The armed Army Caribou

[maxmwill]

I'm looking. Joined a 'Bou forum and asked about that, and I'm gonna see what shakes loose. And, have another discussion with a relative to see if in fact that there are any photos available.

I like a tall tale, and I like to do hangar flying of my own, and have swapped tales, some of which I'm mentioned in passing here, and probably wil again in the dark and cloudy future, so maybe it is time, perhaps long overdue, to dig a bit deeper, and see what comes out of the horse's mouth besides breath scented with hay scent and halitosis.

[Captain Canada]

I've been doing google searches worded diferently to no avail. I will email the author Milberry and asked him if anything came up when he researched his book.

[maxmwill]

I am embarrassed, and feel like I've played everyone for a fool.

I was wrong, or t least, I completely bought, hook, line, and sinker a very tall tale, because it was merely he overexaggeration of a kindly uncle to impress us youngsters, and recently, he still stuck to the story, and I failed to ask for at least one photo or even a drawing to follow if the mods were made, which they weren't, because it never happened, and I have made a fool of myself, and told my own very tall tale, fully believing it, for which I profoundly apologize.

Yes, I've heard tales which, while seeming tall, were strange, but true, some comical and entertaining, some semi or fully tragic and more cautionary.

One tall tale I did hear, and which was later corroborated in the Grampaw Pettbone column of Naval Aviation News concerned a mechanic working in a Connie squadron. The engines were idling(I never learned why), and he needed another tool and went to get it, and walked through the prop arc. And was untouched, with the prop swinging. Got his tool, and did it again, and finished his job, and did it again, all the while completely oblivious to this. The line chief and one of the 1st class petty officers, stopped him before he went into the hangar and asked him is he knew what he did. He didn't, they told him, and he fainted dead away. After he came to, he vowed to never work the flight line, 'cause he figured that were he a cat, he used up 8 lives. The first class later ended up in VA195, where I was a plane captain(impressive sounding title for a basic enlisted ramp rat), and heard him talking about it, one of those, "This is no poo-poo" stories, and I didn't believe it, until I read about it. Very strange, but too true.

It seemed that he unconsciously timed his walking between prop blades. Don't ask me how, because I asked the 1st class(who later retired), and he didn't know how, and Grampaw Pettibone's comments were salty as usual(Grampaw was the mythical very first Naval aviator who made salty and crusty comments about the antics of "all the young'uns" now flying in Navair and was a column where officers and enlisted could offer stories and other commnetary about life on the Carriers, in squadrons, and at Naval Air Stations and overseas, such as the time in Viet Nam a Spad pilot who  wanted to impress the Air Force pukes with some real flying and took off with the wings still folded. Stuff like that).

[maxmwill]

Here's the book with the story in it, you can order it, if you wish, I might, just to learn more about the  Spad:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2320917.Skyraider

[PR19_Kit]

And in the STOL mode, it needs a paved runway, which in a forward operating area, just ain't possible or doable.

Not quite correct.

The RAFG Harriers had some short, unprepared strips in Germany for their FOBs, as well as others that only had a VTOL capability. Paved runways were not essential.

[maxmwill]

The Marines wouldn't or were reluctant to.

And really, I don't have a dog in this fight, and while I endeavor to try to keep up with current events, I can only pick and choose so much, so the Harrier  doesn't hold a lot of concern for me, and when I learn something, it is usually while I am researching something else, or it is part of news item about something else.

I like the history, and the Pegasus is really fascinating, but I like the Pegasus in the Do31 experimental VTOL trandport, which really didn't get very far, but I like the airframe, and ugly as it is, it really is hard to resist.

[rickshaw]

And in the STOL mode, it needs a paved runway, which in a forward operating area, just ain't possible or doable.

Not quite correct.

The RAFG Harriers had some short, unprepared strips in Germany for their FOBs, as well as others that only had a VTOL capability. Paved runways were not essential.

During the Falklands, there were several landing pads established ashore for use by the Harriers who would come in from the carriers, land, fuel up and then take off, extending their patrols.

During Gulf War I, the USMC had forward operating bases, close to the fighting where they would land, fuel up and be able to extend their range.

While the RN and RAF Harriers in the Falklands were flying lightly loaded, to enable them to use VTOL the USMC ones in Gulf War I had short runways to allow them to do STOL.

[KJ_Lesnick]

PR19_Kit

Total rubbish...............

Really?

Just as a starter the Battle of Britain would not have been won had the RAF not been able to generate it's own method of operating prior to WWII kicking off, and I wouldn't have existed to enable me to contradict you!

The RAF existed from 1918, it's hard to tell how aircraft development in the forms of fighters or bombers would have taken shape exactly had the RNAS and RFC remained as was.

And what 'research' where?

The USAF allegedly...

[Captain Canada]

No worries. I still want to see an armed Caribou built.

[maxmwill]

Yeah, I know, seeing as this forum is all about "what if................".
Still, I had been operating all this time under the assumption that it had actually happened.

[Captain Canada]

Ya it would have been cool for sure. And usefull as well !

[rickshaw]

How rare today are the 1/72 Caribou kits?  I've been after one for ages but haven't found one at a reasonable price on Evilbay. 

[maxmwill]

Well, just looked and found a 1/72 Hitech Caribou kit with the starting bid at 14.98, which might change, as the next one down was a Hobbycraft 'Bou for 90 bucks.

[KiwiZac]

Anybody find more info on the Gun Bou ? Less talk, more find ! lol

This! The idea intrigues me greatly, and would make it easier for me to justify a kit purchase!

The Kitech kit is likely a knockoff(?) of the Hobbycraft kit - I've built their Blue Thunder and Airwolf kits and they were pretty straightforward copies of the existing kits. So it's definitely a cheaper option to get the same plastic as the Hobbycraft one.

OzMods has done a successful 1/144 kit but if you're feeling really ambitious: http://www.ozmods-kits.com/aircraft-kits-148

[Captain Canada]

Amodel do them in 144th scale as well.

I have 2 HC Caribou in the stash. One has been chopped up to do my RCN AEW bird, the other I've chopped the wings all up to do it in take off/ landing mode. The Caribou looks brilliant with all that stuff hanging !