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Real or Photoshop?

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Found on the web (it must be true)- apparently this same pilot is the one who flew his jet through the Tianman Cave the same weekend. I remember somewhere on this site I saw a thread where someone mentioned tickets were being sold to watch that. I wanna see a picture of that!

http://www.szed.com/szdaily/20060322/ca2232823.htm


Actually I found other news reports that said they gave it up and didn't fly through the hole. Couldn't get it up I guess.
 
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I vote photoshop. If I was gonna beat up some airfield at 300kts, you'd better believe I'd be right over the centerline of the runway. Looks like he's taxiing in a two ship formation. (Thus the offset.)

Perhaps some of the large watch/larger ego/questionable genitalia size fighter dudes would care to pipe in.
 
I can agree with comments made by all of you guys...the comment on the shadow, the comments on whether the photo or the background would be blurred, the comment on whether or not the landing gear would be in the dirt, the comment on whether or not there would be a heat signature, the comment made by F9 Buff about adjusting the levels when he/she viewed the picture.

I believe that all of those points are valid arguments as to whether or not the picture is real or altered.
 
Falcon Capt said:
The horizontal stab is in a "nose down" position... Like a relaxed, stick forward of neutral position...

This is fake...
Click to expand...

You're assuming the Sukhoi's stabilator has a traditional mode of operation. On the F-16 for instance, the stabilator with a trailing edge deflected up is actually nose down due to some combination of CG and aerodynamics. (Correct me if I'm wrong here fellas, but I'm pretty certain.)
 
LJDRVR said:
You're assuming the Sukhoi's stabilator has a traditional mode of operation. On the F-16 for instance, the stabilator with a trailing edge deflected up is actually nose down due to some combination of CG and aerodynamics. (Correct me if I'm wrong here fellas, but I'm pretty certain.)
Click to expand...
I'd have to go back and look at the picture again, but if you're fighting ground effect, you'd have a "nose down" stab effect. Plus, if you were taxiing, you'd have the same thing, if your hand wasn't on the yoke, stick or whatever.
 
FN FAL said:
I'd have to go back and look at the picture again, but if you're fighting ground effect, you'd have a "nose down" stab effect. Plus, if you were taxiing, you'd have the same thing, if your hand wasn't on the yoke, stick or whatever.
Click to expand...

I have no idea if the Sukhoi's stabilator is reversed like the F-16, I'm saying any use of that parameter as a tool to authenticate this picture had best be left up to somebody who understands fighter aerodynamics. (Not me)

My point is there's more than meets the eye.
 
LJDRVR said:
I have no idea if the Sukhoi's stabilator is reversed like the F-16, I'm saying any use of that parameter as a tool to authenticate this picture had best be left up to somebody who understands fighter aerodynamics. (Not me)

My point is there's more than meets the eye.
Click to expand...
I agree...for the first time in FI history, I agree with all of you dudes. Take a poloroid. :laugh:
 
Mmmmmm Burritos said:
Found on the web (it must be true)- apparently this same pilot is the one who flew his jet through the Tianman Cave the same weekend. I remember somewhere on this site I saw a thread where someone mentioned tickets were being sold to watch that. I wanna see a picture of that!

http://www.szed.com/szdaily/20060322/ca2232823.htm


Actually I found other news reports that said they gave it up and didn't fly through the hole. Couldn't get it up I guess.
Click to expand...

Apparently they canceled the cave fly through. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-03/18/content_4316347.htm

Sounds like the Russians will have one more SU-27 in their inventory because of this decision. Can you imagine one of those big ugly Flankers flying through that little hole?

Here's some shots of guys doing it in 1999.

http://www.haute-voltige.com/inter/photos/gallery/tianmen_cave99/index2.htm

As for the picture, I'm voting fake. As someone already mentioned, what's up with the extended refueling probe?
 
The horizontal stab is in the nose down position, a little.
 
Jafar said:
I'd say this case is closed. Nice work. I've been trying to learn photoshop for a while now. What a powerful program.
Click to expand...

Although I do use photoshop, I did this alteration with Paint Shop Pro, retail price around $60.
 
If it's Airliners.net, it's real (isn't it?):D
 
I think the jury will be out on this indefinitely, but don't underestimate the Russian airshow guys. They are both very talented and utterly insane. If they want to do a pass at 8 feet, they'll probably be able to.

Evidence: To me the biggest factor is the location of the missing gear, which would be off the pavement. The AOA issue is a non-factor, at 400 to 500 knots, any AOA is going to be miniscule. The AOA vs airspeed is not a linear curve, and at any higher speed, it's going to be quite flat. The stabilator position argument is irrelevant until we know more about this particular platform. Heat plume: the velocity (say 500 knots) will contribute to a reduced plume. the huge plume you see even at idle is due to a lot of exhaust gathering in a high concentration due to the slow speed. I think at high speeds, it's going to be pretty diluted. If he's at 500 knots, at sea level, those throttles are nowhere close to military, they're probably well back from the detent. Nozzles: Big time evidence for real photo. They are closed, indicating some throttle setting well above idle, but below afterburner.

All this is pure opinion, of course. I think it's real.

The guy in back may be voicing a RA to the pilot in front. As you fly this low, this fast, your focus tunnels more and more forward rather than down. His ability to look inside is zero, hence a guy in back saying "8 feet... 7.... 8..." etc would work, or maybe the RA is auto-voiced.

Good thing for us that the MiG and Sukhoi design bureaus were both well behind the west in electronics, sensors, and avionics, because their airframe and powerplant technology is every bit as good as ours, probably better.
 
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Gorilla, having flown pointy-nosed jets, brought up some excellent, real-world points. I know, I've seen 400 knots screaming down a runway just above gear-up altitude. Like Gorilla says, AOA is gonna be miniscule.

Another thing, the paintshop pro alteration does look real, except for one thing. Nobody is gonna be straight and level just above the ground . . . . with the barn door out!!
 
Real

I retract my assertions. It's real. I don't have the link handy right now, but there's another photo of the same demo taken from across the runway. 2-3 feet higher, but definitely the real thing.

Crazy-ass Russian demo pilots!
 
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