Comments on: Plans Rocket Driven Bomb to Chase and Wreck Plane

By: not likely

not likely — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:43:23 +0000

Not only that, but such a listening system was actually used in England to listen for incoming Luftwaffe raids, then by the Russians to try and defend against supersonic low-flying bombers (minus the interceptor part, of course, which was delegated to radar-aimed missiles).

By: stratic

stratic — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 06:11:32 +0000

.. but it is remarkable that this guy conceived the essential elements of a SAM.

By: stratic

stratic — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 06:09:16 +0000

“Wouldnâ€™t the noise of itâ€™s own passage mask any sound an engine would make?”

probably not.

rocket powers up to a height above the plane.

rocket engines disengage.

rocket performs a rapid glide toward target aircraft guided by triangulation established by multiple “ears” on the ground, as depicted in the illustration.

of course, the system is still pretty unworkable, but since the “ears” are on the ground and the rocket motor would probably be disengaged before impact, the sound of the rocket’s passage isn’t the primary issue.

By: Emcha

Emcha — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 06:50:55 +0000

Hungarians developed an acoustically guided air-to-air missile during the WWII. Never deployed during the war however…

By: Blurgle

Blurgle — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 06:27:08 +0000

Rush Limbaugh wouldn’t have a chance against one of these.

By: Slim

Slim — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 16:40:28 +0000

It’s OK until a guy on a Harley goes by.
This reminds me of Professor Fate’s torpedo in the movie The Great Race.

By: Myles

Myles — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 16:29:07 +0000

It would be pretty easy to confuse such a rocket, once the enemy knew about it. They could just dump firecrackers, instead of flares and chaff – or glide with the engine off untill safe.

By: Casandro

Casandro — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 06:22:18 +0000

Well masking is a phychoacoustical phenomenon. It doesn’t exist for machines. So theoretically you could filter it out.