THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN THE SOUND BARRIER BREAKS ON YOUR HEAD!!

BOB LEES' CAMERA ^ | 2-14-04 | GONZO

[null and void]

I think it's dust jarred loose by the shock wave.

Let's see what PE says...

[Professional Engineer]

That's the one. ThrustSSC is the car.

[Professional Engineer]

IIRC the shock wave was back lit by the setting sun. The apparent change in color is probably due to the slight change in angle in the airflow on each side of the wave itself. It would refract light just slightly differently.

[Eagle9]

The shockwaves above the car -- photographic illusion?

[gonzo]

"...Hurry up..."

I am, but I had to stop for...

...roses. Smootches and.................FRegards

[Professional Engineer]

The shockwaves above the car -- photographic illusion?

Those appear to be the real deal to me. Cool picture.

[gonzo]

Whoops! Can't forget any Baybs.........

Smootches................FRegards

[Eagle9]

I just found the Andy Graves ThrustSSC website saying that the shockwaves above the car are bending light.

http://www.andrewgraves.biz/ssc_stuff/SSC_pics.htm

[BykrBayb]

Oh, they're beautiful! Thank you!

[Jack Armstrong]

gonzo ,
I sent the photos on this thread to a California research scientist , "friend". He sent me back this reply.
Please understand I do not doubt you, but , Mickey has been involved with the aircraft industry since the 40's!
He perfected the airfoil of the USAF Stealth for Northrop!

---

Shock waves begin to form on the best designed airplane at M = .80. That's what limits the cruise speed of jet transports. The drag goes up when shock waves form and the fuel costs become prohibitive. When the sun is right you can often see shadows of these shocks on the wing of a 707 or DC-8 flying at M = .80.

Those pictures of planes supposedly going supersonic need some explanation. It looks to me that at the instant of the picture the planes are going about M =.90? If it were going supersonic the condensation would not begin ahead of the shock since the air won't even know it's coming. (Notice if you can, that the condensation terminates at the local shock).

On my first day of work in 1947, at the NACA, Langley High Speed wind tunnel, I was assigned the job of reading the angle of the model at each test point by looking through a window with an inclinometer. Wow, I could see shock waves with my naked eye! I have been looking at them and calculating their properties ever since. There are a lot of misconceptions about shock waves even among top scientists.

If you want to understand shock waves or anything else, you better understand God's well proven laws of math and physics.

Shema Yisroel
Adenoi Elehanu
Adenoi Echod

Mickey,

[Jack Armstrong]

gonzo ,
I sent the photos on this thread to a California research scientist , "friend". He sent me back this reply.
Please understand I do not doubt you, but , Mickey has been involved with the aircraft industry since the 40's!
He perfected the airfoil of the USAF Stealth for Northrop!

---

Shock waves begin to form on the best designed airplane at M = .80. That's what limits the cruise speed of jet transports. The drag goes up when shock waves form and the fuel costs become prohibitive. When the sun is right you can often see shadows of these shocks on the wing of a 707 or DC-8 flying at M = .80.

Those pictures of planes supposedly going supersonic need some explanation. It looks to me that at the instant of the picture the planes are going about M =.90? If it were going supersonic the condensation would not begin ahead of the shock since the air won't even know it's coming. (Notice if you can, that the condensation terminates at the local shock).

On my first day of work in 1947, at the NACA, Langley High Speed wind tunnel, I was assigned the job of reading the angle of the model at each test point by looking through a window with an inclinometer. Wow, I could see shock waves with my naked eye! I have been looking at them and calculating their properties ever since. There are a lot of misconceptions about shock waves even among top scientists.

If you want to understand shock waves or anything else, you better understand God's well proven laws of math and physics.

Shema Yisroel
Adenoi Elehanu
Adenoi Echod

Mickey,

[Eaker]

Hey, someone snapped Eaker trying to E&E the Apaches across West Texas...

I lost that sucker too!!!

My son and I were at an air-show a few years ago and right in front of us a jet (can't remember which) nudged M.9 we were told later. It "flared" about 10 times. It was at the end of the day so both of us were out of batteries (damn it), but the memory remains clear.

It was so damn cool.

Thank goodness for the pilot that there was no boom!!!

[spald]

your post #13:

What a cute card, gonzo. Thank you. I've been away a few days and it's a lovely surprise to get the card upon my return.

You're a great Valentine, gonzo. God Bless you and yours.