Posted on 06/27/2004 8:22:16 AM PDT by 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.
"As for what happens next, Abu Yussuf expected to be on the move today. Resistance commanders had ordered many fighters to transfer from the “Sunni triangle”, the hotbed of resistance west of Baghdad, into the capital during the handover of power.
Abu Yussuf showed me a device that he said had been taken from the Italians and allowed fighters to work out distances and angles so they could launch rockets with greater precision. A laptop opened to reveal the smiling faces of American soldiers, their arms around one another in the dining room of one of Saddam Hussein’s palaces.
The face that appeared in the most pictures was that of the soldier whose laptop this had been, Abu Yussuf said, and he was now dead. He vowed that there would be many more attacks after the handover.
Aerial photographs of Baghdad international airport flashed up on another screen and he talked of shooting down planes there"
Still, someone died. I wonder why this article says it is a US Air Force plane.
For the disclaimer: This is complete guess work, probably complete bunk, and I have no idea what I'm talking about.
Ok, say the plane has a takeoff speed of 130 knots or so, by the time they get to 14 miles out I'm guessing they'd be around 250 kts (wild guess). An averaged speed of 180 would take them about 4 or 5 minutes to get to 14 miles out. Using a climb rate of around 1500 fpm, they would have been about 5000-7500 feet up. What small arms could reach that?
Wow, I read this thread and forgot all about this.
Still am unclear on how the person on the transport died. Would like to find out how much damage the aircraft sustained.
But you would think they are lining up to target the airport, and is this because lots of our military will be leaving when we turn over control? So much I don't know...
Yeah, I thought the same thing when I saw the title of the post.
Good point. Prayers for our troops.
Most web sites say 1900 ft/min, others range from 1700 to 2100 (Lockheed uses the 2100 number)ft/min.
Time to 6100 m - 12 minutes.
Data here: http://www.lmaeronautics.com/products/airmobility/c-130/specs.html
Usually it's unassuming people like yourself who come the closest to being correct.
The C-130 would still be low on the deck in a combat takeoff. The pilot would firewall the throttle and jink to throw off any SAM locks from the ground. It exposes you to ground fire, however. A tradeoff that needs to be made.
One killed in fired-upon plane
27/06/2004 - 17:35:50
A US Air Force C-130 transport plane was hit by small arms fire after taking off from Baghdad International Airport today, killing at least one person aboard.
The aircraft was struck about 12 miles west of the airport, US officials said. The aircraft returned to Baghdad airport and landed safely.
Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt, coalition deputy operations chief, confirmed the attack but did not specify the exact location.
He said that “one of the personnel” aboard was wounded and later died. He did not say how many people were on the plane.
Pilots have in the past reported ground fire near the airport.
http://www.breakingnews.ie/2004/06/27/story154444.html
Hmmm...wonder if the "small arms fire" came from WITHIN the aircraft itself??
Thanks for the info. This is why one should never fly in a combat zone, just nuke'em! ;-)
Former Sgt.
US Army
1/81 FA Pershing Missile
BAGHDAD, Iraq — A senior U.S. military official tells FOX News that a transport plane hit by small arms fire after taking off Sunday from Baghdad (search) was not an American plane, but rather belonged to a foreign nation.
At least one person was killed in the attack.
The aircraft took off at approximately 5:30 p.m. and was struck about 12 miles west of the airport, the officials said on condition of anonymity. It returned to Baghdad International Airport (search) and landed safely.
Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, coalition deputy operations chief, confirmed the attack but did not specify the exact location. Kimmitt told AP that "one of the personnel" aboard was wounded and later died. He did not say how many people were on the plane.
Pilots have in the past reported ground fire near the airport, located on the capital's western edge.
On Jan. 8, a C-5 transport plane with 63 passengers and crew limped safely back Baghdad's airport after being struck by fire from insurgents.
In December, guerrillas hit a U.S. 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.
Amen. And this is off-topic but we should have a prayer thread for President Bush as he approaches his visit to Turkey. I am kind of worried for this trip. What do you think?
I have heard others express their concern for Bush's trip to Turkey.
I don't pray for him often enough. Thanks for the reminder!
I think they are talking distance from the airport as i dont think small arms can go 13 miles but i may be wrong !
Iraq will be an open wound for years and years....
sounds like many parts of our own country.
That's interesting. Like the grenade tossed into a tent months ago.
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