Folding-fin rockets are notoriously inaccurate. Unless all fins deploy at precisely the same time (yeah, right) the non-symmetrical initial fin configuration will steer the rocket off course. Definitely the wrong weapon for this job but I guess that's what was available on no-notice. All target aircraft I worked with (1970s and later) had some type of flight termination system, some of these activated automatically if the command signal was lost for a sufficient period of time. When the Japanese attacked Hawaii, almost all civilian damage on the ground was caused by "friendly" anti-aircraft shells. The older 20mm high explosive bullets armed as they spun from rifling going as they went down the barrel, and stayed armed. The newer 20mm HE stuff is only armed while it is still spinning.
> -----Original Message----- > From: Mercedes [mailto:mercedes-boun...@okiebenz.com] On Behalf Of > Mitch Haley via Mercedes > Sent: Sunday, August 16, 2015 9:57 AM > To: Mercedes List <mercedes@okiebenz.com> > Cc: Mitch Haley <mi...@mitchellhaley.com> > Subject: [MBZ] The Battle of Palmdale > > On August 16, 1956 Air Force fighters attacked a runaway Hellcat over > southern California and missed. > > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Palmdale > > http://www.scvhistory.com/scvhistory/pollack0115battleofpalmdale.htm > > http://articles.latimes.com/2005/sep/11/local/me-then11 > > _______________________________________ > http://www.okiebenz.com > > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
