Superman Returns Quick question about the plane...

[Anita18]

..why did Supes have to break the wings off? Couldn't have he just lifted it from the underside instead?

 

[Kane]

Watch The Science Of Superman special, that scene is explained.

 

[Anita18]

Don't have cable, sorry. But I like science, and understand it pretty easily (I'm just not a physicist or an engineer so I don't know this stuff offhand), so explain away.

 

[Kane]

http://livedigital.com/content/461800/u87087

Here you go. I had uploaded the special. Sorry I cant recall the specifics of it but its all on here.

 

[Anita18]

Sweet. Thanks! I love this stuff....

ETA: And it was on Discovery Channel?! How did I miss this?!

 

[ROBOCOP CPU001]

Sweet. Thanks! I love this stuff....

ETA: And it was on Discovery Channel?! How did I miss this?!

because you didn't know it was on?

 

[Anita18]

Okay, in the special they just explained how they figured out how much stress would break the plane wing, and how the plane would react by spinning around. They didn't say why Supes had to grab the wing in the first place. They kinda mentioned how he was trying to straighten it out....but the thing was FALLING. Like, really fast. Did Supes really think that straightening the plane out could do a heck of good when it's falling like that?

 

[kal-el2006]

i think he was trying to keep the plane stable instead of spinning out..but too much power/weight gave way..but then again..if u think bout it..he just got back so i dont think he has dealt with a falling airplane before so he was improvising as he went.

 

[Kane]

They mentioned all this scientific stuff about testing the stresses of the forces against it and stability of the wing..

I didnt understand it but they seemed to have done research using similations of actual planes.

 

[Pittman4Two]

I found it amusing that Supes had a little trouble with the 777, however he moved the island (which was laced with kryptonite) with less resistance. I know, I know...

 

[roach]

I found it amusing that Supes had a little trouble with the 777, however he moved the island (which was laced with kryptonite) with less resistance. I know, I know...

that was after getting in some rays

 

[villejo]

And he didn't have to fight against overwhelming speed with the island. But he was straining a lot more with the island. When Supes passes out he gets taken to the hospital with special treatment, but if Spidey was unconscious in a park like that, he would have been kicked by hoboes, there's just no justice.

 

[Pittman4Two]

I doubt Spidey would receive any worse treatment than Supes did. Remember the train scene?

 

[Mr. Credible]

what happened to the wings? after they broke off?

 

[Naite22]

Let me ask this, for those of you who have seen the film.... There was a lot of talk about the air plane rescue to be 20 minutes.. now that you've seen it then TELL... Just how long was it!???

 

[Pittman4Two]

I don't think it was that long, but then again I never caught myself looking at my watch during the entire movie. Seemed like the 2 1/2 hours went pretty quick to me.

The rescue itself didn't last that long, I don't think.

 

[TNC9852002]

From the point of the set up, including Lex and the crystals and all to the rescue at the stadium, yeah, the whole thing felt like 20 minutes..

and yeah, Superman was having too much trouble just trying to keep up with it...The plane was going too fast and was spinning too far out of control for him to try and get underneath it...That wouldn't have been the best way to keep it balanced anyway...

-TNC

 

[explode7]

He probably broke off the wings to make the plane lighter and easier to lift up.

 

[Mentok]

The plane was in a 'Flat spin'. Superman was pulling on the win trying to get the plane to stop spinning.

 

[DA Harvey Dent]

Cause it looks cool.

 

[Kane]

Let me ask this, for those of you who have seen the film.... There was a lot of talk about the air plane rescue to be 20 minutes.. now that you've seen it then TELL... Just how long was it!???

The end of the plane scene was the best part. I wont give it away but its a majestic reappearance showing Superman's return with the world cheering.

 

[Tron5000]

Don't they store fuel in the wings of large planes like that? Perhaps he was just trying to make sure the thing didn't explode before he could land it.

 

[Anita18]

Yeah they do, but breaking the wings would ensure that the fuel would escape and ignite from the burning tail. Not very pretty.....or maybe it could have been if they had thought of that. A trail of fire! Wheee!

I guess I'll have to satisfy myself the meh reason that Supes couldn't fly past the plane fast enough and thus had to hold on to the wing. Not sure how fast he can fly, so yeah...