach 3 (just sayin') those 1700mph bullets will still be movi…
Is there a reason why modern planes can't shoot backwards? A lot of the WW2 planes had turrets a separate gunner would control, but they all seem to have disappeared. My only guess is that dogfights don't actually happen much anymore.
The Northrop P-61 had a turret, which wound up being used in the locked forward position due to it being unreliable.