Most Puckered Instrument Approach
03-18-2011 | 05:23 AM
#62
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From: Body at sea level; heart at 70,000+
After a year of that low stuff, I "saw the light" and went for the high altitude missions.
03-18-2011 | 05:38 AM
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In a UC-123 (50 feet / 130 kts) defoliating the DMZ. The formation would "pop over" into North Vietnam, make a 90/270 turn and spray our way back into South Vietnam. Defoliating the DMZ was one of McNamara's brilliant ideas.
After a year of that low stuff, I "saw the light" and went for the high altitude missions.
After a year of that low stuff, I "saw the light" and went for the high altitude missions.
03-18-2011 | 10:31 AM
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From: Body at sea level; heart at 70,000+
03-18-2011 | 11:42 PM
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From: Burning the Agitprop of the Apparat
03-19-2011 | 03:54 AM
#67
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From: Body at sea level; heart at 70,000+
Paul Cecil (RH Pilot) wrote the book Herbicidal Warfare: The Ranch Hand Project in Vietnam. Chapter 9 is titled "The Year of Glory . . Death." The events take place 1966-1967 when I was there. A large contingent of pilots / Navs arrived in the fall of 1966 to build the Special Aerial Spray Flight (9 acft) into the 12th Air Commando Sq (21 acft) . During my year we took 2700 hits and lost 15 crew members KIA. I took 65 hits plus one NV Seagull. The Purple Hearts were so numerous that some crew members had three.
The most heavily battle damaged aircraft in USAF history (since 1947) is a Ranch Hand UC-123 nicknamed Patches displayed in the USAF Museum. We documented over a thousand hits; they have counted 600+ so far. (There are patches under patches). Patches is credited with seven Purple Hearts for crewmembers.
The most heavily battle damaged aircraft in USAF history (since 1947) is a Ranch Hand UC-123 nicknamed Patches displayed in the USAF Museum. We documented over a thousand hits; they have counted 600+ so far. (There are patches under patches). Patches is credited with seven Purple Hearts for crewmembers.
03-19-2011 | 04:11 AM
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From: Body at sea level; heart at 70,000+
Todays "brass" would "gag" seeing our fighter cover drop CBU-2 too close to the spraying formation overflying "hot targets." Every once in a while a few CBU pellets would hit a UC-123. Our choice - keep it in close and tight. The fighter pilot who "hit" us buys the beer.
I guess today they would ground both fleets, convey a panel of generals to investigate and conduct flying evaluation boards for the pilots involved.
Good video showing fighter support at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTK8PlThZy0
03-19-2011 | 06:08 PM
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From: C47 PIC/747-400 SIC
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