Airspeed of Swallow Trivia Question
Dave
I contend that the actual airspeed velocity of a swallow was never mentioned
in
“Quest For the Holy Grail.”
He contends that it was.
If it was, what is the velocity?
(I think the first knight said, "I don't know that," and the second said, "
African or European?")
John 'Shaggy' Kolesar
You're right. An actual speed is never mentioned.
Shagg aka
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DWIII
>Please help me settle a discussion that I am
>having with a friend of mine. I contend that the
>actual airspeed velocity of a swallow was
>never mentioned in
>"Quest For the Holy Grail."
>He contends that it was.
>If it was, what is the velocity?
A velocity is not mentioned in the film. However, Scene 24 (which has
some lovely acting) alluded to the standard distance known as the
"swallow's flight (unladen)". If and only if one knew how long it takes
for an unladen swallow to complete its maximum-range journey, one then
could infer (at least) an average velocity... that is, of course,
assuming a European swallow's flight...
[GET ON WITH IT!]
>(I think the first knight said, "I don't know that,"
>and the second said, " African or European?")
The question was posed to King Arthur only. Since he deftly evaded it,
it is not clear whether or not he actually knew the answer, in spite of
his (alleged) vast knowledge in the field of swallowology.
DWIII (possessor of the Sword of Cheese, signifying that, by divine
right, not much, really...)
John J. Van Norman
Dave wrote:
> Please help me settle a discussion that I am having with a friend of mine.
> I contend that the actual airspeed velocity of a swallow was never mentioned
> in
> “Quest For the Holy Grail.”
> He contends that it was.
>
> If it was, what is the velocity?
Which one -- the European or African Swallow?
Analda Anglin
>his (alleged) vast knowledge in the field of swallowology.
>
The speed is 3. No units, just 3. No wait it's 5.
Analda aka Hurtling towards the gorge
ana...@hiwaay.net
Steve
>
> >his (alleged) vast knowledge in the field of swallowology.
> >
> Swallowology??
>
> The speed is 3. No units, just 3. No wait it's 5.
>
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john.davison
temperate zone, Arthur ventures that they could have been carried there, the
soldier doubts this, telling him that a swallow needs to beat its wings 493
times every second. Although Arthur is not interested in developing this
debate, a second soldier buts in suggesting that an African swallow could
have carried the coconut. To save face the first soldier agrees adding "but
not by a European swallow, that's my point." Arthur tries to get them back
onto the subject of his quest but by now the first soldier has realised
another flaw in the argument, saying "But then of course African swallows
are non-migratory." Arthur looses patience with them, but in the background
they are continuing to ponder about whether two swallows could carry one
using perhaps a creeper tied between their dorsal guiding feathers. This is
the closest they get to any data about swallows' abilities. Although Arthur
appears disinterested, later in the story he saves himself by bringing up a
question raised by one of these soldiers.
In a draft of the script the keeper of the Bridge of Death asked Arthur
specifically how many wing-beats a swallow needs to maintain velocity, but
in the final film the question asked is "What is the airspeed velocity of an
unladen swallow?" and Arthur replies "What do you mean, an African or
European swallow?" This obviously catches the bridgekeeper out. Crying
"Er......I don't know that.......aaaagh" he himself falls into the Gorge of
Eternal Peril.
Bedevere and Arthur proceed across the gorge, Bedevere asking "How do you
know so much about swallows?" to which he gets the enigmatic and pompous
reply "Well you have to know these things when you're a king".
Regards, John Davison