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To: First_Salute; backhoe
I am puzzled by the failure to analyze the many probable trajectories of missile warhead parts and pieces, and missile body parts and pieces --- after the moment of explosion --- and which parts and pieces DID NOT project from the center of that explosion, radiating toward areas of the airframe.

There IS some analysis of the missile parts by Commander Donalson on his website, although that page is currently unavailable for some reason..

I'll post a link in case it reappears, and post the pertinant section of the analysis.

From Radar Analysis:

Evidence of a Missile

A Sweep by Sweep analysis of the radar data clearly depicts a plume of very high velocity metal exploding out of the aircraft's right side at approximately 20:31:13.  The lead ejecta almost certainly has to be a missile body!  With the aircraft on a  heading of 071 degrees True, this radar contact separated  laterally from the aircraft  track on a ballistic trajectory of 190 degrees True, traveling about 3,200 feet in less than 7 seconds.  This 119 degree change of direction and high velocity could not possibly have been the result of a Center Wing Tank explosion.

This is not theory or speculation, but hard physical evidence.  It takes almost 2 seconds for a bullet fired from a military sniper rifle to travel that distance.  Only a missile body, with it's hundreds of thousands of foot pounds (ft/lbs)* of kinetic energy would have the inertia to perform this way on radar.  It only takes 6,000 ft/lbs of energy for a 50 caliber heavy machine gun bullet to punch through 3/8 inch thick steel plate.  Boeing 747's are constructed of various aluminum alloys and rarely in thickness' exceeding 1/2 inch. 

With this much energy, the missile body would slice through the aircraft "like a bullet through a tin can", just as I stated in my April 24, 1997 letter to the Wall Street Journal, in response to Chairman Hall's "It wasn't a missile" letter to the same paper.  It is startling to note also that the trajectory of the ejecta (missile body & other parts) is on a direct line from an unidentified boat, 2.9 nautical miles to the Northeast of Flight 800 when it exploded. 

* [ 15lb missile body @ 1500 ft/sec, apply 1/2 MV squared = 524,720 ft/lbs of energy ] 

214 posted on 08/20/2002 5:51:32 PM PDT by FormerLurker
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To: First_Salute; All
I have to disagree with Commander Donaldson's analysis here a bit, as his math is a bit off..

He states that the ejected object traveled at 3200 feet in about 7 seconds, yet he states the speed as 1500 feet/sec. That's obviously wrong. He also neglects to convert the weight of the missle body from pounds to the unit of mass in the foot-pound-second system, which is a slug.

So the velocity should be;
v = 3200/7 = 457 feet/sec

The equation for kinetic energy is;
E = (m * v2)/2, where;
E = Energy (foot pounds)
m = mass (slugs)
v = velocity (feet/sec)

A slug = 32.17 pounds, so we'll add that to the equation to convert from pounds to slugs..

E = (m * v2)/64.34

Solving for E, we have;
E = (15 * 4572)/64.34 = 48,690 foot pounds

I'd say that value would ALSO suggest a missile, as its energy is still extremely high..

As the muzzle energy of a .50 BMG rifle round is a little over 12,000 foot pounds, I'd say that 48,690 foot pounds is A LOT of energy. In comparison, a .308 rifle bullet has a muzzle energy of about 2520 foot pounds, and IT can pass through a telephone pole or a tree....

215 posted on 08/20/2002 6:56:20 PM PDT by FormerLurker
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