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Old 31st May 2008, 01:38
  #19 (permalink)  
Brian Abraham
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Sale, Australia
Age: 80
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Oooh a Mach cone
Afraid not. The mach cone develops when the aircraft itself reaches Mach 1. What you see in the photo is the shock wave from airflow which is supersonic at that particular point on the airframe. The aircraft itself is travelling at less than Mach 1. If it were at Mach 1 or greater you would see the mach cone (which develops at the nose of the aircraft) impinging on the water.
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