Foo - Pretty chilling picture...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v419/wethepeople101/other%20stuff/ac-130.jpg

http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/hercules/images/hercules4.jpg

Oh Yeah!!!!!!!! Badass!!!!!!!! :D :D :D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v419/wethepeople101/other%20stuff/ac-130.jpg
The vortex behind the aircraft looks like the "Angel of Death"! Appropriate!http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a377/skotroll/smilies/holycowsmile.gif

At least they aren't going after FOO and destroying it. :)


Or Are they? (http://www.netdisaster.com/go.php?mode=bomb&destruction=massive&url=http%3A//www.bikeforums.net/forumdisplay.php%3Ff%3D199)

Called vortex which is the natural swirling motion produced from my knowledge most aircraft given the way lift and way aircraft goes through the air. Although one would argue God is on our side by sending us an angel.

The vortex behind the aircraft looks like the "Angel of Death"! Appropriate!http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a377/skotroll/smilies/holycowsmile.gif

Not to be a party pooper here, but in what you're seeing, you wouldn't want the Angel of Death to be there. Those are slow, non-maneuverable aircraft. All that "stuff" you see falling away? They're flares... decoys to prevent a heat seeking missile from locking on to the hot engines and, well, you can imagine.

That salvo shot - and there are several versions out there - are very cool. But in the real world, if they're dropping flares, you don't want the Angel of Death anywhere nearby!!

Looks more like an Eagle to me!

Not to be a party pooper here, but in what you're seeing, you wouldn't want the Angel of Death to be there. Those are slow, non-maneuverable aircraft. All that "stuff" you see falling away? They're flares... decoys to prevent a heat seeking missile from locking on to the hot engines and, well, you can imagine.

That salvo shot - and there are several versions out there - are very cool. But in the real world, if they're dropping flares, you don't want the Angel of Death anywhere nearby!!

Slow, non-maneuverable aircraft equipped with two M61 20mm Vulcan cannons, one L60 40mm Bofors cannon, and one M102 105mm howitzer.

That's an AC-130H Spectre (http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/ac-130.htm), and you definitely would NOT want one of those circling over your head.

From the photo, it looks as if the Spectre in front has just finished releasing its flare and chaff, the second Spectre flies through it causing the vortices, and then it too releases flares and chaff.

Yeah, I know what the Spectre is. I can't tell from the first picture (well, OK, I didn't look close enough because it doesn't change anything) if those are ACs, ECs, RCs or just Cs. Still... slow and not maneuverable regardless of what it's armed with.

I always am amazed how it can fire its side mounted howitzer and not tear the fuselage off the wings.

Not to be a party pooper here, but in what you're seeing, you wouldn't want the Angel of Death to be there. Those are slow, non-maneuverable aircraft. All that "stuff" you see falling away? They're flares... decoys to prevent a heat seeking missile from locking on to the hot engines and, well, you can imagine.

That salvo shot - and there are several versions out there - are very cool. But in the real world, if they're dropping flares, you don't want the Angel of Death anywhere nearby!!
I was just commenting on the visual.....:eek:

the spectre Ac-130 is a spin off from the Ac-47 we called it spooky, puff the magic dragon which was used in Vietnam.

an awesome destructive weapon.

Yeah, I know what the Spectre is. I can't tell from the first picture (well, OK, I didn't look close enough because it doesn't change anything) if those are ACs, ECs, RCs or just Cs. Still... slow and not maneuverable regardless of what it's armed with.

Obviously they weren't meant to be. But unless you're in the air as well, I certinaly won't want to see one coming my way. No expert here, but I'm pretty sure they wouldn't send those in without some figher escort. Surface to air missles would still be a concern however.

Obviously they weren't meant to be. But unless you're in the air as well, I certinaly won't want to see one coming my way. No expert here, but I'm pretty sure they wouldn't send those in without some figher escort. Surface to air missles would still be a concern however.

Ideally, air supremacy, meaning we own the air.

With the ease of getting a shoulder fired SAM, however, not quite so easy to establish true air supremacy.

When I was in the Air Force, they'd show us videos of the AC-130 in action to boost morale. Damn that sh*t works.

Most shoulder fired SAM's are useless against an AC-130 at altitude. The great big truck mounted mothers are a different story.

What altitude?

And what altitude does the gunship operate at?

We have lost one to SAM in Iraq, but generally they operate in relatively safe areas, meaning that air superiority has been firmly established. The can operate fairly low, making them less vulnerable, and their mission is generally close air support. I think it's ceiling is something like 25k feet, not sure what a typical mission altitude might be but I would suspect under 5k feet.

Don't watch this if you have a weak stomach. (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4196355876653735555)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v419/wethepeople101/other%20stuff/ac-130.jpg

Well i was on my way to go fishing but this azz-hole would not get out of my way:rolleyes: .

We have lost one to SAM in Iraq, but generally they operate in relatively safe areas, meaning that air superiority has been firmly established. The can operate fairly low, making them less vulnerable, and their mission is generally close air support. I think it's ceiling is something like 25k feet, not sure what a typical mission altitude might be but I would suspect under 5k feet.

Uhhh, well, OK. I'll bow out because i don't want to get myself into trouble.

Awesome pics!!




At least they aren't going after FOO and destroying it. :)


Or Are they? (http://www.netdisaster.com/go.php?mode=bomb&destruction=massive&url=http%3A//www.bikeforums.net/forumdisplay.php%3Ff%3D199)
:lol: Excellent. :beer:

bet they do a killer job of poisoning the battelfield too

That picture reminds me of when I was at the airshow at Selfridge ANG Base. They demonstrated what "shock and awe" would look like.

Essentialy they flew by with big planes (don't know which type) and pretended they dropped a bunch of bombs, and had fire bombs pre planted on the ground that went off. It was indeed a very impressive display. It was so massive that they ended up having a grass fire get out of control and they had to have the fire department come out. The thing was, I wouldn't call it shock and awe, I would call it piss off and infuriate. All I could think was, if that was my back yard and those planes were foreign invaders, they had better hope they killed me, otherwise I would have dedicated my life to making them pay with their lives if I could engage them on the ground. I think anybody who believed the Iraqi's would think differently should see such a demonstration in person.

The thing was, I wouldn't call it shock and awe, I would call it piss off and infuriate. All I could think was, if that was my back yard and those planes were foreign invaders, they had better hope they killed me, otherwise I would have dedicated my life to making them pay with their lives if I could engage them on the ground. I think anybody who believed the Iraqi's would think differently should see such a demonstration in person.So that's pretty much the mess we're facing huh?

What you didn't get to experience is the percussion and shockwave from the explosion of real bombs... modern explosives are like smokeless powder, they don't generate much fire & flames, most of the reaction goes into explosive force.

Another smoke angel (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap060822.html), from a C-17.

Most of the Iraqi's did see it different...three years ago before all the foreign fighters and separatists made a mess out of a rat's nest. Don't forget the happy-faced people running around Baghdad firing AK's in the air partying on CNN. I get the feeling that not a lot of Iraqi civilians felt any particular attachment, much less love, for Saddam's government.

Experiencing a bombardment personally is reported to be very demoralizing. I can't imagine what the Japanese on Tarawa and Iwo Jima felt, but their position was more one of a cornered mountain lion, as opposed to "Oh. 'Our' self-chosen fearless leader is getting his butt kicked. What a pity."


With the ease of getting a shoulder fired SAM, however, not quite so easy to establish true air supremacy.
I'd bet a single shoulder fired SAM would have to be extremely lucky to bring down a Spectre. The fuselage and engines are armored...not enough to stop the missile, but that's part of why they chose a four-engined plane. Plus, in addition to those big flare launchers, the engine exhaust is mixed with cool air to reduce the heat signature, and it has infrared sensors to detect the launch of a missile at it. So yeah, a shoulder fired SAM is probably a minor threat, but I wouldn't want to mess with an SA-11 in one.

So that's pretty much the mess we're facing huh?

What you didn't get to experience is the percussion and shockwave from the explosion of real bombs... modern explosives are like smokeless powder, they don't generate much fire & flames, most of the reaction goes into explosive force.


plus they pollute the battlefield with the gift that keeps on giving, depleted uranium dust

I'd bet a single shoulder fired SAM would have to be extremely lucky to bring down a Spectre. The fuselage and engines are armored...not enough to stop the missile, but that's part of why they chose a four-engined plane. Plus, in addition to those big flare launchers, the engine exhaust is mixed with cool air to reduce the heat signature, and it has infrared sensors to detect the launch of a missile at it. So yeah, a shoulder fired SAM is probably a minor threat, but I wouldn't want to mess with an SA-11 in one.

Ummm, yeah, OK. What is it you do again? Just to cage my gyros to know where you're coming from.

Michigander: that demo you saw a the airshow was staged for audience amusement and safety. They had maybe 5# of explosives or some piddly little amount. An actual bomb has 500, 1000 or 2000# of high explosives. While you might walk away pissed and vowing to get revenge, you'd be equally likely to walk away going, "oh hell, I'm not going to mess with them!" That is if you walked away. If one went off in your backyard, you wouldn't likely walk away....

pedex: I'm pretty sure that the recipie for regular high explosives don't contain any depleted uranium dust. Same for flares. The A-10's 30mm anti-tank rounds, however, are a different story.

That is if you walked away. If one went off in your backyard, you wouldn't likely walk away.....

Ha ha, yeah. I meant that figuratively of course. If a daisy cutter or something went off in my back yard most of my city would be leveled.

By the way, does "#" mean pounds? I've seen what a single data sheet will do to a car, and it would seem to me that 5 pounds of high explosive would take out a large house. Although, I guess it would be piddly when you have a couple thousand acres.

I wouldn't claim to be an expert. I just read a lot. Too much really. This stuff all fascinates me because of the technology behind it. I'm sure the pilots wouldn't invite a shoulder fired SAM in their direction, but it's a calculated risk.

Michigander, for some perspective, here's 1 pound (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1519976500113677291&q=claymore+mine&hl=en) going off. Here's 1000 pounds (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3652256817484693599&q=tomahawk&hl=en) going off.

At least they aren't going after FOO and destroying it. :)


Or Are they? (http://www.netdisaster.com/go.php?mode=bomb&destruction=massive&url=http%3A//www.bikeforums.net/forumdisplay.php%3Ff%3D199)

ahhh...very clever!