Vapor cone

[onel0126]

In case you jet photographers did not see this.....Awesome vapor cone. Sorry if this has been posted already.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20090630/sc_livescience/whatsupersoniclookslike

[DC Fan]

Shock cone images are common. Go to enough air shows, and the correct combination of temperature, humidity and a fast jet fighter will occur.

http://www.fansview.com/racing/air082706a0238.jpg

Search through the images in the Transportation photo sharing section of this forum and you'll find several similar and superior images. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=103192) There also are web pages (http://newzonfire.com/2009/06/12/photos-fighter-jets-breaking-sound-barrier/) devoted to this phenomenon. (http://wilk4.com/misc/soundbreak.htm)

[JWright]

Shock cone images are common. Go to enough air shows, and the correct combination of temperature, humidity and a fast jet fighter will occur.

Search through the images in the Transportation photo sharing section of this forum and you'll find several similar and superior images. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=103192) There also are web pages (http://newzonfire.com/2009/06/12/photos-fighter-jets-breaking-sound-barrier/) devoted to this phenomenon. (http://wilk4.com/misc/soundbreak.htm)

The information in that web page is erroneous. Vapor cones will occur at speeds well below Mach 1. Any of those shots taken at US air shows are of aircraft flying below supersonic speeds. The FAA specifically prohibits military jets from exceeding Mach 1 over populated areas and that also covers airshows.

These shots were all taken at the annual MCAS Miramar air show. Miramar is located in the middle of San Diego and is surrounded by lots of residential development.

http://johnwright.smugmug.com/photos/385948298_LbWcy-L.jpg

http://johnwright.smugmug.com/photos/40712364_8KnA6-L.jpg

[DC Fan]

Any of those shots taken at US air shows are of aircraft flying below supersonic speeds. The FAA specifically prohibits military jets from exceeding Mach 1 over populated areas and that also covers airshows.

That ban's in place for civilian airplanes as well, (http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=1d584bbdfc6fe658d708d32c4262770b&rgn=div8&view=text&node=14:2.0.1.3.10.9.7.6&idno=14) probably a relic of the SST era of the late 1960's and early 1970's.

Interesting that our friends from the MythBusters TV show just took on one of the variations of that story. (http://mythbustersresults.com/episode-124-curving-bullets)