Thanks from across the pond - Page 3

CPTAUSRET · 03-17-2006, 11:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by sf11b_p

I was told a story, and maybe just that, that there was some experimentation with replacing the UH1s M-60 pedestal door gun with a .50. That a high ranking officer wanted to be first to try, but someone forgot the pins to secure the gun on the swivel mount and the gun jumped up and smacked the officer. That, according to the story, was the end of having a .50 door gunner in a Huey.

That could be a true story in whatever AO that GO held sway, but in 66 we had a couple of H-model Hueys mounted with .50's. They were utilized for airfield security as flare ships, and they also ran the canals at night looking for Sampans, a large searchlight lit up the Sampans very well, as did the .50's!.

Terry

CPTAUSRET · 03-17-2006, 12:54

The only pic I have of a .50 mounted on a Huey is on a password protected site. So I can't provide a link, but here is a 20 MM on a D model.

http://gunsagogo.org/0009/0114.jpg

Terry

sf11b_p · 03-17-2006, 13:00

Holy crap!

That's some fierce looking hardware, must have been a heavy load with the ammo cans for those old UH1s.

That's some pretty good deck reinforcement for the pedestal too.

CPTAUSRET · 03-17-2006, 13:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by sf11b_p

Holy crap!

That's some fierce looking hardware, must have been a heavy load with the ammo cans for those old UH1s.

That's some pretty good deck reinforcement for the pedestal too.

As I recall there were a few mounting prob's with the .50, lots of recoil needed to be absorbed somewhere, several plate config's were used.

Terry

sf11b_p · 03-17-2006, 13:04

My first MOS was 45J, they didn't show us that one.

Yeah it was the recoil that got the officer in the story. They told it at Bragg, Simmons AAF.

**Kyobanim** · 03-17-2006, 13:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Warrior-Mentor

Is the V-22 Osprey operational yet?

Funny you should mention that. We've had one dressed up in green military clothes flying east to west and back for a couple of weeks here in Orlando. First time I saw it I didn't hear it until it was right over me, no buildings around, I was at a park surrounded by trees. Seemed to be noise stealthy at least. The person flying that thing is jerking it all over the sky. Pretty cool to witness.

Ruby2Shoes · 03-17-2006, 15:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by GunPig

Ruby2Shoes

What you describe is very puzzling and perhaps...just perhaps...there are some wires crossed in the message. I am involved in US Air Forces...specifically Special Operations aircraft, with 30 years experience and a Master's degree in Aeronautical Science. Please riddle me this Mum; if a fixed wing aircraft such as the A-10 picked someone up via a cable supended by a balloon, and somehow gets winched up under the aircraft...just how will the aircraft land without killing the suspended individual? An A-10 does not "hover" to let people off...instead it lands at about 80-100 MPH depending on how heavy it is. To keep from becoming "runway Pizza, just how would soemone keep from getting dragged on the runway by a cable? Does he hang onto the pylon/bomb rack? Does he climb over the wing and hang on for dear life like a 1920s "barnstormer? What about multiple personnel like you described..the plane only has one seat...and it's under glass ...and occupied by the Pilot. No room for passengers now is there.

I don't think they would parachute to safety once out of harms way either since a parachute would likely be more a a hazard than an asset. If the parachute would open when being "towed" the aircraft would experience control problems and the person being extracted would likely be ripped in two. I'm not sure what sort of "hatch" underneath an A-10 would do either, the A-10 can not fly without the weight of the gun as ballast and even if it could, there's not room for one person in the gun bay let alone three. The only American I know who has ever attemped such a feat is Bill Braxley...have you heard of him 'cross the pond?

What you describe seems more like a helo emergency extraction...cable, but no balloon.

Who wouldn't like Pie & Chips?

Gunpig

Gunpig

I've already said that I may have some wires crossed re: the plane. It's clearly not the B10 that I thought I heard. I didn't suggest the A10, someone else on here did. I don't know your planes... hence the discussion! (Without the need for silly remarks, thank you.)

However, some of this I definitely haven't misunderstood because I've heard it plenty of times before. Are you suggesting that there's no such thing as a 'fast jet extraction' because I know that there is - certainly with our jets anyway. There was definitely a balloon involved which, again, I've heard about before. He sounded disappointed that it was a plane and not a "fast jet".

He wouldn't bother mentioning a helo extraction - that's fairly normal stuff.

It was an American plane (he specifically mentioned that because he was pleased that the yanks had helped), it's gun had been replaced by the hook, it was a multiple extraction (it had to be!). I thought he said "bomber" but can't be certain of that. But I've no idea if they were winched up, towed or how they landed. I've sent a text to him to see if I can find out any more although I've no idea when I'll get a reply.

To be honest, lads, I've heard about these extractions enough times before but not bothered to wonder how they actually worked. I knew they were dangerous but, until you all started talking, I actually didn't realise just what a death-defying feat they are. I'm wracking my brains now to remember details of these extractions when he's talked about them in the past. The only other thing I recall him saying in the past is that the cable's 500ft long. I can see you're puzzled over the details and so am I now. But please don't doubt the veracity because this stuff happens, certainly with our boys, although it's obviously not an every day occurrence (because, thankfully, they're not in that kind of pickle every day).

Just a thought: could they have been dropped into water? I say this because I know of a time last year when he did something similar although not in the form of an exfiltration and not a million miles away from your locale either.

Why on earth would they open their parachutes whilst being towed? Of course that's insane. But they could unhook their harnesses and then open chutes as soon as they were over safe territory. All of the lads involved (and I know some of them very well) are para-trained.

I'm afraid I haven't heard of Bill Braxley.

Talking of aircraft, let me know your thoughts on this one: Last year he & his bunch were parachuted into somewhere I can't mention. They were supposed to be dropped into a lake by the Herc but the female navigator cocked up and dropped them into trees at the edge of the lake (I think she wasn't SF trained). Few minor scrapes occurred and they were a bit ruffled but otherwise ok. They then swam out into the lake where the SBS were waiting in ribs, leaning out and hooking them into the ribs with hoops. A Chinook then literally went into the water with its back open and the ribs drove straight into the Chinook and they flew away to do the things they do. He said that the water was absolutely filthy and he got a toe infection from it. I found the Chinook bit incredible but I don't know if it's routine or not. You're probably going to tell me now that it couldn't have been a Chinook!

As for pie and chips... my dear, are you a chav?

**The Reaper** · 03-17-2006, 15:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruby2Shoes

Talking of aircraft, let me know your thoughts on this one: Last year he & his bunch were parachuted into somewhere I can't mention. They were supposed to be dropped into a lake by the Herc but the female navigator cocked up and dropped them into trees at the edge of the lake (I think she wasn't SF trained). Few minor scrapes occurred and they were a bit ruffled but otherwise ok. They then swam out into the lake where the SBS were waiting in ribs, leaning out and hooking them into the ribs with hoops. A Chinook then literally went into the water with its back open and the ribs drove straight into the Chinook and they flew away to do the things they do. He said that the water was absolutely filthy and he got a toe infection from it. I found the Chinook bit incredible but I don't know if it's routine or not. You're probably going to tell me now that it couldn't have been a Chinook!

As for pie and chips... my dear, are you a chav?

This is fairly common, I have done it myself, but you cannot put more than one boat per Chinook, IIRC.

TR

Ruby2Shoes · 03-17-2006, 16:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Reaper

This is fairly common, I have done it myself, but you cannot put more than one boat per Chinook, IIRC.

TR

Good evening, Mr Reaper.

I enjoy chatting with you; perhaps it's the avatar. Do you look like John Wayne?

Whether it's routine or not, I liked the sound of it. Knowing the unit, there would have been at least 2 ribs used and you could get at least 2 in the back of a Chinook. It's highly likely of course that your ribs are bigger than ours (lol) because everything of yours is bigger than ours... not that most of us here really mind that. I'm 5'2" and I know good things come in small packages!

Sdiver · 03-17-2006, 16:31

Hummmm....Recovery Plane for FRS.

B10....or something along those lines.
Not a Jet....more than likely a multi engine turbo prop plane.
Possibly a bomber.
The hook is in place of where the gun(s) were.

Sounds like a B-17 G model.

Like the one seen at the end of the James Bond movie Thunderball.

Ruby2Shoes · 03-17-2006, 16:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sdiver

Hummmm....Recovery Plane for FRS.

B10....or something along those lines.
Not a Jet....more than likely a multi engine turbo prop plane.
Possibly a bomber.
The hook is in place of where the gun(s) were.

Sounds like a B-17 G model.

Like the one seen at the end of the James Bond movie Thunderball.

Just yelled this out to my ex-Army partner in the next room and he's asking, "Is this the Liberator and are they still flying them?"

Sdiver · 03-17-2006, 16:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruby2Shoes

Just yelled this out to my ex-Army partner in the next room and he's asking, "Is this the Liberator and are they still flying them?"

Noooo....the Liberator was/is the B-24

The B-17's were/are called Flying Fortress. The Queens of the sky, back some 60 odd years ago.

Ruby2Shoes · 03-17-2006, 16:53

So are the B17s still flying and would they make sense for this extraction? Would they have a current presence in the Middle East too? Where's that aeronautical pigman gone... bet he'll give us plenty of details.

Sdiver · 03-17-2006, 17:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruby2Shoes

So are the B17s still flying and would they make sense for this extraction? Would they have a current presence in the Middle East too?

Only as flying museums, flying with groups like the Confederate Air Force and such.

Could there be a presence of them in the M.E ??? It's possible. I know there are C-47s flying around Central and South America.

Warrior-Mentor · 03-17-2006, 18:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kyobanim

Funny you should mention that. We've had one dressed up in green military clothes flying east to west and back for a couple of weeks here in Orlando. First time I saw it I didn't hear it until it was right over me, no buildings around, I was at a park surrounded by trees. Seemed to be noise stealthy at least. The person flying that thing is jerking it all over the sky. Pretty cool to witness.

Only asked because it seamed like about the only "plane" I could think of that might be able to perform a multiple person extract described by Ms. 2shoes.
JM