A-1H "Firebird"
Thu Jun 28, 2007 9:57 pm
N. Viet Nam April 1, 1970
Thu Jun 28, 2007 10:08 pm
What kind of airplane is that? I find it strangely appealing?
Thu Jun 28, 2007 10:38 pm
I may have to land, got plenty of gas but I'm running low on oil !! 
Thu Jun 28, 2007 10:52 pm
Isn't that centerline tank an oil tank instead of fuel?
Thu Jun 28, 2007 11:06 pm
I hear that they carry their own toilet out on the wing if they need to stop.
Thu Jun 28, 2007 11:26 pm
Is that where the term "flying crap" came from ?
Thu Jun 28, 2007 11:41 pm
EDowning wrote:What kind of airplane is that? I find it strangely appealing?
It's what a Skyraider looks like when its airframe corrosion control system is
properly functioning. Maybe yours'l work again someday...Resistance is futile!
Thu Jun 28, 2007 11:46 pm
Funny story:
I was at a event in TN a couple of weeks ago to meet a very well known guy in the Military Vehicle community. He introduced me to a couple of guys who were into flying. They told me that they had a replica of a Nakagima B5N2, "do you know what that is?" I replied a Kate and I was in! Got to talking about warbirds and Vietnam. Both flew In Country. The one guy flew Skyraiders and told a story about the GE mini gun.
We had these things in the pods, so we mounted them on the wing hard points. I told my guys to set them up for Kentucky windage, set the plane up and aim them out there where the cannons hit. So they set up these airplanes and our unit had one get hit. The guy pickled the ordinance on the airplane and there went the mini guns into the jungle and limped home.
After the costly disposal, they came up with the idea that they will pin the guns on the hard point so they can not fall off. So off on another mission goes this skyraider. Again the airplane sustains damage and limps back to the base with its guns in place.........only to not have the gear come down and belly land the A/C on the runway. They had another meeting and decited that the mini gun can stay on helicopters.
I was at a event in TN a couple of weeks ago to meet a very well known guy in the Military Vehicle community. He introduced me to a couple of guys who were into flying. They told me that they had a replica of a Nakagima B5N2, "do you know what that is?" I replied a Kate and I was in! Got to talking about warbirds and Vietnam. Both flew In Country. The one guy flew Skyraiders and told a story about the GE mini gun.
We had these things in the pods, so we mounted them on the wing hard points. I told my guys to set them up for Kentucky windage, set the plane up and aim them out there where the cannons hit. So they set up these airplanes and our unit had one get hit. The guy pickled the ordinance on the airplane and there went the mini guns into the jungle and limped home.
After the costly disposal, they came up with the idea that they will pin the guns on the hard point so they can not fall off. So off on another mission goes this skyraider. Again the airplane sustains damage and limps back to the base with its guns in place.........only to not have the gear come down and belly land the A/C on the runway. They had another meeting and decited that the mini gun can stay on helicopters.