Typhoon vs. Ferrari. . .

Date line: ROME
Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher will pit his speed
against a supersonic jet fighter screaming down the runway at an
Italian airbase next month, Italian Air Force officials told AFP.

Schumacher, at the wheel of the Ferrari 2003-GA in which he won the
world championship for a record sixth time last month, will try to
outstrip the new Eurofighter Typhoon hunter-bomber over a series of
short courses.

"We expect to have three races, over 500, 1,000 and 1,500 metres,"
Lieutenant Alessio Della Volpe told AFP by phone from Grosseto
military airport in Tuscany, where the race takes place on December
11.

"There will also be an exhibition of vintage cars and planes before
the race, then a public demonstration of the new plane," developed in
Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain.

Italian astronaut and test pilot Maurizio Chelli will be at the
controls of the Eurofighter when it pairs off on the "grid" with
Schumacher, Della Volpe said.

Italy, home of style and fast cars, has seen it all before.

In 1931, Italian motor racing legend Tazio Nuvolari, at the wheel of
his Alfa Romeo 2300, was beaten by a biplane at Rome's airport.

But in 1981, Canada's Gilles Villeneuve and his Ferrari 126 CK turbo
beat a F-104 jet fighter over a kilometre (two-thirds of a mile) at
Istrana airport in northern Italy.





Should be interesting. Hopefully the video clip will be out there to
find. I've got the one from Ripley's where an F-16 took on the latest
and greatest, top of the line, Dodge Viper. The Viper (car) won to
the quarter mile mark but the F-16 overtook it and won to the half
mile mark. (I think a clean, low fuel load -229 F-15E might beat it
in the quarter though IMHO). I've also got a clip of a Hornet getting
it's ass handed to it by a Formula 1 race car (what were they
thinking) and I've seen a clip of a Mig-29 getting beat by what looked
like a teenager's muscle car. No a REAL muscle car not today's rice
burner wannabees. Looked like a jacked up in the back Nova with the
big wide tires on the back.

Scott Ferrin wrote:

snip

Should be interesting. Hopefully the video clip will be out there to
find. I've got the one from Ripley's where an F-16 took on the latest
and greatest, top of the line, Dodge Viper. The Viper (car) won to
the quarter mile mark but the F-16 overtook it and won to the half
mile mark. (I think a clean, low fuel load -229 F-15E might beat it
in the quarter though IMHO). I've also got a clip of a Hornet getting
it's ass handed to it by a Formula 1 race car (what were they
thinking) and I've seen a clip of a Mig-29 getting beat by what looked
like a teenager's muscle car. No a REAL muscle car not today's rice
burner wannabees. Looked like a jacked up in the back Nova with the
big wide tires on the back.

The US navy reportedly once pitted an F-14 against a hot-rod (for some Hot Rodders magazine) and won,

which was somewhat unfair since the Tomcat used a catapult ;-)


My favorite TV show about cars BBC's `Top Gear' showed a little stunt
they pulled on HMS Invincible. The BBC's own Jaguar XJS (minus every
bit of interior and exterior trim imaginable and plus a nitro kit)
accelerated across Invincible's deck. At the point where the RN's Sea
Harriers would ordinarily reach 100 mph, the Jag did 109! Sadly though,
unlike the Jag, Harriers are able to become airborne and stay there for
quite a while after passing over the end of the deck. The Jag also
became airborne briefly, but then plunged into the water.
Great Television.

Regards ,
Ralph Savelsberg

According to this week's show, the driver, only known as `The Stig'
perished, although I'm sure that's just a rather sick joke.

Ralph Savelsberg wrote:


Should be interesting. Hopefully the video clip will be out there to
find. I've got the one from Ripley's where an F-16 took on the latest
and greatest, top of the line, Dodge Viper. The Viper (car) won to
the quarter mile mark but the F-16 overtook it and won to the half
mile mark. (I think a clean, low fuel load -229 F-15E might beat it
in the quarter though IMHO). I've also got a clip of a Hornet getting
it's ass handed to it by a Formula 1 race car (what were they
thinking) and I've seen a clip of a Mig-29 getting beat by what looked
like a teenager's muscle car. No a REAL muscle car not today's rice
burner wannabees. Looked like a jacked up in the back Nova with the
big wide tires on the back.

Anything with reheat has its work cut-out against a seriously powerful
car, it just takes too long to get all the jet's horses under starters
orders. What you want for the job is a lightweight (e.g. one you've just
VL'ed) Harrier. Slamming to full from 55% rpm takes hardly any time at all.

My favorite TV show about cars BBC's `Top Gear' showed a little stunt
they pulled on HMS Invincible. The BBC's own Jaguar XJS (minus every
bit of interior and exterior trim imaginable and plus a nitro kit)
accelerated across Invincible's deck. At the point where the RN's Sea
Harriers would ordinarily reach 100 mph, the Jag did 109! Sadly though,
unlike the Jag, Harriers are able to become airborne and stay there for
quite a while after passing over the end of the deck. The Jag also
became airborne briefly, but then plunged into the water.
Great Television.

The "air-gun" exhaust plume was rather obvious on the shot as the car
left the ramp. I don't know for sure but I suggest they drove the car
along the deck a bit (not at anything like 109mph), stopped and then set
up the ramp-exit shot sans driver. I know a bit about ski-jump dynamics
and that car barely fell off the end. Still, I'm sure everyone had fun.

And if you added a motorcycle, that'd smoke the Ferrari. Remember a
fighter jet weighs in at 10-30 tonnes! Of course, something like the Streak
Eagle of the stripped down Sukhoi would probably give them a run for their
money if they could ramp up to full power before being released.

Tony

NoHoverStop wrote:

Ralph Savelsberg wrote:


My favorite TV show about cars BBC's `Top Gear' showed a little
stunt they pulled on HMS Invincible. The BBC's own Jaguar XJS
(minus every bit of interior and exterior trim imaginable and
plus a nitro kit) accelerated across Invincible's deck. At the
point where the RN's Sea Harriers would ordinarily reach 100
mph, the Jag did 109! Sadly though, unlike the Jag, Harriers are
able to become airborne and stay there for quite a while after
passing over the end of the deck. The Jag also became airborne
briefly, but then plunged into the water. Great Television.

The "air-gun" exhaust plume was rather obvious on the shot as the
car left the ramp. I don't know for sure but I suggest they drove
the car along the deck a bit (not at anything like 109mph),
stopped and then set up the ramp-exit shot sans driver. I know a
bit about ski-jump dynamics and that car barely fell off the end.
Still, I'm sure everyone had fun.

That would seem like a way to do it. Obviously a camera shot with a JAG
passing over a line with the little text 109mph in the bottom courner
looks rather neat, but doesn't prove anything. It was great fun to
watch, though.

Regards,
Ralph Savelsberg

The "air-gun" exhaust plume was rather obvious on the shot as the car
left the ramp. I don't know for sure but I suggest they drove the car
along the deck a bit (not at anything like 109mph), stopped and then set
up the ramp-exit shot sans driver. I know a bit about ski-jump dynamics
and that car barely fell off the end. Still, I'm sure everyone had fun.


Or do like the US Navy did. There's a clip out ther of them using a
catapult to launch a car off the deck. I was somewhat disappointed as
I was hoping they'd really crank the juice up and LAUNCH that sucker
but it looked like it only went far enough out so the carrier wouldn't
hit it or something.

Scott Ferrin wrote in
:

Or do like the US Navy did. There's a clip out ther of them using a
catapult to launch a car off the deck. I was somewhat disappointed as
I was hoping they'd really crank the juice up and LAUNCH that sucker
but it looked like it only went far enough out so the carrier wouldn't
hit it or something.


Or do it like the Fleet Air Arm did. . . and launch the ship's piano off
the catapault. Unfortunately the stress of the cat stroke was rather too
much for the instrument and it entered the oggin like so much matchwood.

--
Regards
Drewe
"Better the pride that resides
In a citizen of the world
Than the pride that divides
When a colourful rag is unfurled"

On Wed, 05 Nov 2003 18:10:03 +0100, Ralph Savelsberg
wrote:



Scott Ferrin wrote:

snip

Should be interesting. Hopefully the video clip will be out there to
find. I've got the one from Ripley's where an F-16 took on the latest
and greatest, top of the line, Dodge Viper. The Viper (car) won to
the quarter mile mark but the F-16 overtook it and won to the half
mile mark. (I think a clean, low fuel load -229 F-15E might beat it
in the quarter though IMHO). I've also got a clip of a Hornet getting
it's ass handed to it by a Formula 1 race car (what were they
thinking) and I've seen a clip of a Mig-29 getting beat by what looked
like a teenager's muscle car. No a REAL muscle car not today's rice
burner wannabees. Looked like a jacked up in the back Nova with the
big wide tires on the back.

The US navy reportedly once pitted an F-14 against a hot-rod (for some Hot Rodders magazine) and won,

which was somewhat unfair since the Tomcat used a catapult ;-)

If they used a top fuel dragster it would be close even if the Tomcat
used a catapult. Come to think of it the dragster might win.

Scott Ferrin wrote in message . ..
On Wed, 05 Nov 2003 18:10:03 +0100, Ralph Savelsberg
wrote:



Scott Ferrin wrote:

snip

Should be interesting. Hopefully the video clip will be out there to
find. I've got the one from Ripley's where an F-16 took on the latest
and greatest, top of the line, Dodge Viper. The Viper (car) won to
the quarter mile mark but the F-16 overtook it and won to the half
mile mark. (I think a clean, low fuel load -229 F-15E might beat it
in the quarter though IMHO). I've also got a clip of a Hornet getting
it's ass handed to it by a Formula 1 race car (what were they
thinking) and I've seen a clip of a Mig-29 getting beat by what looked
like a teenager's muscle car. No a REAL muscle car not today's rice
burner wannabees. Looked like a jacked up in the back Nova with the
big wide tires on the back.

The US navy reportedly once pitted an F-14 against a hot-rod (for some Hot Rodders magazine) and won,

which was somewhat unfair since the Tomcat used a catapult ;-)

If they used a top fuel dragster it would be close even if the Tomcat
used a catapult. Come to think of it the dragster might win.

I seem to recall that a top fuel dragster accelerates at 2 to 3 Gs;
anyone have better info?

Peter Wezeman
anti-social Darwinist

"peter wezeman" wrote in message
...
Scott Ferrin wrote in message
. ..
On Wed, 05 Nov 2003 18:10:03 +0100, Ralph Savelsberg
wrote:



Scott Ferrin wrote:

snip

Should be interesting. Hopefully the video clip will be out there to
find. I've got the one from Ripley's where an F-16 took on the
latest
and greatest, top of the line, Dodge Viper. The Viper (car) won to
the quarter mile mark but the F-16 overtook it and won to the half
mile mark. (I think a clean, low fuel load -229 F-15E might beat it
in the quarter though IMHO). I've also got a clip of a Hornet
getting
it's ass handed to it by a Formula 1 race car (what were they
thinking) and I've seen a clip of a Mig-29 getting beat by what
looked
like a teenager's muscle car. No a REAL muscle car not today's rice
burner wannabees. Looked like a jacked up in the back Nova with the
big wide tires on the back.

The US navy reportedly once pitted an F-14 against a hot-rod (for some
Hot Rodders magazine) and won,

which was somewhat unfair since the Tomcat used a catapult ;-)

If they used a top fuel dragster it would be close even if the Tomcat
used a catapult. Come to think of it the dragster might win.

I seem to recall that a top fuel dragster accelerates at 2 to 3 Gs;
anyone have better info?


A little calculation can sort this out.

The record the 1/4 mile is about 5.2 seconds and tops out
at around 280 mph or approx 410 feet per second

v= u+ a*t

from a standing start u=0 so

a= 410/5.2 or 78 feet per second per second
which is indeed about 2.5G

Keith