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| Iraq |
| Iraqi television shows downed US helicopter |
| 2003-03-24 |
| It's a Longbow, and looks real enough to me. Iraqi television has shown footage of what appeared to be a downed US Apache attack helicopter, intact and with its missiles still mounted. The helicopter, which bore the markings of an American armoured cavalry unit, was in a field near Karbala, about 50 miles south of Baghdad. There was no report on what happened to the pilot. It appeared the helicopter may have developed engine trouble, forcing it down. US ground troops of the 3rd Infantry Division are moving on Karbala, one of the main Shiite Muslim shrines in Iraq. Saw the footage from Iraqi TV - looks like a controlled landing, and no obvious damage (bet they would have shown holes if there'd been any). Pilot's door was open. No sign of the crew, but the Iraqis aparently had helmets and other items, but no crew. If they were already evacuated, as hoped, is there a reason why the chopper's still sitting there intact? |
| Posted by:Bulldog |
| #5 Have they blown the wreck to hell yet? Or are they waiting for more "tourists" to come see it? And any word on the crew? |
| Posted by: tu3031 2003-03-24 14:05:10 |
| #4 speaking of units, is it just me, or has Debka ceased to make any sense - they seem to have mixed up Karbala and Kut, and to make reference to "3rd armored div" and "7th Mech division" - among other things |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2003-03-24 12:24:31 |
| #3 Keep in mind that most of the casualties in this war have come from helicopter accidents - mechanical failures, navigation errors, etc. Sounds like a mechanical. If its a "shoot down" youd have seen the landing gear or other underside damage, and a lot more "dents" in the ground from a hard landing. As for the helmets, those things weigh a ton, especially with all the longbow crap on them. First thing you do is ditch them, and evade from the area - its a sure bet that someone else came in to get them - I'm betting that this crew got a quick ride out by way of a Kiowa (scout copter), or on the skids of another attack bird. The Cav doesnt leave people behind like this. As for why it hasnt been cooked down yet, its probably due to slow target turn around by the USAF. And notice there have been no updates - you see the same videos over and over. Safe bet its already been blasted by a 500 lb bomb snakeye. As for the "1st Cav" - not quite. Its a general "Cav" crossed sabres and cavalry pennant. All cav units tend to use them. I'd need a tighter look before I could identify the unit. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2003-03-24 10:03:59 |
| #2 If this is the same picture that has been floating around note the 1st Cav badge on the nose. What that means is open to interpretation. Is the 1st Cav sneaking in from Jordan, or is this a glorified counterfit? |
| Posted by: Hiryu 2003-03-24 09:53:48 |
| #1 Hope they were still doing their little "Rifle Polka" when the strike package came in to obliterate the wreck. |
| Posted by: Dar Steckelberg 2003-03-24 06:59:03 |