Company gave us a card to estimating storm tops. Thinking "wow, that's way cool(I was younger then....)." Archie Trammel had worked a deal with the company.
So on that trip we're coming back from Europe to the U.S. Over Canada we spot a storm ahead. "Get out your card and figure out the tops. Don't tell me what you get and we'll see who's closer when we go by the storm." Ok, bet's on! Anything to keep you amused by then is greatly welcomed.
The copilot and I (relief pilot) start calculating. Radar tilt to get ground return at the mileage your flying... raise tilt until, etc, etc.
Storms just sitting there. No vertical developement.
Cruising at probably FL 350(?) we pass the storm. "So, what did you get?" Both of us had the storm top around 30,000-32,000. In other words safely below us when it was well above us.
I threw the card away.
Like they said, "it's an academic exercise".