Loud bang of unknown origin heard over England

[Deleted]

If the Typhoon story is true, props to them for scrambling so quickly. I just have my doubt that a sonic boom from a fighter jet could be heard so far away, any aircraft buffs here confirm it? Across a city, sure, but not 3 counties.

[Deleted]

Didn't hear anything - Stoke-On-Trent :x

Intrigued though.

Edit: Read the story, says it's a Typhoon, but as the person above me said, I didn't think it could be THAT loud.

[Porcell]

Its was heard from over 3 counties away, no jet could cause that.

Except... a jet caused it. Linked article in first post:

Typhoon sonic boom behind mysterious bang reports - MoD
A loud bang which sparked a deluge of calls to emergency services across a large part of England was a sonic boom from a Typhoon aircraft, the MoD said.

So... there you go.

[Deleted]

If the Typhoon story is true, props to them for scrambling so quickly. I just have my doubt that a sonic boom from a fighter jet could be heard so far away, any aircraft buffs here confirm it? Across a city, sure, but not 3 counties.

3 countries sounds, well not believeable at first look.


It's a crappy cover story /conspiracy mode on

[arons4]

Jet has already been ruled out, was one of my first thoughts too.

Sound was like a cannon, very noticable and shook buildings in towns/areas that heard it.

I've shot a cannon, it doesn't shake buildings..

[Skarssen]

Crab people.

"Taste like crab, walk like people"!

[Deleted]

It's because I work for the MOD i know how full of shit they are, would be nice to get an aircraft boffin confirm or deny how loud a fighter jets sonic boom is.

[Mister K]

This was amazing I'm glad they found out what It was (It was a Typhoon) I was outside at work lifting some computers and I heard this BOOOM I was like SHEEEEET SON

Haha comment made me giggle! SHEEEEET SON xD

Anyway sonic boom spanning over several counties? O.o

[Low Hanging Fruit]

We all know the Reapers primary target will be London. With a black guy named Anderson that clearly speaks as if he was from the states holding the final line, but hey... he was born there.

[Catta]

did anyone make a joke about how this was someone's mother getting corpulated?

[Slummish]

I live very near Randolph Air Force Base in Texas. They train some of America's top pilots and run exercises 24 hours a day. As such, sonic booms are a routine part of the daily experience over here. It would take the glass exploding from my windowpanes before I even got off the sofa and took a look outside...

[Tierbook]

heard something similiar about a month ago here in south carolina.... maybe it is aliens

[Deleted]

did anyone make a joke about how this was someone's mother getting corpulated?

Suprisingly not that I've seen so far, atleast not on my facebook wall (yet). Bravo humanity this time round.

[Deleted]

If the Typhoon story is true, props to them for scrambling so quickly. I just have my doubt that a sonic boom from a fighter jet could be heard so far away, any aircraft buffs here confirm it? Across a city, sure, but not 3 counties.

Not a major aircraft buff, but it depends where the Typhoons are based and therefore flew from, and where they were scrambled to.

For example, some are based at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire, if the emergency is Anglesy, thats a fair few conties they fly over, and at that speed they would cross the variouse counties in a relatively short time span.

Not only that, but this is the new Eurofighter Typhoon, a relatively unheard aircraft in the UK at full throttle.

BTW I live in Chepstow, didnt hear the boom, but definately a fighter aircraft flying sub-sonic speed (but still quick as f***) in the audible vicinity around that time -ish.

[Deleted]

Did not hear anything - Newcastle.

I dont know what it could of been, but for the love of god, dont go '' OMFG, ALIENS! ALIENS! DOOMSDAY IS EARLY!''. Ffs.

You're no fun... :P

[Deleted]

<snip>

If I remember rightly the boom only happens the moment the barrier is broken, not a continual noise.

[kel]

I did hear something, as if a storm was coming but there wasnt a storm.

[Deleted]

If I remember rightly the boom only happens the moment the barrier is broken, not a continual noise.

Thats what I always thought, anybody know how far the sound travels?

[Kathandira]

Thats what I always thought, anybody know how far the sound travels?

This is quoted from The Wings of the Web, a pilots site.


If the aircraft exceeds Mach 1 to Mach 2, do you hear another boom?

No. The sonic boom is not a one-time, stationary thing. Once the aircraft exceeds Mach 1, the boom starts, and travels along with the aircraft until it goes below Mach 1 again, at which point it ceases. During the time the aircraft is supersonic, the boom will exist no matter how much faster than Mach 1 it travels.


and if the aircraft goes subsonic do you hear a boom again?

As mentioned, you hear the boom the whole time the aircraft is supersonic. It is a shockwave that travels with the aircraft until it goes subsonic.

Sonic booms appear to be instantaneous only because you hear it only when it passes you. Someone else farther down the aircraft's path will hear it after you do.

So basically the sound travels as far as the craft travels, when it passes you, you will hear it. but not till then.

[littlewisp]

From wikipedia:

It is a common misconception that only "one" boom is generated during the subsonic to supersonic transition, rather, the boom is continuous along the boom carpet for the entire supersonic flight.

The intensity and width of a sonic boom path depends on the physical characteristics of the aircraft and how it is operated. In general, the greater an aircraft's altitude, the lower the overpressure on the ground. Greater altitude also increases the boom's lateral spread, exposing a wider area to the boom. Overpressures in the sonic boom impact area, however, will not be uniform. Boom intensity is greatest directly under the flight path, progressively weakening with greater horizontal distance away from the aircraft flight track. Ground width of the boom exposure area is approximately 1 statute mile (1.6 km) for each 1,000 feet (300 m) of altitude (5 m/m); that is, an aircraft flying supersonic at 30,000 feet (9,100 m) will create a lateral boom spread of about 30 miles (48 km), or at 10,000 meters a spread of 50 kilometers. For steady supersonic flight, the boom is described as a carpet boom since it moves with the aircraft as it maintains supersonic speed and altitude. Some maneuvers, diving, acceleration or turning, can cause focusing of the boom. Other maneuvers, such as deceleration and climbing, can reduce the strength of the shock. In some instances weather conditions can distort sonic booms.

So yeah. Feasible. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonic_boom