There used to be a training film that showed the testing of various aircraft windscreens using a pneumatic gun to fire frozen chickens at them and then assess the damage. Think about the energy of a 4 or 5 pound chicken fired at 300 or 400 knots! It was funny in a way but showed how serious a bird strike can be. It’s been known as the “Chicken Gun Movie” 😁
We’ve had quite a few bird strikes here at NAS Meridian, usually on low level training routes where they’re flown at 360 knots with our T-45’s. I personally know of 4 or 5 guys that had bird strikes that resulted in pretty serious injuries.
Around ‘80 or so we were “bouncing” (practicing carrier landings) at night at Cubi Point NAS, Philippines in an F-4. Most of the landing pattern was over water but there are hills and jungle a little east of the runway.
We landed, taxied in and shut down. As soon as we shut down, the plane captains and troubleshooters were all over the jet getting it ready for the next crew. About the time my foot touched down on the concrete one of the troubleshooters came bailing out of the right intake yelling, “what did you hit Sir? Come here and look at this!” He shined his flashlight down the right intake and there was a wing of a flying fox (those big bats on Crocodile Dundee) stuck on the inlet guide vanes 😮 Talk about STINK; think gag a maggot 🤢🤮. Next day they borescoped the engine and unbelievably NO damage. That J-79 GE-10B just chewed ir and spit it right out. Loved that engine❤️
Mythbusters did a show shooting frozen chickens at aircraft windshields.
