Yemenia 747SP destroyed completely
 

Pics are now online of the aircraft burnt to ashes barring a few bits, entire fuselage and tail gone.

http://farm1.staticflickr.com/319/19...444fb338_z.jpg

outer wing section pic
 

This picture posted at 747sp.com shows the starboard wing largely surviving outboard of an outboard engine. Otherwise a lot of ashes.

http://www.747sp.com/wp-content/uplo...magedImage.jpg

Press accounts describe this as having been the long-term presidential aircraft 7O-YMN, casualty of gunfire during airport "change of command ceremonies" a few days ago. Previously reported to have been seriously damaged and written off in another such incident in March 2015.

According to wikipedia it hasn't flown since 2010, but it visited Los Angeles some years ago.

Having had a sniff around Google Earth this afternoon, I take it that the photograph of the SP was taken at Khormaksar?

Some heretic once commented that if a 5 megaton nuclear weapon was ever to be dropped on Aden then it might just cause $100 worth of damage.

I could not possibly comment having only spent two years there soaking up the atmosphere.

Aden
 

Why anyone would fight over this place is beyond me. I spent a lifetime at Khormaksar between '63 and '65 on good old 84 Sqn. Aden is surely the armpit of the world.

There's still a bit of life in that no.4 engine!

Lower down Helena - half way between armpit and ankle, and round back!

Global anatomy
 

Since when was the fine city of Calcutta demoted from that position ?