Originally posted by GScholz
If they are co-alt as you say then alt plays little or no part in the E equation. Now if the Spit had 5K on the La7 the Spit would have a considerable E advantage. Converting the alt into speed the Spit could B&Z the La7 to death.
He said alt difference of about 2k.
I'm going to do something horrible, so if you're mathphobic - read no further
the energy
per unit of mass:
E=0.5V^2+gh
engergy difference:
E2 - E1 = 0.5(V2^2 - V1^2) + g(h2 - h1)
so the energy difference is linear in altitude, but goes like the difference in the square of the speeds.
let say 2000 feet difference
average speed of the two planes is slightly over 300 mph, what speed difference is needed?
2*g(h1 - h2) = (V2 + V1)(V2 - V1)
inserting the numbers in correct units you get:
v2 - v1 ~ 100mph.
might sound like alot but level La7 might easily go at 370mph and a recently climbed spit would not be much faster then 270mph.
Careless spit dives, goes faster then it's max level speed and pull hard G to bring guns around - looses E.
La7, goes diagonaly up, uses it's great climbrate and gains E.
Bozon
