Chinooks Buzzing our Houseboat 8/15/19

Status
Not open for further replies.
Pegasus said:
I love how you can see the rotor wash on the top of the water as it passes. Amazing video!

And that is exactly what I would want to see and hear if I were in need of help somewhere in the world. So proud of our USA military.
Click to expand...

Yeah I noticed that rotor wash after like the third time I watched that video! That's one of the reasons I posted it, just added an element of cool. Plus you can hear it in the microphone. It completely fills the microphone with wind noise and there wasn't a drop of wind that morning.
 
Great video!! My only comparable experience was back in 2008, also at the Rincon. In that case my buddies and I had climbed to the top of the butte in the middle of the Rincon, and a couple of F-16s came buzzing down the lake. I caught one of them on camera (barely), but what was cool was that they were flying below where we were standing... look carefully at the right of the two photos...IMG_3206.jpgIMG_3208.jpg
 
years ago we were camped at the Rincon. it was morning and I took the kids out to waterski, I was tossing rope out to skier and coming right at us was a B1B with wings swept back, I could see the pilot in the cockpit, he took that thing down the canyon and stood it straight up before the canyon wall , sends chills down your spine. could not image that thing after you ! he came back the next day gave us a side view when crossing bay. I heard the squadron out of Nevada uses that for training runs, cool to see.
 
Amazing that there is a video, we were scrambling to get our camera's, but instead all ran to the front of our houseboat to cheer them on!!!
We had just finished heading south on the Rincon, made that first turn out of the Rincon and we heard the thumping of the Chinooks, they were so low, one right in front of the other. We could see the crew and we just couldn't stop waiving at them.....the people on top of our houseboat could feel the wind from the blades as they RIGHT next to us!!! AWESOME!!!!
 
Many of those helicopters stop at the airport for lunch and fuel. We get 4 to 6 of them at a time when it happens. We've Apaches, Cobras, Hueys, Chinooks, you name it, its been here. Had several Ospreys (Tilt Rotor airplanes) come in last year. When they left they made a low pass down the runway for us locals to watch. One even had an emergency into the airport and had to change one engine. One engine failed 10 or 20 miles away and they came in on one engine only, driving both rotors (as designed). Google up Osprey tilt rotor for a pic.
 
JFRCalifornia said:
Great video!! My only comparable experience was back in 2008, also at the Rincon. In that case my buddies and I had climbed to the top of the butte in the middle of the Rincon, and a couple of F-16s came buzzing down the lake. I caught one of them on camera (barely), but what was cool was that they were flying below where we were standing... look carefully at the right of the two photos...View attachment 5817View attachment 5818
Click to expand...
That's an Eagle Jet not a Viper....You can tell because it looks like a 'Flying Tennis Court' (old nickname) along with a few other recce features: slanted side intakes, clipped wings, straight twin tail, lack of missile rails on stations 1 & 9 which are the wingtips on the Viper, radome is longer giving it a more bulbous appearance.

OK, so yeah I'm a retired Aerial Munitions Distributor sts. We used to have to take recce tests in NATO where they would flash a slide for 2 secs then you would have 5 secs to write down: Make, Model, Country by Fin Flash or other means, and Friend or Foe. Most of the pics were flyspecks so this one is relatively easy.

Still a good pic though,
Goblin

Goblin
 
Goblin said:
That's an Eagle Jet not a Viper....You can tell because it looks like a 'Flying Tennis Court' (old nickname) along with a few other recce features: slanted side intakes, clipped wings, straight twin tail, lack of missile rails on stations 1 & 9 which are the wingtips on the Viper, radome is longer giving it a more bulbous appearance.

OK, so yeah I'm a retired Aerial Munitions Distributor sts. We used to have to take recce tests in NATO where they would flash a slide for 2 secs then you would have 5 secs to write down: Make, Model, Country by Fin Flash or other means, and Friend or Foe. Most of the pics were flyspecks so this one is relatively easy.

Still a good pic though,
Goblin

Goblin
Click to expand...
I appreciate the correction!
 
One of my coolest memories was hauling butt uplake on a houseboat call in Wahweap's chaseboat, a 23' aluminum workskiff with twin 2 stroke 150 mercs. It topped out at about 62 mph and it sounded like a swarm of hornets chasing. Of course it got ran wide open and it was fun driving it like we stole it...I was right about even with Neanderthal and suddenly something didn't sound right, right then an F16 flew right over the boat about 5o' off the deck. Scared the crap out of me. Actually left a trail in the water. Don't know what that water trail is called but it was badas%.
 
Not Lake Powell but still fun to see...Desert Center and I-10 got buzzed in July by a C-130 not more than 150 ft AGL. Aft loading ramp down and two dudes (looked like wearing civvies) waving just having a good ‘ol time.

There are SO many variants of this aircraft I’d love to hear which version this is. The re-fueling probe, wing tanks/pods and (what appear to be) aft-mounted port/starboard gun pods (or ??) have me wondering...

D2CEECC3-8A44-43B2-ABFD-61B4463E8BC1.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Rivergoer said:
Not Lake Powell but still fun to see...Desert Center and I-10 got buzzed in July by a C-130 not more than 150 ft AGL. Aft loading ramp down and two dudes (looked like wearing civvies) waving just having a good ‘ol time.

There are SO many variants of this aircraft I’d love to hear which version this is. The re-fueling probe, wing tanks/pods and (what appear to be) aft-mounted port/starboard gun pods (or ??) have me wondering...

View attachment 5860
Click to expand...
Blimey, these blokes are special ops brits. May have been TDY to Nellis for one of the Flags.

Royal Air Force
Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Herc (C4 stretch model which is used for Special Ops and not as just an average Trash Hauler)
Camo paint scheme sporting this fin flash RAF Fin_flash_Low_Visibility.png & this roundel RAF Roundel _Low_Visibility.png
Friend.

Recce features: Six bladed prop; 4 turboprop engines; Refueling probe (American Hercs equipped with refueling use the Flying Boom. The Blokes use the drogue and boom on 130s) The blisters on the back are DIRCM Pods (Directional Infrared Countermeasure) pods made by Northrup Grumman whose motto is "Making missiles toast for 50 years."

If you have ever been around a Herc on the ground, you will notice they have only one engine setting and that is "LOUD."
This is because the engines always run at 100%, always. Even when sitting still. The throttles just vary the prop pitch at 100% RPM and as such they can actually back up.

FWIW
Goblin
 
Last edited:
Garrett engined small turbo props do the same thing (some Kingairs and all Aero Commaders and MU-2s).
100% RPM on the ground and flight. Just add more fuel as the props increase in pitch on takeoff. The RPM stays the same.
The Navy P-3 Orion used the same engines as some models of the Herc.
The Orion could very easily fly with the two outboard engines shut down, and in testing three engine were shut down and the airplane still flew (I knew the test pilots for Lockheed).
The six blade props is a recent add to the Herc. The Herc started (going on 65 years ago) with 3 blade props, then 4 blade and now 6 blades each.
Called Spooky now (the Herc) when used in a ground support mission with 3 guns out the side and beautiful electronics to aim the firing. IIRC armed with a 50 cal gatling gun (again IIRC at 6000 rounds per minute, a 40MM and a 105 recoiless cannon, I once asked the Sargent in one just how accurate the 105 was and his response was "pick a vehicle"!!!!
 
Actually there were two 20MM M-61 Vulcan gatling guns in the AC-130 and no 50 cal that I'm aware of. 50 cal at medium altitude is pretty useless. There was a 40 mil cannon and a 105 mil Howitzer but, I am not familiar with using those.
  • The M61 A1 Vulcan is the gun in the F4, F15, F16, a variant is also in the F-18 and F-22, etc., etc.
  • The M61 A1 is a 6-barreled, hydraulically driven (GAU-4 version was gas driven), electrically primed 20MM gatling gun firing about 100 rounds a second (6,000.RPM)
  • In the F-4 and some installations it is rate selectable from 'Low' - 4000 RPM to 'High' 6000RPM. In the F-4 nobody used the low rate that I knew. The F-16 has only the 'High' rate of fire.
  • In fighters you usually talk in seconds so the F-16 has about 5 seconds of gun.
  • Sometime during the 1990s the M61s were pulled from AC130s and replaced with the GAU-8 which is the 30 MM gun that Hogs use. Warthog ammo I assume is still made with depleted uranium.
  • 20 mil ammo on the other hand is (pick your flavor):
    • TP or TP-T = Ball ammo used for training; the -T stands for tracer in usually a 1-in-4 or 1-in-5 mix.​
    • API or API-T = Armor Piercing Incendiary​
    • HEI or HEI-T = High Explosive Incendiary​
Lastly, all the guns stick out the 'left' side of the AC-130s because they employ in a left-handed orbit and thusly the AC can look down to the left for target orientation.

FWIW
Goblin
 
Last edited:
Still off topic but it's been a long night. I hope this is entertaining for some that like flying and/or fighter pilot songs.

Awhile back I pieced together various videos and set it to music. The video includes Red Flag which is a large scale exercise out of Nellis and flown all around Area-51 (known as the Box). While you may fly around it you better NOT fly in the Box, Period.
Anyway the video includes:
  • The soundtrack "Going In For Guns" by Dos Gringos (a band comprised of F-16 drivers)
  • Red Flag video
  • Red Flag animation from a system known as ACMI (Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation) which is data fed by a small pod on each aircraft.
  • F-16 Video from Alabama Guard
Some trivia:
  • The Viper gun sits over your left shoulder and when fired shakes the whole jet. It is the operation of the gun that makes all of the commotion and is much louder than the actual bullets firing. Listen closely and you can hear the loud BRRRRP of the gun following the 'crack' of the bullets.
  • On the ACMI you will see "Snapshots" which are high deflection slashing gunshots that can be done either in or out of plane. Lower Pk than a tracking gunshot.
  • You also will see live Low Angle Strafe (LAS) fired between 5-to-15 degrees dive.
ROE PC Warning: This is a more modern song and is far more PC than older fighter pilot songs but still has some mature language. The video is posted over on YouTube. Click the image to follow the link over to YouTube.
Going In for Guns.jpg

Some jargon in the audio may be unfamiliar to most. It really is a good song if you understand the words so I have translated into a glossary.
Glossary:
  • "ACT upgrade" = Air Combat Training upgrade;
  • "4 vs X" = 4 against an unknown number of bandits;​
  • "Decs" = Declarations of hostile/friend/foe;​
  • "Flipped the switch to Outboard" = the Dogfight/Missile Override' Switch thrown outboard instantly places the F-16 systems into an Air-to-Air 'Dogfight' mode;​
  • "I couldn't take the chance" = depending on ROE you cannot fire without a Declaration and VID (visual identification) is necessary;​
  • "the merge" = when you begin visual maneuvering with the bandits, on radar it is referred to as "merged plot"​
  • "BVR" = Beyond Visual Range​
  • "DarkStar" = a standard AWACS call sign that acts as your radar controllers​
  • "Judy" = "I am assuming control of the intercept"​
  • "Dark Gray" = Mudhens or rather the F-15E Strike Eagle​
  • "WIC" = Weapons Instructor Course which is the AF's version of Top Gun​
  • "Support" = Being bandits. Thus the full translation would be "Being bandits for the USAF Fighter Weapons School Weapons Instructor Course for the F-15E Strike Eagle" which is quite a mouthful "Dark Gray WIC Support" is far more concise.​
  • "Mort" = Dead​
  • "Fox 1" = Launch of a SAR (semi-active radar} missile such as an AIM-7 Sparrow not normally carried by the 16. More of a 15 weapon. Radar missile on the 16 is the AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile) aka 'Slammer' aka Fox-3 which is both a SAR and fully active missile depending on range. (Added 8/25/19)​
  • "Step" = Leave the squadron to go to the jet for a mission​
  • "DACT" = Dissimilar Air Combat Training; when your bandits are not the same type of aircraft as you, it is dissimilar.​
Did I mention that the gun was always my favorite Air-to-Air weapon?
Goblin
PS: Apologies to all...I made some edits after posting. Hopefully that doesn't mess anybody up. I just washed my hands and can't do a thing with 'em.
 
Last edited:
WOW Goblin THANKS for the info Never in that mil world of aviation always on the edges. Lots of friends in it though. I knew the two guys that found where to build "the ranch" back when Kelly Johnson wanted an out of the way place to test the P-80. Good story for another thread. That started the "box". (Yes I go back a lot of years) As a pilot, ya, I know about not flying in there BUT I did get vectored directly over TNX and right through R-4809 one Sunday morning. Unfortunately all the hangars were closed tight (unfortunately for me:-) Probably why they let me through there. I did work for an ECM company back during the VN war. We had some neat stuff back then but its all anchor weights now.
Sorry to the folks on here for the drift , I apologize if I offended anyone with it.
 
Cliff said:
I did get vectored directly over TNX and right through R-4809 one Sunday morning....
Click to expand...
A lot has been declassified about TNX. When I was active I had friends that would fly on Janet out Monday and back home to McCarran on Friday. Their personnel records listed their aircraft as an A-7. Black A-7s that is. Of course, they were cockroaches but, A-7 Corsair was the cover. They were finally moved over to Holloman and started some daytime flying.

Another very secret program now declassified was a great one and that was "Constant Peg." We actually had a bunch of Soviet jet fighters (Fishbed, Flogger & Fresco) based out of TNX. These surreptitiously acquired aircraft were exploited to the max. In the Eighties there were thousands of actual dogfights between our fighters and soviet fighters (flown by our pilots of course). By the end there wasn't much we did not know about the MIg-21, 23, 17. Example: The Mig-23 Flogger could, at the time, out accelerate any other aircraft in the world. Had a friend that flew it and was told to keep it below 800 knots because it would become unstable above that speed. He said he pulled it out of 'Reheat' at 780 KIAS but it was at 820 knots before it stabilized. The Flogger was also known for being unstable at high AOAs so you couldn't run it down but, if you could drag one into a phonebooth it was going to be a good day. The Flogger even had a solenoid powered 'knuckle rapper' on the stick that would activate at high AOA to get you to relax back pressure on the stick.

Thanks for the ability to reminisce, I miss it so much,😭😭
Goblin
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top