How ’bout this little snippet from the Sunday London Times?
MILITARY scientists have designed a Batman-style set of wings to enable paratroopers to glide up to 120 miles into enemy territory.
The device enables the caped soldiers to be dropped outside hostile airspace from altitudes of up to 30,000ft and infiltrate enemy lines without being detected by radar.
I’d very much like to see my favorite sojer tricked out in one of those rigs. In fact, I believe I may have found a picture of him modeling the kit for the Future Combat System (Artilleryman) program.
Head proportion’s about right.
10 responses so far ↓
1
Sgt. B.
// May 31, 2006 at 11:39 am
Remember that commercial a few years ago, a football player who had been knocked on the noggin and, upon being asked who he was, replied, “I’m BATMAN!” ?
2
Phil Andrilla
// May 31, 2006 at 12:11 pm
I know some Navy guys that do similar trix. Stop by that training center down the street from the Del Coranado. They do stuff Hollywood hasn’t even thought of yet.
3
DC
// May 31, 2006 at 12:15 pm
Wile E. Coyote, Super Genius.
Flies blissfully, ignoring the upcoming wall…
4
badbob
// May 31, 2006 at 12:22 pm
Hard to wave off and go around!
Lets see, a 120 miles from 30K. Nearly a 20 to 1 g-ratio. Going to require some pretty big wings for all the bernoullis needed. Almost hang glider like size or bigger or a big propulsion pack. Plus, it’ll be a long time above 10K requiring O2…..
Captures the old imagination though if ya picture a Batman cape!
B2
5
Capt B
// May 31, 2006 at 5:47 pm
Great site!! Semper
6
Curt
// May 31, 2006 at 8:06 pm
Lex;
I guessed you missed my post about your post service days back on 3/21…
The June Popular Mechanics (the dead tree version) has more on the Finnish guy from the video in the link, and he had now done about 6 miles in almost horizontal flight with a wingsuit…
Sure looks cheaper than a surplus F/A-18 in the back 40, but then the flight cycle is also just slightly shorter than an untanked one.
7
rt
// May 31, 2006 at 8:44 pm
… because terrorists are a superstitious and cowardly lot.
8
John of Argghhh!
// Jun 1, 2006 at 6:00 am
Hmmmm. The other proportions, *especially* the 82nd one, are rather off.
But other than that, works for me!
Kewler than flying under the airmattress looking thingys. I always got dizzy trying to spin into the clearings.
9
Snake Eater
// Jun 1, 2006 at 6:31 am
Again a combat/deliverly system looking for a mission.That SAS trooper quoted in the article had it righ. HALO as a concept works.. when used operationally it’s been a bust…especally for the jumpers. Best
10
Bomber Guy
// Jun 1, 2006 at 8:20 am
I want to be the narrator for the flight demonstration team. It will be a shorter show than the “Blues” do now; no take-offs, vertical rolls or diamond loops.
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