The physics of "back and to the left"

[Steve Barber]

I am thinking any photographic evidence that might exist is preferable My recollection is that bullets tend to move heads

 They can indeed move heads.  The bullet that struck JFK in the head moved his head noticeably forward--it's not an "Optical illusion" as Tink Thompson now says, and all one has to do to see the proof of this is look at a very clear copy of the Orville Nix film, which clearly shows the head moving forward.

[Steve Barber]

Here's a nice little demonstration of why a bullet from the grassy knoll could not have flung JFK back into his seat. A bullet has just way too little mass to move an adults head so violently back and to the left. A bullet only has enough mass to move an adult head a little bit - which is why Oswalds bullet to JFKs head was only able to move JFKs head forward about 2 inches as seen in the Zapruder film when it is slowed down.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WvqTnqR2kn0

   

[Steve Barber]

And what is the maximum speed a Carcano bullet should push JFK’s head forward? Here are my calculations. Note, I don’t use the more scientific metric units but the physics still work using ‘pounds’ and ‘mph’ (miles per hour).

Mass of the bullet: About 10 grams, or about one third of an ounce, or about one fiftieth (1/50) of a pound.
Speed of the bullet: 1400 mph
Mass of JFK’s head, about 8 pounds.

Speed that the bullet could push JFK’s head:

N (momentum) = M (mass) * V (velocity)
V = N / M

Momentum of bullet = 1/50 * 1400 mph = 28 pounds * mph
Mass of JFK’s head = 7 pounds
Speed of JFK’s head if all the momentum of the bullet is received by the head = 28 pounds * mph / 7 pounds = 4 mph

The actual speed of JFK’s head moving forward between frames 312 and 313? 2 mph

Note, during z312 – z313, only JFK’s head moves forward. The torso does not. This was determined by Physics graduate student William Hoffman working with Josiah Thompson on the book ‘Six Seconds in Dallas’.

This accords well with Larry Sturdivan’s estimate who, based on his work with ballistics, judged that only half the momentum of the bullet would be absorbed by JFK’s head. The bullet fragments that exited from the head would have half the speed of the bullet at the initial strike, about 700 mph and these fragments would dent the windshield frame, crack the windshield and a third fragment slightly wounded James Tague.

A bullet from the front doesn’t work because:

•   Unlike the initial forward movement, both the head and the torso moved backwards during z313 – z318. This would require too much momentum from a single bullet, unless a highly implausible anti-tank weapon was used.
•   The speed of JFK’s head backwards is not constant but starts slowly, around 0.5 mph and over the next quarter of a second gradually builds up to 1.8 mph. This would be consistent not with one bullet, but a series of bullets, each striking the head, once every 1/18 th of second or once every Zapruder frame, adding more and more momentum with each frame. A single shot from a rifle can be fired accurately, but not a stream of bullets from a machine gun.
•   Also, one would expect the head to move backwards with a higher speed at first (with the bullet ‘pushing’ only the head), then at a lower speed (with the bullet ‘pushing’ both the head and the torso). This is the opposite of what is seen in the Zapruder film.

   

[Steve Barber]

A gulp of blood going down JFK's windpipe and him suddenly realizing he can't breath.

 

[Robert Reeves]

Glowing white blob/projectile firstly strikes cuff area of JFK's jacket and proceeds to strike JFK in the jawline, velocity of projectile forces JFK's centered head from facing the front to his left. Physics - Newton's second law of motion - in short, an object hit by a projectile will be given a motion that has the same direction as that of the projectile. Debate if the head off JFK moves forwards or back, in z313, whatever, you cannot prove anything with it. Which might explain why it keeps coming around and around. There is physical proof, in 2022, that can back up the claims I am making here.



'head snap' is the vernacular of choice for those that say the head moves momentarily forward before blowing backwards. But you can use it only if Steve the drummer in a band says so. I'm just saying this 'head snap' is more conclusive than 313. And, it (z-film) clearly captures a 'projectile' striking the target. What more proof do you need?



And, i'll clarify, the version of z-film displaying this projectile striking JFK's jawline is the version extracted by Robin Unger & Martin Heinreichs (sp) from the JFK movie by Oliver Stone.

We got everything, I think we were the first people to have the whole thing, we had it steadied, had every frame: I think the FBI had cut it up - or the police department had cut it up to analyze it. Anyway we restored it, we had the entire thing - Joe Hutshing, video editor for JFK movie

Oh btw, I have some more proof!

Just to add to this mystery. Does the 'projectile' glowing white blob strike the wrist area of JFK's jacket?

 

Is there also a corresponding mark on the sleeve of JFK's jacket in the area where a projectile is seen to strike his right wrist? 

Notice in CE393 the jacket worn by JFK has been photographed with the right sleeve (some might say, conveniently) tucked in so that the right cuff of the jacket isn't fully visible? below (I have a higher res version too)



A photo of the jacket was released (years later in the 80s) showing the right cuff. below



Clearly visible are the cuts in the jacket made by the doctors at Parkland hospital. But the right cuff area of the jacket also appears to have a cut in the fabric. And corresponds with the area to which the projectile is seen in the z-film striking JFK's wrist!



You can just about see the large blood stains on the cuff, around the area of the mark, then contrasted with the white lining below, where the parkland doctors cut.



And I guarantee there are two tiny holes on that right sleeve that would indicate a .22 caliber projectile made those holes. One of entrance, and exit. Most of the witnesses reported a firecracker sound. A smaller caliber weapon.



If anyone is fortunate to get to see JFK's coat, they will see two small holes. An entrance and an exit on the right cuff area. They are both slightly visible in the gif above. The projectile struck JFK's cuff and pierced a clump off material passing through it and then striking JFK's chin.



The z-frame above us approximately 257, shows blood or redness on JFK's jawline. JFk's autopsy photo also shows a circular indentation in the jawline corresponding to the z-film.

I have tried to get a high-res photo of the JFK jacket at the archives, but have been unsuccessful. If any one can get a close up of the sleeve. This would be very helpful.

If you want to see evidence of JFK's being shot from the front/side/conspiracy, etc, just pester the Kennedy family to see the jacket in person. It's all there!

[Gerry Down]

The white blob appears to be some type of artifact from stones work on the film to stabilize it. Bullets don't appear as slow moving white blobs.

[Chris Bristow]

There are three frames when the white blob is at its sharpest and clearest. During these three frames the white blob stays in the exact same position within the frame. That can only mean the projectile would be moving down Elm Street in the same direction and speed has the limo. That is completely impossible. If you tried to plot the trajectory it would fail. Wherever that projectile would be coming from it would have to alter its course and travel West with the limo at 8 in per frame for those three frames.