Is it just me...

Sparks

...or do the What-Ifs on XKCD get monumentally better when firearms are involved?

"Is it possible to build a jetpack using downward firing machine guns?”

I was sort of surprised to find that the answer was yes! But to really do it right, you’ll want to talk to the Russians...

sfakiaman

Now that the cats out of the bag, how long will it be before we see this principle used for getaway vehicles in Hollywood movies.

meathstevie

Small problem; no matter how fast a gun cycles there's always some time between one discharge and the next so how far will it fall back to earth between each discharge ?

And what will the effect of the bolt assembly slamming forward/downward be on the upward forces generated by the recoil ?

Will the effect of the recoil increase as the magazine empties out and the gun gets lighter ?

No matter how you tackle it it's dfinitely not going to be a smooth linear acceleration, prepare for a bumpy ride....

Sparks

meathstevie wrote: »

prepare for a bumpy ride....

Depends - look up the Orion project (Freeman Dyson's proposed spacecraft design). They never (obviously) built it full-scale, but they ran tests with conventional explosives, and the thing actually worked; compared to that, AK47 recoil's not going to be as big a deal

meathstevie

Sparks wrote: »

Depends - look up the Orion project (Freeman Dyson's proposed spacecraft design). They never (obviously) built it full-scale, but they ran tests with conventional explosives, and the thing actually worked; compared to that, AK47 recoil's not going to be as big a deal

Sounds like sellotaping a few hundreds of thousands AK's together alright

Vegeta

Dear Mythbusters,

Please build a machine gun jet pack. That is all.

Veg

Cass

Forget about lift off, who would want to be standing on a load of Ak47's pointing downward only a couple of feet under you.

Erm, how about no?

Sparks

On? Yeah, probably the safest place for a mile in all directions!
Underneath or anywhere nearby? No thanks

meathstevie

Ezridax wrote: »

Forget about lift off, who would want to be standing on a load of Ak47's pointing downward only a couple of feet under you.

Erm, how about no?

....it mightn't get you to fly but it's definitely going to make a big hole in the carpet Ted.....

Cass

Not to mention make a mess of yer kacks.