Picture of the day

[Grizzly Adams]

It might be a Caribou - but close. The tailplane on the Buffalo is at the top of the fin.

https://www.bing.com/images/search?...18E2233DD8BF2F9F3EB50E6BEA8&selectedIndex=177

While we're talking about Buffalos.

https://www.insidehalton.com/news-story/2921965-remembering-the-crew-and-passengers-of-buffalo-461/


Grizz

 

[bush1]

While we're talking about Buffalos.

https://www.insidehalton.com/news-story/2921965-remembering-the-crew-and-passengers-of-buffalo-461/
Grizz

Oh, I remember that incident very well and the fact that our Prime Minister at the time was very reluctant or more appropriately not the least bit interested in making any kind of an issue about it.

I certainly don’t have to tell anyone who was the PM at the time, do I.

 

[HuskyDude]

Do we only get one guess?

 

[XRCD011]

^ Nice funny comic of Justins step father.

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

It might be a Caribou - but close.

It's a Caribou. This from the C7A Caribou Association website:

This haunting photograph, which graced every Caribou briefing room, was a grim reminder that the Viet Cong and the NVA were not the only problem for pilots in Vietnam. This incident occurred in August of 1967 when the Caribou (tail number 62-4161) flew into the line of fire of a 155mm howitzer.

Also this: https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19670803-0

 

[uglydukwling]

August 3, 1967, friendly fire by 155mm howitzer.

There are a lot of FF incidents listed on this page I had never heard heard of. Quite surprising.
https ://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_friendly_fire_incidents#World_War_II

I can't remember which battle it was, but I once read an account by Billy Bishop about flying over the front lines during an artillery barrage. He described feeling a bump as a shell passed close enough for the shock wave to affect his plane.

 

[Sharps '74]

In "Stuka Pilot", Rudel mentioned one of his flight being taken out by "friendly" artillery fire, a hazard of close support missions.

 

[shredder]

"Friendly fire" incidents such as these are why the field artillery is ALWAYS notified now when close air (or other air support) is coming in, so the field artillery can cease fire and verify its guns are cleared BEFORE the air support is cleared into the combat area.......

It would be a very, very bad day for the pilot(s), crew, and passengers (if any) should a field arty shell hit a plane or helo......

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

The Gloster Trent Meteor. History's first flying turboprop aircraft.

More info here, if you're interested.

 

[HuskyDude]

Always thought it was an elegant looking bird.
Could have put this with "Video of the Day"
But it fits here too.

 

[maple_leaf_eh]

The Gloster Trent Meteor. History's first flying turboprop aircraft.

...

Looking at the tail surfaces on that one. Was weed a thing when that one hit the drawing boards?

 

[diopter]

No, but prop turbulence likely was

 

[Ganderite]

Little vertical stabs were probably there to give more stability in an engine out situation. That is when you need some extra stability.

 

[ArmedGinger]

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

 

[CV32]

Looking at the tail surfaces on that one. Was weed a thing when that one hit the drawing boards?

For directional stability.

 

[HuskyDude]

Nice pic Dan.
It is just amazing how many Memorials there are for "Man's Best Friend" around!!

Military Service Dog Memorial

 

[fat tony]

The Gloster Trent Meteor. History's first flying turboprop aircraft.

More info here, if you're interested.

Strangely reminiscent of a Pucara. . .

Pucara squadrons 'month of Sundays:'

Three Pucarás were destroyed and one of their pilots killed at Goose Green by cluster bombs dropped by 800 NAS Sea Harriers on 1 May 1982. Six more were destroyed in the SAS Raid on Pebble Island on 15 May 1982.[17]

On 21 May a Pucará was lost to a Stinger SAM fired by D Squadron SAS (the first Stinger launched in combat) [18] and another to 30 mm cannon rounds from Cmdr Nigel Ward's RN Sea Harrier,[19][20] the latter after leading a successful two-aircraft raid on a shed allegedly used as an observation post by British forces. The aircraft was surprisingly tough, as Ward observed no fewer than 20 cannon hits before the target started to fall to earth. The other Pucará, piloted by Lt Juan Micheloud, made good its escape after being chased by Lt Cdr Alasdair Craig's Sea Harrier. Major Carlos Tomba, the pilot of the aircraft shot down by Cmdr Ward, survived the ejection and was recovered by friendly forces.[21][22] On the 28 May whilst assisting 2 Parachute Regiment retake Goose Green, the Type 21 frigate HMS Arrow fired 161 shells from her 4.5” gun. This Naval Gunfire Support destroyed 2 Pucaras at Goose Green.

Major Tomba's sled:

On 21 May 1982 Argentine pilot Major Carlos Tomba’s Pucara was shot down by a British Sea Harrier flown by Nigel ’Sharkey’ Ward of 801 Squadron. Major Tomba ejected from the aircraft at about 40ft above the ground, and survived.

There is an excellent period interview in which Nigel Ward & Carlos Tomba both offer their take on the air to air combat encounter. Ward speaks in admiration of Major Tomba's flying mastery, & Major Tomba speaks humourously of glancing at his wing, noting one of the 30mm hits caused his wing to resemble a rose blossom. Impossible to make this stuff up. Legendary men.

Ominously, during the interview Ward talks of one of the ops room controllers mentioning his colleague was missing parts of his head, & losing the use of one arm after their ops room was strafed. Men of honour and duty.

 

[Grizzly Adams]

Falklands, one of the few wars fought without real animosity on either side.

Grizz

 

[Ganderite]

I was part of a small group blessed by a presentation by two of the SAS members who did the raid on those planes.

They were armed with M16s withthe 3 shot burst feature. The Argies had 7.62 FNALs. The SAS said that in that fight, the FN was the better rifle.