MikeRL411 Posted March 29, 2016 Report Share Posted March 29, 2016 A FURTHER UPDATE! The "practice" TNT only loaded bombs used on Osaka were stored. During the Viet Nam War, the US/ARVN intelligence found out the locale of the local insurgent Viet Cong HQ and suply/hospital in the former Michelin Rubber plantation planted by your favorite French radial tire maker. The upper chelon [thank God for an almost timely decision, this was before the Colonels decided that they had the golden key to winning the war and ignored the Lieutenants and Captains who had actually been persuing "charlie"] and loaded one of the refurbished left overs from my wife's family house and dropped it from a C130 with drag chute assist on the compound. It penetrated deeply and left a really good sized cavity on top of the depression in the compound, not much else survived! Just think of it! A B130! Very versatile Herky Bird! And then there were the follow-on AC130 and HC130 Rescue birds! Might not have the longevity record of the B52, but dammned close! Thank you Lockheed! 2 Quote Link to comment
Mattndew76 Posted March 30, 2016 Report Share Posted March 30, 2016 yeah... What is it? It has recon windows on the pods and pusher props. Quote Link to comment
Jesse C. Posted March 30, 2016 Report Share Posted March 30, 2016 The Bell YFM-1 Airacuda 1 Quote Link to comment
Mattndew76 Posted March 30, 2016 Report Share Posted March 30, 2016 Its pretty. Was it a concept or did it actually see combat? Quote Link to comment
Jesse C. Posted March 30, 2016 Report Share Posted March 30, 2016 Its pretty. Was it a concept or did it actually see combat? From what I know, only 12 where built for trials but none of them entered service. They where all scrapped or used for target practice. 1 Quote Link to comment
Mattndew76 Posted March 30, 2016 Report Share Posted March 30, 2016 From what I know, only 12 where built for trials but none of them entered service. They where all scrapped or used for target practice. Bum Deall :( Quote Link to comment
Jesse C. Posted March 30, 2016 Report Share Posted March 30, 2016 Sadly little thought was given for preserving these birds. Most ended up scrap, landfill or target practice. Before And now 2 Quote Link to comment
flyerdan Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 Anyone having interest in the history of domestic aircraft would be well served by dredging the archives at Aerofiles. Here's the Bell page, go down about a third to the FL Airabonita and FM Airacuda featured above. 1 Quote Link to comment
4perrev Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 Here was my chariot for 12 years. Loved them and the Search and Rescue job. Nothing like hanging on the end of the cable at 100 feet!! 3 Quote Link to comment
4perrev Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 Current chariot for the last 10 years. Almost done!! 3 Quote Link to comment
q-tip Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 Current chariot for the last 10 years. Almost done!! Been seeing more of those flying around in the last couple years, numbers went down for a good 10 years. Quote Link to comment
4perrev Posted April 1, 2016 Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 Yeah, their days are numbered though. Replacement is filtering in as we speak! Too bad. Great plane! Quote Link to comment
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