About a month ago, Mythbusters went to EMRTC to film two myths. The first, which appears to deal with what happens when two semi trucks collide, was filmed at the Sled Track Facility. I’ve worked on dozens of warhead tests on that pad, and worked very closely with the three guys (who aren’t Adam and Jamie) inthis picture. I’m not sure how fast they’ll get the truck, but the track is about 1/4 mile long, and without giving specifics, we used to get projectiles weighing around a ton to about Mach 1. Assuming a pickup that weighs 25 tons, I’m guessing it’ll be going about 50 feet per second when it hits the target (let’s see how close I am when the show airs; all the data is still confidential, and I wasn’t on the project).
The second claims to be the biggest explosion Mythbusters has ever featured (the largest range is capable of firing a 20 kiloton TNT equivilant, IIRC. I’m guessing that was done at the High Performance Magazine test range. I’ll be sure to speculate more after I see the show!
Of the staff members listed in the article written by the school, I know all of them personally. Of the students listed as having helped, I know the one who lead the volunteer portion of the effort. I must admit it’s a bit surreal seeing the cast in front of the mountain I used to work on every day. Part of me always knew they were going to go there at some point, though!
No, you don’t. You want my current job, and my future job (which I actually sent my resume off for yesterday, and is looking promising). But, it sure was cool, that’s for sure!
Really? I can dismiss that one out of hand, from all the impacts I’ve seen. It may be the same test; I didn’t see that episode, but the Sled Track is capable of much more precision and accuracy than the way Compact Compact is described on Wiki. So, maybe?
The original myth in question was that two semi-trucks hit head on, sandwiching a compact car between them. It wasn’t until a while after the accident that a terrible smell came from the 2 trucks general vicinity, the tangled wreckage was separated, and the compact car and its drivers remains were discovered…
It was busted, as I recall.
I must have missed that one. Mach 1? That’s faster than a semi could ever go. I guess if it had a Pratt/Whitney jet engine duct taped on it’s ass. Hell, even then I’m not feeling it. Mach 1 is rocket sled action.
The projectile weighing about a ton was capable of going Mach 1 at the Sled Track. Assuming the same amount of kinetic energy imparted into the truck (my original guess was 25 tons for the mass, but I think it’s closer to 10 for just the cab), I get:
1/2 * 1 ton * 1000fps[sup]2[/sup] = 1/2 * 10 tons * x fps[sup]2[/sup]
That would give a value of 316 fps or about 200 miles per hour. It looks like they’ll be able to get the truck up to whatever speed they’d like to, really (but knowing the guy in charge of the test, I’m pretty sure he’ll be using two sleds, each with the maximum number of rockets he can fit into them.
ETA: It seems to be the the two hour season finale, airing in May.
Well, sort of. As I recall, they pulled two trucks toward each other on cables, but the mechanism partially failed, and when they hit a bit off center, the car (a Fiat X1/9, one of the flimsiest vehicles ever made) got spit out from between them like a watermelon seed. So maybe they are revisiting this one with a higher-energy and more on-center hit.
They’ve done a few myths where I’ve been boozing. The quick-chill beer myth was judged at the Connecticut Yankee on the other side of Potrero Hill from M5 (get the Wade Boggs).
The recent beer goggles myth was done at Lone Palm, which is where I had my last birthday. Beautiful art deco bar.
And the Alameda Naval Base, which they use a lot when they need a lot of flat land, is just past St George’s Spirits, where they do spirit tastings.
Oh, and I’ve been to a little place called M5 Industries, too.
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There was an accident on the Woodrow Wilson Bridge on the Washington DC beltway some years ago that may have been the inspiration for this myth. A truck was going too fast for the traffic coming from Maryland towards Virginia, and rear-ended another truck and caught fire. I believe the driver of the rear truck died. A massive traffic jam ensued. The next day when the two trucks were pulled apart, the police were shocked to find a compact car had been caught between the two trucks. There was at least one person in the car - and anyone who was in the car was dead. Tragic, and not mythical. Although I have no cite.
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Asking politely, actually. I wanted to buy a 'Busters shirt on short notice so one of the guys told me to come on down and bring my camera if I wanted. Best customer service I ever got from a company not in customer service.
