A couple of good military photos.
Oct 16, 2014 8:40:10 GMT -5
Post by rah on Oct 16, 2014 8:40:10 GMT -5
An F-22 Raptor demonstrates its maneuverability during the Wings Over the Pacific air show Sept. 28, 2014, at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. The RaptorÂ’s sophisticated aero design, advanced flight controls, thrust vectoring, and high thrust-to-weight ratio provide the capability to outmaneuver all current and projected aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Raymond Geoffroy)
Spc. Christopher Nolen-Dunigans, radar maintainer, Company B, 4th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, fires three single rounds to zero an M2 .50-caliber machine gun during qualifications at Range 119, Oct. 2, 2014. After zeroing their weapons, Soldiers conducted day and night qualifications where they must hit six out of 10 targets at ranges up to 1,500 meters away in order to qualify. Photo by Sgt. William Howard
Shooting the Browning M2 .50 caliber machine gun is just plain fun. This venerable weapons has been in the US inventory since 1933. Variations of this machine gun were the most common armament in the US fighter and bomber aircraft of WW II. In Korea some of them were even rigged up to be long range sniper weapons. The 1/2" diameter bullet is an almost perfect aerodynamic design. So perfect in fact that the Bell aircraft started with it's profile to design the X-1 rocket plane in which Chuck Yeager became the first to break the "sound barrier". If you can name a weapon or piece of equipment currently in use that has been in front line service in the US military longer let me know because I can't.
Here is an image showing the comparative size of different rounds: