K-T event did NOT wipe out dinos

[kbs2244]

Not that it has anything to do with Dinos,

But,

Would a fire under a tea pot give enough heat to lock onto?

[Digit]

No!

Roy.

[Minimalist]

Only if they were using a jet engine to heat their tea pot.

[Rokcet Scientist]

Ever wondered what happens to those that miss their target RS?

No, Roy, because I know: they blow up what's next to the target, a.k.a. 'collateral damage'. Usually women and children.

[Digit]

And if there isn't a next to target, say you're 15000mtres up? Also what constitutes a 'target?'

Roy.

[Minimalist]

Oh, then it falls to earth and blows up whatever it hits. Let's be honest. If you're walking along a trail in Afghanistan and a Stinger falls out of the sky and hits you in the head it was probably not going to be your day anyhow.

[Digit]

The whole point Min is that doesn't happen! Unless the round has been modified, either by the manufacturers or in the field, SAMs or AAMs will self destruct if they miss the target.
We engineers aren't complete fools and that is something that had to be considered from the moment AAA started firing.
In the Vietnam war 90 percent of AAMs failed to destroy a target, SAMs were so bad that the NVA took to firing them in salvos of three to five, did you here of the NVA complaining about casualties from either source?.
If you have watched 'Independence Day' (who hasn't?) you will note that your combat pilots radio Fox One, or Fox Two etc, this is to warn friendly aircrew of a missile running, the different numbers correspond to different guidance systems.
What do you think happens to torpedoes that miss? Some convert to sea mines 'tothers simply sink.

Roy.

[Minimalist]

I read something about a self-destruct timer...but since the thing is designed to continue searching for a heat source until it runs out of fuel it seems counterproductive to have it blow itself up too quickly.

If it missed a fixed-wing jet it seems unlikely that with its limited range that it could turn and chase before it ran out of fuel. A helicopter, of course, is a different story.

[Digit]

IR AAMs Min have a narrow target acquisition angle, used to be about 10 degrees, hence the need to get onto the enemy's tail, more or less.
We engineers could make it 360 degrees but even your own tail pipe would not be safe!
The narrow angle is specifically to ensure that the missile does target the 'plane that the pilot wants it to.
The reason for the Fox One etc is to ensure that your 'buddy' and the rest in the flight section stay out of that 10 degree cone.
If the enemy aircraft manages to avoid the AAM then it will 'lock on' to any suitable heat source within that 10 degree cone, hence the Fox One!
Missiles are also known to simply drop off the rail and the motor not ignite, in this case the warhead does not arm, so ok, getting hit on the head by it would seriously ruin your day but go bang it will not.

Roy.

[Minimalist]

Understood but the Stinger is not the Sidewinder. It has a range of 4,800 meters (as opposed to the Sidewinder's ten miles) and how long does it take to cover 4,800 meters at Mach 2?

R/S and I have been going on about this stuff about Stingers causing appreciable numbers of ground casualties and I think its either a misprint or shabby reporting.

[MichelleH]

Any chance you guys can move this from military weapon specifications back to meteorites and dino theories?

[Digit]

No! Shan't! So there!

Roy.

[Minimalist]

R/S will probably insist that the Dinos were killed by errant Stingers.

[Digit]

Nah! They was cold blooded!

Roy.

[Rokcet Scientist]

Nah! They was cold blooded!

Wannabet they wasn't?