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"Rich S." <capn27SPAM@TRAPyahoo.com.sg> wrote:
>> The bullet drops straight down (relative to the ground).
>> The ME-109 flies into it before it drops significantly.
>
>Perhaps I wasn't clear. Maybe I can diagram it.
>
> Aiming
> point
> . <----- ME-109
>
> B-17
> |
> V
>
This discussion has moved on since I posted, but I read it
as the following scenario:
The tailgunner is aiming straight back. I think we agree
the bullet will exit with approximately zero groundspeed.
The ME109 is flying so as to cross the flight path of the
B-17. The problem setup said he would lead the ME-109 "by
exactly enough to hit the pilot (if he were firing from a
fixed position)." I took that to mean that he could judge
the relative motions accurately. If he fires as though he
was fixed, then he must fire as though the motion of the
ME-109 is superimposed on a framework that is moving away
from him at muzzle velocity. The ME-109 is both crossing
and rapidly moving away from him at muzzle velocity.
That means he cannot hit the ME-109 unless the ME-109 moves
forward towards him, i.e., is angled towards him so as to
cross the flight track at a point equal to or forward of the
point where the bullet is fired. The problem setup also said
he "fires at the Hun when the ME-109 is directly behind the
B-17" If that were literally true, then he clearly cannot
hit the ME-109 (unless the fighter is flying straight
towards the tailgunner - which the problem says he's not
doing), since the gun cannot reach behind the B-17, so I
"interpreted" it to mean that he aims the pistol and leads
the ME-109 to hit it when the ME-109 reaches a point
directly behind the B-17, but forward of the point where the
gun is fired. Clearly he would have to fire before the
ME-109 reaches a point directly behind the bomber.
T o d d P a t t i s t
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Re: Physics question
