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Dutch F-16 pilot strafes range control tower
Flight International ^
| 11/6/13
| Anno Gravemaker
Posted on 11/06/2013 3:48:29 AM PST by Yo-Yo
The Royal Netherlands Air Force has launched an investigation after a Lockheed Martin F-16AM pilot accidentally strafed the control tower at the Vliehors range on the island of Vlieland during a training flight on 4 November.
During the incident, several live rounds from the aircraft's 20mm cannon caused minor damage to the tower. Two controllers who were inside the building at the moment of the attack were not injured.
(Excerpt) Read more at flightglobal.com ...
TOPICS: Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: aerospace
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To: Yo-Yo
“Former pilot”. That is the corrected title.
21
posted on
11/06/2013 8:09:37 AM PST
by
Vermont Lt
( 1-800-318-2596, Mr President.)
To: slowhandluke
I always wondered what happen to them
To: Yo-Yo
The first questions that come to mind: 1) was this an incredibly bad pilot that could not recognize the control tower from the intended target or 2) could the strafing by the Dutch pilot be intentional?
Things for investigators to look at: 1) was the pilot gay, did he have a bad fight with his/her lover, and did the lover work in the control tower; 2) was the pilot a Muslim convert getting in touch with his inner Jihadist; or 3) bad eyesight?
To: slowhandluke
“I always wondered where their casings were falling.”
Airborne Gatling guns such as the M61A1/A2 (20mm), GAU-12/U (25mm), and GAU-8/A (30mm) use a link-less feed system that does not use links and re-stows the fired cases back into the ammunition drum. The reason is because high speed jets would shoot themselves down with any links and expended cases ejected overboard.
To: Yo-Yo
There’s a lot of stuff that has to go ‘wrong’ for that sort of thing to happen.
All of them involve direct (willful) pilot action.
Including placing the pipper on target before pulling the trigger.
25
posted on
11/06/2013 10:37:24 AM PST
by
Kommodor
(Terrorist, Journalist or Democrat? I can't tell the difference.)
To: Daffynition; Taxman
I was just about to ping him myself. I’m interested in what Taxman has to say about this.
26
posted on
11/06/2013 10:49:55 AM PST
by
B4Ranch
(AGENDA: Grinding America Down ----- <<http://vimeo.com/63749370)
To: MasterGunner01
unlike days of yore when linkage and brass coming in during a gun run could ruin your day if you got hit by them...
27
posted on
11/06/2013 3:52:53 PM PST
by
Chode
(Stand UP and Be Counted, or line up and be numbered - *DTOM* -vvv- NO Pity for the LAZY)
To: Chode
This only applies to fast movers (jets). Helicopters still dump brass and links overboard. So, if you're on the ground and getting helo gunship support — duck and cover because it's raining links and brass.
To: MasterGunner01
yeah, i was talking A4's F4's F100's and the like... 300-400mph rain can ruin your day
29
posted on
11/06/2013 4:29:26 PM PST
by
Chode
(Stand UP and Be Counted, or line up and be numbered - *DTOM* -vvv- NO Pity for the LAZY)
To: B4Ranch; Daffynition
Sh!t Happens? I have no clue what caused the errant fire.
30
posted on
11/06/2013 7:13:36 PM PST
by
Taxman
(So that the beautiful pressure does not diminish!)
To: Taxman
That’s not just a matter of pressing the trigger, is it? You have to align the fuselage to the target first?
31
posted on
11/06/2013 9:16:15 PM PST
by
B4Ranch
(AGENDA: Grinding America Down ----- <<http://vimeo.com/63749370)
To: B4Ranch
Those rounds go where the plane is aimed
32
posted on
11/06/2013 9:16:54 PM PST
by
GeronL
To: GeronL
That’s what I was thinking. I wonder if the controller was messing with the pilots woman?
33
posted on
11/06/2013 9:18:25 PM PST
by
B4Ranch
(AGENDA: Grinding America Down ----- <<http://vimeo.com/63749370)
To: B4Ranch
34
posted on
11/06/2013 9:26:20 PM PST
by
GeronL
To: Yo-Yo
For some reason, I was thinking more of the bit where Stinger’s chewing them out earlier in the movie.
35
posted on
11/06/2013 9:48:35 PM PST
by
RichInOC
(Palin 2016: The Perfect Storm.)
To: B4Ranch
I really don’t have any information that could shed light on this incident, as I am not conversant with the F-16 fire control system.
HST, one generally does not aim one’s gun at something one does not want to shoot at.
Probably will come down to a pilot error incident.
36
posted on
11/07/2013 3:02:54 PM PST
by
Taxman
(So that the beautiful pressure does not diminish!)
To: Yo-Yo
Never bring a microphone to a cannon fight.
To: Chode
Dumping brass and links only works up to just over 400 knots. The A-4, F-4C/D, and F-100 could get away with it due yo the location of their intakes (the engine could not ingest the links and brass). The F-4E put a 20mm M61 rotary gun in the nose and went with internal stowage. Ditto the F-104 and F-105. The F-101, F-102, and F-106 carried missiles only. The A-1E/H Skyraiders never worried about it with that big R-3350 radial engine up front.
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