# @gravitonomy on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DWjLTvDkXOF
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/62331706-gravitonomy-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/312f2e2663.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-03-31T12:57:38.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Gravitonomy (@gravitonomy) — https://gondola.cc/gravitonomy

## Caption

This event involved an F11F-1 Tiger, the first supersonic Navy fighter. During a 1956 test flight, pilot Tom Attridge inadvertently became the first person to shoot down their own aircraft while testing its cannons.

The physics of this accident relied on basic kinematics. After firing a burst, the pilot accelerated while entering a shallow dive. Because the 20mm rounds slowed due to air drag, the plane overtook them.

Gravity pulled the decelerating bullets into a curved trajectory. As the jet descended along a straighter path, it intersected the falling rounds at 7,000 feet. The engine inhaled the debris, forcing a crash landing.

Source
The New York Times. "Navy Jet Shoots Itself Down." The New York Times, 25 Oct. 1956.

Want more interesting content like this ? Follow gravitonomy :)

Via : Unknown 
No copyright infringement intended. Kindly DM for Credit/Removal/Collaboration :) 

#fighterplane #navy #war #iran #science

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 16,535
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 107

## Tags

science, navy, war, fighterplane, iran

---
Copyright (c) Gondola