F-16s and AH-1Ws failed to sink ship
 

The Republic of China Air Force sent two F-16s and two AH-1W Super Cobra helicopters to sink a South Korean freighter that capsized off its coast last Thursday. Both missions failed to sink the ship, but the Ministry of National Defense still declared the mission a success.

http://www.alert5.com/2005/11/botche...embarrass.html

At least it was not so close to home. Try this UK report from 1967 comprising 62,000lbs of bombs, 5,200 gallons of petrol, 11 rockets and large quantities of napalm onto the ship.

Now that's the sort of statement you'd never see said by our Min of Def. :}

Admitting that it was "embarassing" that the initial effort by two F-16s to bomb and sink the ship failed, Minister of National Defense Lee Jye yesterday said the ministry would engage in introspection about the mission. Lee made the remarks on the legislative floor yesterday while fielding a question from the lawmakers about the ministry's mission to demolish the ship at the request of the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA).

"Engage in introspection", I wonder if it hurts.......... :}

I remember thinking at the time "why not pack the 62,000 Lbs of bombs into the Torey Canyon and sink it purely by the extra weight." Still, it was wonderful to watch the live target practice and it made me want to join the Army instead. LOL

Weeell, the Tirpitz was not sunk as such...

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiw.../29/2003277837
(direct link to story)

Chinese? Air Force
 

Surely the Spams haven't been selling F-16s and Super Cobras to the Chinese! Next they'll be trying to offload Trident to the Iranians.

Just to put the record straight with reference to the Torrey Canyon incident, the initial briefing was to try to set light to the oil, rather than to try to sink the ship. Consequently, the ship was opened up a bit more (the bombs and rockets that hit), and the "petrol" (actually napalm) was dropped to miss the ship and attempt to set the oil alight (the "bombs" that missed). It failed mainly because the "advisers and taskers" didn't seem to know that the heavy oil actually floats just below the surface of the sea water, so the napalm only caused the sea to steam a lot.

The hardest part of the whole episode was the poor old boss trying to explain why the RAF had those "Vietnam Horror Bombs" and nobody had known. What the "press" didn't realise is that anybody who had fuel, a gelling agent and an ignition method could have the "Vietnam Horror Bomb".

SSOT
 

That's Taiwan matey, and they have a complete inventory of US equipment...with a whole lot more on order.

:eek:

Since we are, apparently, the root of all evil
 

and all uneducated, I've nothing to lose by asking why "Spam" as a reference?!

Come come now SSOT...

It was the Air Force of the Republic of China, not the People's Liberation Army Air Force of the People's Republic of China.

(ie, Taipei , not Beijing )

Wholigan
“… anybody who had fuel, a gelling agent and an ignition method could have the "Vietnam Horror Bomb".
Come on – I’ll bet it was not as ad hoc as that, was it?
In a part of Africa that was more British than Britain in the 70’s, as I recall something called “FranTan” was carried by the Hunters in “Frangible Tanks”.
It’s not something that the good guys like to admit (to themselves let alone the public!) they have in their arsenal.
I am surprised even at the Americans using it recently in Iraq (Fallujah?) – it doesn’t exactly win hearts and minds on either side.

Chinese??????????
 

Fox3snapshot & FishHead - Come on chaps, I was just having a friendly dig at alert5.

BTW I have no idea where the term "spam" in reference to the Americans comes from - though it is widely used in UK military circles. I hope is isn't un-PC; I would hate to offend.

No fear SSOT, spam is a reference to an American meat (?) product that was very abundant in World War II.

Another reference to Spam was used during the early days of manned space flight in the US. The Astronauts called themselves “Spam in the Can” because at first they very little control over the space capsule.

The Spams
 

My best guess was that it half rhymed with Ams. Spamericans maybe?

Ok
 

quote: BTW I have no idea where the term "spam" in reference to the Americans comes from - though it is widely used in UK military circles. I hope is isn't un-PC; I would hate to offend.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

No worries. I just was curious if there was a direct anecdote regarding the connection.

As far as un-PC; that's one of the world's many problems. Too much seriousness over stuff that doesn't mean s***.

IMO, of course.

Spam is a delicacy in Hawaii, oddly enough.....

I know exactly what "spam" refers to. Actually, it is an acronym. It is highly un-PC, not at all friendly.

Since I am a Brit living in the land of milk and honey, I will keep what it actually means under my hat. If anyone cares to post on ARRSE, they will find out the answer, and probably be mercilessly character assassinated for having the naivety to ask. But I am sure someone will dish the dirt.

It isnt nice and should be forgotten. Believe me.

Agree with Roadster280. Another unpleasant 90s variant was based on rhyming slang for spam fritter.

SPAM
 

I did hear once that spam is so popular amongst certain pacific islands due to the similarity of its taste to "longpig"