Reno/Stead Air Attack Base
- Thread starter mjg407
- Start date
Orange Anchor
New Member
For Orange Anchor
Of the machines I FACed, this one was usually the best. Often flown by 'Guard Bums' who had lots of hours in it, they could put the ord on target and with 4 20mm, if one gun jammed, no big deal. They could still put lots of metal in the area.
The -100 was replaced by the A-37 out of Bien Hoa. Gone was the 20mm and the 'pop gun' 7.62 mini was nice but just not good enough.
True story.. we had a Commando Vault in our area. C-130 dropping a 10,000lb bomb out the back and it was a dud. What to do? One FAC had some -100s in the area and asked them to come over and strafe an area. Lead asked what the target was. The FAC told him he just needed to cook some stuff off. Lead persisted. Finally the FAC told him he wanted the guy to walk some 20mm through an area with the big bomb.
Lead said, "....**ck you. Two, let's go button four and RTB."
They brought in a team and an Army Skycrane to extract the bomb.
Hacker15e
Who am I? Where are my pants?
What's the Safe Escape Maneuver for a 10K lb bomb that you just strafed? There's /negative/ bomb trail when that thing goes off!
Orange Anchor
New Member
The Gomers (meant with respect) in our area had a sense of humor. While doing VR one day I saw an area that had been cleared and in the middle of the area there was a 750lb bomb... standing on its tail.What's the Safe Escape Maneuver for a 10K lb bomb that you just strafed? There's /negative/ bomb trail when that thing goes off!
Another group was not so fortunate. We had a SkySpot put in one night with some F-4s and when we went out the next day for the BDA there was a VW bus, in the middle of the strike zone blown all to hell. The VW was obviously not the target but the 750lb bombs sure messed it and its occupants up.
As for strafing, you probably have seen enough gun camera film of guys pressing and winding up in the secondary. Not good.
What's the Safe Escape Maneuver for a 10K lb bomb that you just strafed? There's /negative/ bomb trail when that thing goes off!
Nothing that couldn't have been handled with a HI-45 or 60 HAS with the 20mm's! Good 8k recovery.....be gtg!
