Can't help but raise a smile when he sees a spirit level eh, Les? :)
-----Original Message-----
Sent: 30 March 2004 19:29
To: whitewall_at_yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: Re: The BatBlat
Philip says:
> Fantastic! Marvellous! I want to narrate it! Yes, but... I think
> you've completely failed to comprehend the size of this thing. At
this
> point in time, it's (roughly) 1km long, yes? Then it's wingspan is
*at
> bare minimum* 2.5km - possibly as long as 4km. Assuming the
Thunderclap
> goes off just before the Bat enters Screaming range, the Bat is
> already on an "attack vector" with Whitewall (since the Scream doesn't
> travel much
more
> than the Bat's body length). So unless it's doing a kamikaze dive,
it's
> roughly level with Whitewall - an altitude of about 1,000ft (???).
This
> close to touchdown, *tilting* the Bat along its wingspan axis by
around 2
> degrees is going to ground one of its wings. What you describe is
> absolutely wonderful and full of flavour. But it would need to start
at
an
> altitude in excess of 50km and I just don't see that happening.
Except that bats are not necessarily Gliders. As a matter of fact, they are extremely agile, and can fold their wings very close to their bodies in flight (which is how they steer). The Bat isn't the same as a B-52 bomber, though that sort of imagery is often used (if only subconsciously).
RR
It is by my order and for the good of the state that the bearer of this
has done what he has done.
- Richelieu
'Weni, Widi, Wiki.' I came, I saw, I added to the story.
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