# Could an F-14 "Splash a Zero" without firing?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-an-f-14-splash-a-zero-without-firing/813322>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [April 29, 2018, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-an-f-14-splash-a-zero-without-firing/813322 "2018-04-29T21:47:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\
**Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-an-f-14-splash-a-zero-without-firing/813322/41 "2018-05-01T16:09:14Z")

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Hmm … maybe if the Tomcat pulls up sharply right over the Zero and gives it a double blast of jet exhaust …

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**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\
**Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-an-f-14-splash-a-zero-without-firing/813322/42 "2018-05-01T18:36:26Z")

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> [@Richard Pearse](#):
>
> The shockwave is a different matter, it can break glass, but how much will it disrupt another aeroplane? Bear in mind that the shockwave is not air moving supersonic, it is a wave of pressure within the (relatively) stationary air.

It certainly can break glass and cause other damage, including just the 150db+ blast on the pilot. To a modern aircraft it would probably have a fairly small effect, but to something like a ‘Zero’? I think it could be substantial, especially if the pilot hadn’t ever had a similar experience. We are also talking about two of these planes flying together, which you could time your interception (I’m thinking you come in with the first jet flying all out from above just in front of the hapless ‘Zero’ and after that disorientation the second one comes in on it’s heels).

I’ve heard of ‘Zeroes’ coming apart just from violent combat maneuvers, since quality control wasn’t the best and, as noted, this was not the most sturdily built aircraft in any case. It was meant to be unstable in it’s flight characteristics and very light to be so maneuverable, so I think it’s a good bet that a modern jet flying all out and coming in unexpectedly could have very much so disrupted it’s flight and shocked the pilot enough to cause a loss of control, if not caused the plane to disintegrate or at least some vital bits to come off.

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