Warbird Information Exchange

Was wondering when the last time there was live firing at an airshow? Pyro does not count.

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Several years ago in the past, you would hear of this at some Eastern European airshow. Spectators would get hurt by falling shell casings.
VL

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I think they might have used live ammo with a P-40 at Wanaka recently. I'm sure someone will be able to elaborate.

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Matt

Doesnt Iraq and Afghanistan equal airshows with "live" firings all the time?

Its airshows and firing in 1 - CAS...

Does a A-6 dropping 20 500# bombs of the port side off USS Boat count??
Or A-7s and F-18 shooting 20mm at the towed target spar?

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Don't touch my junk!!

That's right! Saw and heard it for myself. The aircraft was the P-40N-1 A29-448/ZK-CAG, and it made several passes firing three one-second bursts, as seen in the YouTube link. I think there are slightly better quality videos too!

They even sold the spent cartridges, autographed by the pilot....

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Zac in NZ
#avgeek, modelbuilder, photographer, writer. Callsign: "HANDBAG".
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"It's his plane, he spent the money to restore it, he can do with it what he wants. I will never understand what's hard to comprehend about this." - kalamazookid, 20/08/2013
"The more time you spend around warbirds the sooner you learn nothing, is simple." - JohnB, 24/02/22

It was blanks not live ammo. Even Kiwis have limits

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Don't touch my junk!!

Good point, should've clarified that!

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Zac in NZ
#avgeek, modelbuilder, photographer, writer. Callsign: "HANDBAG".
https://linktr.ee/zacyates

"It's his plane, he spent the money to restore it, he can do with it what he wants. I will never understand what's hard to comprehend about this." - kalamazookid, 20/08/2013
"The more time you spend around warbirds the sooner you learn nothing, is simple." - JohnB, 24/02/22

Saw an F-14 shoot it's minigun (and a heat seeking missile that hit an airborne flare) at Point Mugu in the early 80s.

The M61 20mm ain't no minigun
One took out 4 a/c on our flight deck one night

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Didn't they have live fire at the 50th anniversary USAF Air show at Indian Springs, for the modern Air Force stuff anyway if not the warbirds?

There is actually a full-up live firepower demo over on the Nellis southern ranges several times a year. Quarterly, maybe? It's been a long time since I've been out to one, so I don't know what the current schedule is.

It is part of the CAPSTONE course that new US military flag officers attend.

It used to be at Range 63B (a.k.a. "Point Bravo") just east of Indian Springs. I heard within the last couple years that they may have changed location -- but, I drove past Point Bravo on Hwy 95 back in September '08 (on my way up to Reno for the races) and you could still see the big video screens on tractor trailers out there.

The one that was incorporated into the USAF 50th Anniversary in '97 was simply one of the CAPSTONE exercises that was opened up to the public.

When I was stationed at Nellis in the mid 90s, the CAPSTONEs were open to any military member. I seem to remember that by the late 90s/early 00 (possibly pre 9/11?) they were open to the public but just weren't advertised.

Not sure what the current status is.

There are various videos of the CAPSTONE firepower demo on the internet. Here's the first one I found via Google...I'm sure there are other better videos somewhere.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyvKxH0k6O8