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Gunship tactics today

toptiger

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The other posts about the hot dogging Apache were shut down {why?
This is a, after all a Planes and helicopters discussion group. But no matter we shall move on}

The more general subject of combat tactics today is still a valid one, but this time lets keep the wannabees, and those who supposedly have a friend who knew a cousin who knew…., and the self appointed post police out of it. We are all big boys. This thread is on topic.

If you can not contribute knowledgably, don’t read any further, and if you are not a pilot, hopefully one with combat experience, and especially gunship attacks, then stay out of the conversation, please. This is not your concern.

I do not know of any reasonable excuse for the Apache mishap except a ‘Watch this!’ , hot dogging moment, a nice show off for the troops. As I said in the other string, this is what we gunship pilots do between kills. But we make sure the CO is not around. And we know the limits of our aircraft. Every combat pilot ever has done something similar. It goes with the territory, like it or not. All combat pilots volunteer for the privilege of being shot at, shooting, and doing all we can for the effort.

Now as to my point. No one at the Apache transition course at mother Rucker or anywhere else for that matter would try and explain that crash as a combat situation, or an SOP approach. That is absurd. In any type of helicopter anywhere. I know helicopter crop dusters do something similar, but isn’t what this is about.

No one today would make a head on gun run attack, over fly the target, cyclic climb to a zero airspeed pedal turn over the target and then over fly it once more. No one alive, that is.

The Apache’s strength is the ability to attack from a stand off position, they don’t need to go head on, their weapons can fire from a safe distance, even sideways.

So if you are qualified, make your points now. Educate me.
 
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73m819

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I will tell you this, THIS thread will close FASTER then the last one as soon as our troops are put down, right or wrong in there actions
 

EnteJager

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Its the old "it must be really cool being you watching me" demo.

Been there and done that (20+yrs as an Army Aviator). Real lucky too. Flight Fax has had some really interesting reading over the years.

It is amazing how your persective changes once you slide past 40-45 and have a few kids.

The old saying about old and bold pilots is so true.

I have had my share of moments and glad they all worked out, when you are young and bullet proof sh*t happens.

I want to make the next 20 years flying as uneventful as possible.
 

saddamsnightmare

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March 29th, 2012.

It would be interesting to compare gunship tactics as practiced in Vietnam and today in Afghanistan by folks who actually have done both (No, I'm not saying there is a Vietnam era pilot still running gunships...just the tactics and the reasons, man), and then maybe compare tactics used with various eastern block gunships. Such as, are there helicopter gunships that can do a loop without losing the main rotor?
And to our poster up above about closing the thread faster then the last...I would suspect you might be afraid of the enemy learning that there are some hotdogs in aviation? I think anyone who's been before a cobra or apache in combat will tell you, if they survived the encounter, who are the hot dogs and who aren't. If I were on the pilot's court martial and he could not make an ironclad case for equipment failure proved by examination of the wreckage....well, he'd be paying Uncle Sam and the taxpayers for a destroyed front line piece of equipment.:shock: That is as it should be.

There is a point where our troops need to use common sense when not in combat. Destruction of government property in any government agency tends to mess up your career. Please join up and destroy a piece of equipment needlessly, Uncle always collects... It has been the way of the government since day 1, I repeat what I said above... if he can't prove equipment failure from the wreckage, it's going to be "Pilot Error", and in the military that is a career buster. Just stating facts, as I do work for Uncle and I know what he does when you do something, shall we say, that is "Boneheaded". I will leave it to Chris Stansbury, Mangus, and Will Wagner to decide whether a reasonable opinion is out of line or not, as I know these gents and place great faith in their wisdom and their integrity. I will also await the Military accident report results.
 
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73m819

Rock = older than dirt , GA. MAFIA , Dirty
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There is NO point in putting down our troops, there is a matter of RESPECT, do NOT care what the emeny see, it will not be something thay have not seen before.

PUTTING DOWN OUR TROOPS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE, no option, no discussion,
 

Danger Ranger

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To the OP--

I thought your movie was good. Thanks.

BUT, I am not in favor of your post. I don't like your attitude, nor your defensiveness from the start. Whatever, I am not even sure of what you want. Maybe it is as suggested, an "I'm a BADA$$" thread...
 

rickf

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I was not going to get involved in this thread since I am not a gunship pilot. I am not a chopper pilot at all. What I am is a ground pounder that had his sorry butt saved on several occasions by gunships in Vietnam. NOW, I am NOT putting anyone down here period. I will say that I have known enough pilots to know that probably 95% of all combat pilots in any type of aircraft have done the YEEHAWW moment type of thing. Also as a non-pilot I will say that it seems to me that although the Apache's have state of the art gun controls they can still only fire in one direction at a time. Why would you make a firing run over a position and immediately pull straight up while within range of return fire? There are going to be a LOT of pissed off people shooting at you right then and there and at that particular second you are a sitting target. Again, non-pilot, BUT, expert marksman. If you just came over me and pulled up like that I now have a perfect shot at the top of your head, your rotors and transmission. Being an expert marksman I always have a full clip of AP ready at all times just in case. Do you feel lucky?

Again, not taking sides, not putting anyone down, just my take on the subject.

BTW, I personally know the OP and I can tell you that his collection of medals he earned during that nice little conflict way back then gives him every right to have an attitude in my eyes!


Rick
 
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