USMC Photo of the Day: Message from a KC-130 "Hercules" to the challengers: Retire the SAMs--now!

United States Navy - Eye on the Fleet ^ | September 4, 2003 | LCpl Andrew Williams, USMC

[EnjoyingLife]

Central Command Area of Responsibility, 4 September 2003: Aerial shot over Iraq of a
KC-130 "Hercules" assigned to Marine Aerial Refueler-Transport Squadron Two Thirty Four (VMGR-234)
firing flares used to counter attack surface to air missiles.

The Photographer
LCpl. Andrew Williams, United States Marine Corps, http://www.usmc.mil

The Big Photo
http://www.news.navy.mil/management/photodb/photos/030904-M-7837W-001.jpg

The Courtesies
Above medium-sized image: http://chamorrobible.org/gpw/gpw-20051111.htm
Caption: http://www.news.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=9370, United States Navy - Eye on the Fleet

[Lady Jag]

That's the most beautiful shot of the KC-130 flaring that I've ever seen, thanks for sharing.

[Lokibob]

I have seen it live, and the angel wings occur, every time.

[mosquewatch.com]

I also have video of a f-16 breaking the sound barrier with water vapor around it, not an act of God, just basic physics. I'll cave on the photo shop argument, not the "act of God" argument. I'll leave that to Pat Robertson and Mayor Nagin. :)

Jeff

[mosquewatch.com]

HEY WHERE DID THE WINGS GO? LOL

[MEG33]

http://truthminers.com/hoaxarticles/angel_decoy.htm
Angel" Decoy flares from a C-130
"I initially thought this was a hoax. The picture included in the first version of this message looked like it had been badly drawn. In the latest version, stills are taken from a video and are very realistic. The pictures are real and these are decoy flares. They make various patterns according to the weather, etc."

Snopes Watch The Video!

[WSGilcrest]

http://ronsworld1.homestead.com/files/jett.mpg

[ANGGAPO]

I have a copy someplace in this silly computer. Will look.

[SauronOfMordor]

Does anyone else beside me see the Eagle behind the KC-130. It's unmistakable. Some kind of a sign. What does it mean???

I'm guessing it's the smoke residue from a burst of flares a short time before the burst of flares in the picture. If you look at the pattern of the current flare set (to either side and one group straight down) it looks like it would produce a smoke pattern like that once the smoke started to rise

[Lady Jag]

HEY WHERE DID THE WINGS GO? LOL

They might be flapping too fast to see. Try this photo:

[mosquewatch.com]

No worries, it's still a great photo! :) (It's still just smoke lol )

[mosquewatch.com]

looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool

[MEG33]

I am saving these like mad..

[cdgent]

I've seen this live as well, and it is an awesome sight - the 'wings' are the wingtip vortices (low pressure above wing, air curls over wingtip) swirling the smoke up & in.

[MEG33]

It is a beautiful sight, though.

[Road Warrior ‘04]

It looks to me to be an angel. Awesome photo.

[Thumper1960]

The "green globs" are reflections off tempered glass, or, less likely, on the camera lens. The photographer most likely shot the pics through a window of some sort.

[mosquewatch.com]

Indeed it is ! Here in Ms. we have C130's flying overhead alot. Love the sound of the engines. :)

Jeff

[ArtyFO]

130 with a sting.
http://www.military.cz/usa/air/in_service/aircraft/ac130h/ac130night.jpg

[Lady Jag]

I am saving these like mad..

Angels of Death to the enemy, saviors of life for us and our allies...

[FreedomCalls]

Video.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/2308/angel_decoys/