Transport Aircraft Attacked-Baghdad Aiport-Unknown Number Of Wounded

http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story.jsp?sectionid=1274&storyid=1544058 ^

[Fast5]

Transport aircraft attacked

By Chris Tomlinson in Baghdad

June 28, 2004

A US Air Force C-130 transport plane was hit by small arms fire after taking off today from Baghdad International Airport, resulting in an unknown number of wounded, US officials said.

The aircraft took off at about 5:30pm (local time) and was hit about 22km west of the airport, the officials said on condition of anonymity. The aircraft returned to Baghdad airport and landed safely. Ambulances transported the wounded to hospital.

Pilots have in the past reported ground fire near the airport.

On January 8, a C-5 transport plane with 63 passengers and crew limped safely back Baghdad's airport after being hit by fire from insurgents.

In December, guerrillas hit a US Air Force C-17 transport plane with a surface-to-air missile shortly after it took off from Baghdad, causing the engine to explode. The plane returned to the airport and landed safely, with only one of the 16 people aboard slightly injured.

On November 23 a plane operated by the global package delivery service DHL was hit by a missile near Baghdad and was forced to make an emergency landing. There were no casualties.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

How do you hit an aircraft with small arms, 22km from the airport? Don't they use a steep rate of climb to avoid these problems?

[eastforker]

I am surprised this kind of incident doesn't happen more often. A .50 caliber MG is still considered small arms but man can it do some damage.

[CindyDawg]

steep rate of climb

Maybe that's how they were injured?

[ASA Vet]

hit by small arms fire after taking off

was hit about 22km west of the airport

What altitude would a C-130 be 22km out from takeoff?
Still within small arms range?

[MarMema]

So, wasn't talked about in a post the other day, or am I wrong? The one with the reporter who met with the man who had taped the execution of the Italian hostage?

[dighton]

Was about to post same thing, more or less. Even with a normal rate of climb, you'd think they'd be well above effective range for small arms.

Disclaimer: no expert here.

[End Times Sentinel]

Thank God it's only "insurgents" and "guerillas" doing this.  A terrorist would be a real problem.

Owl_Eagle

”Guns Before Butter.”

[yankeedame]

Thank God it's only "insurgents" and "guerillas" doing this. A terrorist would be a real problem.

And thank goodness the insurgents and/or guerillas are followers of the Religion of Peace, otherwise things could get really dangerous.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

Maybe that's how they were injured?

The article says they were hit by small arms and wounded. Wounded is not a word that would be used to explain injury caused by being bumped around. I would also say a C-130 would not climb at an angle so steep as to throw someone about the cabin, and surely not several, all of whom would have had to be unsecured on takeoff.

[CHICAGOFARMER]

I am surprised this kind of incident doesn't happen more often. A .50 caliber MG is still considered small arms but man can it do some damage.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

you are just spreading hype.

at 10,000 feet is just a small bullet hole, unless it passes thru a person and that person is you.

It would be million to one shot that a single 50 cal bullet would bring down a plane at 10000 feet.

[ASA Vet]

the M2 Heavy Machine Gun

Length: 61.42 inches (156 centimeters)
Weight:
Gun: 84 pounds (38 kilograms)
M3 Tripod (Complete): 44 pounds (19.98 kilograms)
Total: 128 pounds (58 kilograms)

[SheLion]

1 dead, Fox just reported. Plane made it back to the airport, but 1 dead.

[CindyDawg]

Ok. thanks. Anyway, IMO , time to blow something up with our large arms, then.

[Armedanddangerous]

I would think some terrorist got a lucky shot in with an man portable surface to air missle, like a stinger, Blowpipe, or an SA-7.

The thing is, that far away, it seems someone knew their flightpath. That's the only way they would know where to wait for the shot..am I right?

[blam]

"So, wasn't (this) talked about in a post the other day, or am I wrong? The one with the reporter who met with the man who had taped the execution of the Italian hostage?"

Yup. That was Abu (something) who said he was moving operations to Baghdad to shoot down airplanes. That's what I thought I read too.

[C210N]

What altitude would a C-130 be 22km out from takeoff?

An aircraft could take off and use an up-the-stairway pattern to climb to maximum altitude, and thus minimalize the "footprint" over the ground used for the climb. It would take a bit longer, since some energy is lost in the turns, but perhaps well worth the extra time and fuel.

[Chieftain]

I just heard that too. He (or she), we don't know yet, died of wounds after they returned.

[SheLion]

I just heard that too. He (or she), we don't know yet, died of wounds after they returned.

Fox said it wasn't one of our planes. ~whew.......

[BagCamAddict]

From: http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1160870/posts

"Aerial photographs of Baghdad international airport flashed up on another screen and he [Abu Yussuf] talked of shooting down planes there.

I made a weak, nervous joke, asking whether he could ensure that there would be no such attack on the day of my flight out of the country.

“I cannot promise you this — the decision is not mine and I cannot tell my comrades not to attack if they are ready to do so,” he answered, utterly without humour.