Mark Green wrote:
> Since the US plane is larger and slower than the Chinese fighters it
> would be effected more by the turbulence.
Based on published data I make the wing loading of the Fishbed as
around 77 lb/sq ft at max gross; at max gross the Aires-II
comes in at 107 lb/sq ft. If anything the Aires-II should be more
stable in turbulence.
> This would explain the report of its sudden movement
> into the Chinese fighter.
There's a bunch of problems with the Chinese claim that the EP-3
made a sudden roll and thus caused the contact:
- The photo evidence of the damage isn't consistent with running
into another airplane. The prop tips are munched, but the props
are still attached to the gearboxes and the gearboxes and engines
didn't depart the airframe. The damage is more consistent with
colliding with birds -- or debris.
- The radome is missing. I'm at a loss to explain how the radome
got ripped off the aircraft by contact on the wing -- especially
given that the fuselage forward of the wing root doesn't appear
damaged.
It looks more like the Fishbed was trying to bump the Aries (which
essentially consists of passing under the Aires with a delta of
about +200 knots and pulling vertical) and wasn't up to the task.
The empennage collided with the radome, peeled the radome and part of
the empennage off and the Aires in turn plowed through the debris field.
> The Chinese side of the story has changed somewhat today. The other
> Chinese pilot has been somewhat dis-credited by the Chinese media for
> not telling the complete story.
Like saying that _he_ gave the downed pilot permission to bail out?
Since when does wing give lead permission to do anything (the usual
job of wing is to tuck in tight, shut up and listen to guard) -- or
was the surviving pilot lead, in which case what was the wingman doing
in a position where the only way he could collide with the Aires
would have been if the Aires went into Beta thrust?
--
Chris Kennedy
chris_at_mainecoon.com
http://www.mainecoon.com
PGP fingerprint: 4E99 10B6 7253 B048 6685 6CBC 55E1 20A3 108D AB97
Received on Sun Apr 08 2001 - 23:32:48 BST