Katrina - Indian Help Arrives (Images)

Rediff ^ | 23 September 2005

[CarrotAndStick]

An Indian Air Force IL-76 aircraft delivered 25 tonnes of relief supplies for the Hurricane Katrina victims at the Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, recently.

The relief supplies comprised 3,000 blankets, bed sheets, tarpaulins and personal hygiene items.

IAF's IL-76 took off from Palam airport, Delhi, on September 10, 2005, and reached the US via Muscat, Cairo, Lisbon, Lajes and Boston.

Indian Ambassador to the US Ronen Sen earlier presented a cheque of $5 million to the US Red Cross on behalf of the Indian government.

[hmmmmm]

Interesting that they landed in Arkansas though any help should be greatly appreciated.

Are those windows on the plane's nose bottom or painted panels?

[wolfpat]

...and personal hygiene items

Well, we knew we wouldn't be getting any of those from France.

[CarrotAndStick]

They seem like deep-tinted, toughened windows to me. Here's a picture from an Italian site. Notice the translucency near the right.

[hmmmmm]

Thanks! :)

It does make me wonder why a transport plane would need like that.

[inkling]

India has been a great friend to the U.S. over the past few years. Thanks to all the Indian people!

[Larry Lucido]

Is it my imagination or does it say Aeroflot on the side of the plane?

[CarrotAndStick]

From this photo, it's obvious they aren't painted panels.

[CarrotAndStick]

Yes, that's Aeroflot painted on the side. But that's not the military plane, that's the civilian version, long discontinued. I thought I had mentioned it was from an Italian site. Both are Ilyushin 76's though.

[Larry Lucido]

I understand now. I thought you meant the exact same plane from an Italian site at first.

[GretchenM]

Probably they were diverted to Arkansas since so many evacuees were sent there from Texas, as Rita approached.

[GretchenM]

This is heartening.

[hmmmmm]

I know virtually nothing about planes but still find them fascinating. Thank-you, again, for the great pictures and the information.

India has been a great friend for many years. I didn't mean to detract from that with my question regarding the windows.

[hmmmmm]

:) That makes perfect sense. I hadn't associated the evacuees with Little Rock until I read your post. I was still associating Little Rock with the previous administration and Mena. Obviously, I need to move beyond that.

[CarrotAndStick]

I didn't take it as a sign of 'detraction' either. I just noticed you were curious about that plane. Anyway, it's one old, large plane, and is destined for the junkyard soon.

[CarrotAndStick]

The views through those windows, head-on, must have been amazing all along the entire trip from India to the US- that's like one half of the planet's surface!

[hmmmmm]

If that's the case, it's rather sad. Anything that impressive must be a tremendous workhorse, hopefully they won't retire it before it's time.

[hmmmmm]

The views through those windows, head-on, must have been amazing all along the entire trip from India to the US- that's like one half of the planet's surface!

It's mind-boggling :), if only there was some film of that.

[Oztrich Boy]

It does make me wonder why a transport plane would need like that.

The Russians (soviets as was) have their reasons

Actually this aircraft was officialy developed for Aeroflot as a civilian transport, and there was a minor query on those lines then.
A biger query was why a civillian aircraft would need ground-mapping radar (the bulge under the nose)
The real puzzle was the presence of the tail gunner's position with twin 23mm Cannon.

Although that navigator's compartment in the nose does help in the water bomber version of the Il-76

[CarrotAndStick]

I've heard they are used for scientific missions sometimes- a lot of room for a lot of equipment. Also for taining astronauts. Sometimes, inflated Russian ego has produced impressive machines!