‘Top Gun’ takes on Taliban upside down
More bang for your buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: land of the clanger
Age: 82
Posts: 3,512
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
‘Top Gun’ takes on Taliban upside down
From the Sunday Times:
Full article here: ‘Top Gun’ takes on Taliban upside down - Times Online
edited to correct the link
THE Royal Navy’s “Top Gun” pilot and veteran of almost 200 missions in Afghanistan has relived the hair-raising aerial manoeuvres used against a Taliban stronghold.
Lieutenant Simon Rawlins, 30, described flipping his Harrier jet upside down while flying up the side of a mountain at more than 500mph to scare off enemy troops.
The “show of force” mission required the fighter pilot to fly just 100ft above ground, the minimum safe distance, leaving him vulnerable to rocket attack and rifle fire.
Lieutenant Simon Rawlins, 30, described flipping his Harrier jet upside down while flying up the side of a mountain at more than 500mph to scare off enemy troops.
The “show of force” mission required the fighter pilot to fly just 100ft above ground, the minimum safe distance, leaving him vulnerable to rocket attack and rifle fire.
edited to correct the link
Last edited by green granite; 31st May 2009 at 09:55.
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: The Road to Nowhere
Posts: 1,023
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Might have been worthwhile if he had actually shot/bombed some of them instead of 'terrifying' them - more fantastic RN PR
Red On, Green On
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Between the woods and the water
Age: 24
Posts: 6,487
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
But if proximity of our forces/civilians prevented this, and the impact of his low pass gave time for our forces to advance/move to safety, then it's still a worthwhile action. Look at all the munitions dropped in Vietnam - who won?
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Scranbag!
Scrawlins! Or Scranbag. Bless you. Dartmouth (Cunningham) 1998, do you still wear pyjama bottoms under your 3's trousers (itchy legs)? PM me if you are out there in prooone land (when not going inverted and keeping up international relations).
NGB (we shared a cabin for 5 months)
NGB (we shared a cabin for 5 months)
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Magic Kingdom
Posts: 655
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
7/9's don't have a gun, 
Last time I heard, the Taliban still did not have an air force. So it is mostly ground support missions. How do you do that without a gun?
Red On, Green On
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Between the woods and the water
Age: 24
Posts: 6,487
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
Last time I heard, the Taliban still did not have an air force.
How do you do that without a gun?
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Nr.EGHI, UK
Posts: 97
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What happened to the 30mm?
ADEN 30mm was fitted to GR1, 3, FRS1 and F/A2.
ADEN 25mm was being developed for UK GR5/T10, etc. RO/BAe and an engineering development company in the Ascot/Windsor area(?) couldn't get around the gun cradle twisting during gun firing resulting in multiple stoppages and excessive cradle cracking - allegedly.
US system on AV8B - gun in one pod, ammo in the other with an up-and-over feed system through the fuselage - can not be fitted on UK Harriers due to additional UK spec kit being fitted in the cross-feed hole - allegedly.
ADEN 25mm was being developed for UK GR5/T10, etc. RO/BAe and an engineering development company in the Ascot/Windsor area(?) couldn't get around the gun cradle twisting during gun firing resulting in multiple stoppages and excessive cradle cracking - allegedly.
US system on AV8B - gun in one pod, ammo in the other with an up-and-over feed system through the fuselage - can not be fitted on UK Harriers due to additional UK spec kit being fitted in the cross-feed hole - allegedly.
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Magic Kingdom
Posts: 655
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
ADEN 25mm was being developed for UK GR5/T10, etc. RO/BAe and an engineering development company in the Ascot/Windsor area(?) couldn't get around the gun cradle twisting during gun firing resulting in multiple stoppages and excessive cradle cracking - allegedly.
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: gla
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thought it was de riguer?
Many moons ago (2004?) I watched 2 PARA doing a live firing attach up an Otterburn re-entrant supported by a pair of Harriers dropping some form of practice bombs.
The boss of 16Bde was obviously unimpressed by their accuracy and demanded that the next run impress him or else.
Cue Harrier running in inverted before verting and dropping at the last minute. I think it was the laughter of those around the bunker rather than the flying skills that silenced the Brig.
The boss of 16Bde was obviously unimpressed by their accuracy and demanded that the next run impress him or else.
Cue Harrier running in inverted before verting and dropping at the last minute. I think it was the laughter of those around the bunker rather than the flying skills that silenced the Brig.
Desert Diner,
Along with Paveway and General Purpose Bombs.
CRV-7s
RAF - CRV-7
Maverick
RAF - Maverick
TJ
Along with Paveway and General Purpose Bombs.
CRV-7s
RAF - CRV-7
Maverick
RAF - Maverick
TJ
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Magic Kingdom
Posts: 655
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
TEEEJ,
Thanks for the links. Truly awsome weaponry against ships and other armored forces and installations. However, these may not be well suited for close air support of a patrol that has come under fire from nearby snipers.
You need a gun/cannon for that.
Now I see why Lieutenant Rawlins had to resort to "scaring" the Taliban
CRV-7
Maverick
Thanks for the links. Truly awsome weaponry against ships and other armored forces and installations. However, these may not be well suited for close air support of a patrol that has come under fire from nearby snipers.
You need a gun/cannon for that.
Now I see why Lieutenant Rawlins had to resort to "scaring" the Taliban
CRV-7
This unguided weapon equips the Harrier GR7 and comes in two versions, for attacks on lightly protected installations, ships or armoured forces.
The weapon is designed for close air support and defence suppression and can be used against armour, ships and transport and fuel-storage facilities. The G2 version, with which the RAF is equipped, has an Imaging Infrared (IIR) seeker which gives the weapon a true all weather, day or night ‘fire-and-forget’ capability against armoured and mobile targets.