Thanks from across the pond - Page 4

GunPig · 03-17-2006, 19:37

Good evening Madam

So sorry about the late reply but I have been out and about on the town. I think you may be narrowing the mystery down quite well. If we could only get your Son to post on this site to confirm the aircraft, that would be wonderful.

It is possible I suppose that the B17 could perfrom the feat you described. My Wife's Grandfather was staioned at Polebrook England (with Clark Gable) back during WW-Bigone and I do recall a story about the "Turret Snatch" mode of equipment recovery. The experimental equipment was kind of rough, and was simply known as "the snatch". Boys will be boys, and they used the "snatch" as often as they could... and after a while it was getting wore out. They were very happy to have a snatch in thier squadron, even if it was not very pretty to look at. During one of the Schwienfurt raids (on the ball bearing plant) the snatch was destroyed by a large set of balls and an oxygen bottle which was blown into the air by the force of the bomb-loads. Thus ended that version of the snatch, but there are probably many others they could have put in it's place.

I'm not sure if anyone ever used that particualr snatch to snag people however. From what I undersatnd, it was pretty nasty to look at and nobody thought it was safe unless they had at least two pints in them....or so the story goes.

The B-17 is a good plane, but it's awfully hard to find the AVGAS to run them these days. I suppose it's possible that they could have modified them to use turboprops, but if they did, it would surely be classified...and we would not want the Huns to find out if we did.

I'm excited to learn more about the "fast jet" extraction. Looks like your Blokes have beat us to the technology table again.

Gunpig

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? Where's that aeronautical pigman gone... bet he'll give us plenty of details.

Ruby2Shoes · 03-17-2006, 20:18

Someone posted here about an American plane called an Osprey; is this a possibility as well as the B17?

I googled a pic of one and it made me wonder about something. This Osprey has a pointy thing at the front and what my son said was, "there was a hook at the front where the gun usually is". I took that to mean that the gun had been taken off but I'm now wondering if he didn't mean that and it's really a type of plane that wouldn't have a gun at the front and all he was doing was describing where the hook was positioned. Am I making any sense here? I didn't want to mislead and have you all thinking that it has to be a plane that would normally have a gun on the front.

I'll try to get my son online but it's doubtful for the reasons mentioned earlier. The only time he tends to go online is to do something dirty with a webcam but otherwise he can't sit still long enough for forums etc. He's back at camp in a couple of weeks and hopefully coming home for a weekend. I will at least be able to phone him... no reply to my text tonight and I seriously hope he hasn't gone out again - he was only meant to be on a boring exercise. In the meantime, you'll have to put up with his silly old mum.

GunPig · 03-17-2006, 20:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruby2Shoes

Someone posted here about an American plane called an Osprey; is this a possibility as well as the B17?

I googled a pic of one and it made me wonder about something. This Osprey has a pointy thing at the front and what my son said was, "there was a hook at the front where the gun usually is". I took that to mean that the gun had been taken off but I'm now wondering if he didn't mean that and it's really a type of plane that wouldn't have a gun at the front and all he was doing was describing where the hook was positioned. Am I making any sense here? I didn't want to mislead and have you all thinking that it has to be a plane that would normally have a gun on the front.

I'll try to get my son online but it's doubtful for the reasons mentioned earlier. The only time he tends to go online is to do something dirty with a webcam but otherwise he can't sit still long enough for forums etc. He's back at camp in a couple of weeks and hopefully coming home for a weekend. I will at least be able to phone him... no reply to my text tonight and I seriously hope he hasn't gone out again - he was only meant to be on a boring exercise. In the meantime, you'll have to put up with his silly old mum.

Madam

It is possible that it could be an MV-22 Osprey, but the protruberence projecting from the nose is not a gun...it's a refueling probe. The MV-22 can land like a helicopter, so I don't know why there would be a need for a balloon and cable unless they were in very rough terrian and they could not land. Even then, the Osprey would drop a "cable" from the "hell hole" (at hole in the fuselage), not endanger the aircraft..with those 20+ foot proprotors by having a cable anwhere near them...hooked to a a balloon. Did you ever wonder where the balloon and helium bottle came from? Did your Son have it in his rucksack or something? Maybe the aircraft dropped it to them with a GPS guided airfoil?

Was he in the H-K mountains when recovered? Sounds like we may be getting somewhere now. Looks like your son is much tougher than any US Navy SEAL I have ever met, but he'll still have to work hard to keep up with US Army SF. Maybe you could ask his to come to JFKSWCS the help train US Soldiers, Airmen, and sailors on some of the very daring procedures you have described. That would be great...

Aeroswine

Ruby2Shoes · 03-17-2006, 21:31

Gunpig, why have you changed into Aeroswine; are you one and the same or am I talking to someone else now?

I knew the Osprey's "pointy thing" wasn't a gun but I didn't know it was for refuelling.

They were in very rough terrain and nothing could have landed. I'll pm you where it was but it wasn't H-K. He told me that his legs were in bits when he got back.

I've no idea how they got the balloon, helium bottle or harnesses. But I am aware that they carry ridiculous loads sometimes however, from what he's already said to me about the work in this particular terrain, I doubt they were carrying much at all. They've been training recently on how little they can get away with carrying and for how long, including water (which I find quite worrying). He has also trained a lot and put into practice in the past year various types of extractions (which often involved balloons, harnesses etc) and that's why this week's 'adventure' didn't surprise me at all.

Remember, I'm a mum, and I hear a lot of general stuff without always knowing the finer details. What I've said in this thread is what he's told me and it's hard to put the detailed picture together.

Just a thought: if it's a short distance and refuelling isn't necessary, could a probe be removed in favour of a hook?

You cheeky monkey! Have you considered that the US Army SF may have to work hard to keep up with him and his unit? And he may choose to go over to the Aussies rather than the US. Actually, I don't believe he'll do either because he's very patriotic. As for training, he's too young and enjoying what he's doing to think about training anyone else - that would be appropriate when he's too old for this work, but not now.

GunPig · 03-17-2006, 21:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruby2Shoes

Gunpig, why have you changed into Aeroswine; are you one and the same or am I talking to someone else now?

I knew the Osprey's "pointy thing" wasn't a gun but I didn't know it was for refuelling.

They were in very rough terrain and nothing could have landed. I'll pm you where it was but it wasn't H-K. He told me that his legs were in bits when he got back.

I've no idea how they got the balloon, helium bottle or harnesses. But I am aware that they carry ridiculous loads sometimes however, from what he's already said to me about the work in this particular terrain, I doubt they were carrying much at all. They've been training recently on how little they can get away with carrying and for how long, including water (which I find quite worrying). He has also trained a lot and put into practice in the past year various types of extractions (which often involved balloons, harnesses etc) and that's why this week's 'adventure' didn't surprise me at all.

Remember, I'm a mum, and I hear a lot of general stuff without always knowing the finer details. What I've said in this thread is what he's told me and it's hard to put the detailed picture together.

Just a thought: if it's a short distance and refuelling isn't necessary, could a probe be removed in favour of a hook?

You cheeky monkey! Have you considered that the US Army SF may have to work hard to keep up with him and his unit? And he may choose to go over to the Aussies rather than the US. Actually, I don't believe he'll do either because he's very patriotic. As for training, he's too young and enjoying what he's doing to think about training anyone else - that would be appropriate when he's too old for this work, but not now.

Ms. R2S

You must be worried to death about your Son and obviously losing sleep since you are awake at almost 4 am. You poor Dear!

Aeroswine is just a different slant on the name "gunpig" that's all...a spot of humor if you will. I have a question for you though...what is the rib you spoke of? I didn't know they would carry such a bulky food item in the ration kit. Seems like the bones would be a lot of wasted space in the rucksack. Maybe they fashion tools from them like Rambo or Bill Braxlsley? I don't know. Please explain if I am out of context here...I'm confused about that one. I suppose they could have loaded the helium bottle on Horseback and used "Horse flatulence" to fill the balloon? When those horses get in the poppy fields and get their fill, Timothy Leary would be impressed...but the horsie emissions are absoluelty foul...but lighter than air nevertheless! maybe thats what filled the balloon? In any case, with the horses being used over there I'm sure there's something relating to a Horse in this story somewhwere.

Gunpig

Ruby2Shoes · 03-17-2006, 22:24

Gunpig, I've noticed your rudeness and sarcasm and have tried to rise above it.

To take the p*ss out of a mum's worry is extremely low. You only shame yourself.

I will not reply to you again because my original well-meant thank you was clearly wasted on you. Please don't respond to my earlier PM.

GunPig · 03-17-2006, 22:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruby2Shoes

Gunpig, I've noticed your rudeness and sarcasm and have tried to rise above it.

To take the p*ss out of a mum's worry is extremely low. You only shame yourself.

I will not reply to you again because my original well-meant thank you was clearly wasted on you. Please don't respond to my earlier PM.

R2S

Maybe something was lost in traslation from American English to British English. I did not intend to be rude and since I am an Air Force guy, I don't know a lot of the ground forces terminology as you do. I guess it's fair so say you are similarly challenged with air terminology or we would not be discussusing this subject right now.

I'm not certain you realize we are using Equine mammals as a matter of course in A-Stan. Vehicles just won't cut the mustard over there in many places since the terrain is so mountainous. The use of horses in not a joke...it is reality.

I'll bet your Son's AO is just as tough as the other hooahs over there and I'd be awake at night too if my kid was over there. When will your son get some CTO and relax for a while? Sounds like he got busted up a bit on this one and maybe they will let him come home PTDY or something. What do you think?

Gunpig

admin edit: "Ruby2Shoes, Your either lying to us about who you are or your son is blatantly lying to you. Either way this thread is closed. Goodbye"