Thread: My Future?
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Old 08-30-2008 | 08:13 PM
  #6  
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UAL T38 Phlyer
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From: Curator at Static Display
Default The Tub

Originally Posted by PearlPilot
might be a really stupid question, but can anybody tell me why the glass is wobbly? what is the purpose?
This appears to be a two-seat F-16, most likely an F-16D (since most of the "B"s are retired). The shot is from the rear seat, as you can see the front seater's helmet and the ejection seat "horns," and there is no canopy bow in front of that (that would make it either an F-15 or -18). [and because his avatar says he's a Viper driver]

Anyway: it is difficult to mold canopies and make them optically perfect, even in this day and age, especially on the "stretched" family models (often referred to as the "Tub").

Its not as noticable when the viewer is near to the center of the cockpit, but in this case, he held the camera to the side with a low graze-angle, and the distortions were more noticable.

Try the same thing with your car windshield from a flat angle--you'll probably be surprised.
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