Middle East Frying Pan Heating Up Again.

[CO136]

Yes. I flew in those in the Army in the early 1970's, that's 50 years ago and I feel like an antique.

View attachment 1884670

I never complain about thread drift. I'm a repeat offender.

Well, more thread drift here. After I got out of active duty (Navy) I worked for a DOD contractor. We installed a passive ECM system and wire strike kits on the Huey. I have witnessed the aircraft as the pic you offered, but when them birds left us you could see the scissors between the wind screens and the antennas for the ECM. It is a awesome aircraft.

Cool beans ... thank you for your service!

Best wishes.

Again ... I'm hoping them Iran folks augured in full cyclic forward...

 

[gmerkt]

Bell 212/UH-1N Twin Huey's first flight was 1968. Production ended in 1998, about 26 years ago. If the aircraft in question was indeed an US made 212 bought by Iran, its at a minimum 26 years old, likely more than that due to sanctions and the like?

The Shah was deposed in 1979. Considering the animosity between Iran and the US, it's quite possible no Hueys were sold directly to Iran after that time. Some may have come via third parties. In any case, old. They still have some jets and other equipment left from the Shah's time.

 

[gmerkt]

Cool beans ... thank you for your service!

I don't cut a very strac figure in that picture. That was taken in 1973, not long after I came back from Vietnam. Non-regulation haircut and moustache. I think the cut sleeves and shirt tail out on the OG-107 fatigue uniform wasn't reg, even at Fort Irwin, CA. I had only been in this Army National Guard unit for a couple of months, didn't yet have my combat patch sewn on my right sleeve, nor my current organization patch on the left side. Right breast pocket unbuttoned and tucked in, pencil in my pocket. Very, very sloppy. Yet at the time, these units still consisted of mostly Guardsmen who'd joined to avoid the draft and officers and NCO's didn't give Nam vets too much grief. For one thing, many of the Nam vets who became Guardsmen started in the Try One Program, a one year enlistment. So if they became alienated, they might leave.

 

[Provincial]

As information comes out, it looks like a repeat of the Kobe Bryant helicopter accident. Powerful guy wants to fly in bad weather and no one wants to say no.

Expected safety investigation results:
Controlled Flight Into Terrain
Continued Flight Into Instrument Meteorological Conditions

It looks like the President usually used a Russian helicopter, and this was a Bell 212. Probably this was a local connecting flight from the more remote dam location, and the official helicopter was left back at home. Probably a local pilot who was intimidated by the importance of the passengers, and felt he had to make the flight against his better judgement.

 

[JackFrost]

Look at the sheite clarity of the bubble canopy…. it's got more wrinkles than Biden's arse….

View attachment 1884549

That's what you get when you try and use multiple layers of Glad cling wrap and hairspray!
Honestly looks like they swiped a viewing portal from an aquarium and slapped it on!

 

[Indy62]

That's what you get when you try and use multiple layers of Glad cling wrap and hairspray!
Honestly looks like they swiped a viewing portal from an aquarium and slapped it on!

The terrifying thing is..a country that would build such a monstrosity also has..well...one or more ther-mo-nuc-lear devices...

Like a 3 year old running around with a mac-10

 

[Provincial]

With a loaded mac-10.

 

[RVTECH]

I watched an independent news story about the possibility of this being an 'assassination' - by which someone 'martyred' themself to carry it out.

They had some pretty interesting theories and possibilities however you can guess who was to blame for this....

 

[The Heretic]

There were no survivors or the USofA made sure there weren't any survivors????

Given the circumstances, surviving an aircraft crash into a hill/mountain in the fog, is pretty unlikely.

 

[The Heretic]

Bell 212/UH-1N Twin Huey's first flight was 1968. Production ended in 1998, about 26 years ago. If the aircraft in question was indeed an US made 212 bought by Iran, its at a minimum 26 years old, likely more than that due to sanctions and the like?

 

[Quirt Evans]

If anything, the regime may become more dangerous/combative in the near future.
Injured pride and the necessity to find someone to blame will only increase instability in the region.