BBC article - Your pictures on the theme of 'aviation'

[adt70hk]

Me again!

An interesting set of pictures on the BBC....obviously some military but not all.

ATB

Andrew

www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-66030501

[Geoffers]

Some great photos Andrew, thanks for posting the link :thumb2:

[Allen Dewire]

Me again!

An interesting set of pictures on the BBC....obviously some military but not all.

ATB

Andrew

www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-66030501

Uh!!! Nice link Andrew, but aren't you supposed to be building a set of Jagdkittys and working on your GB entry, instead of surfing the net all day??? Just wondering Buddy!!!

Prost
Allen

[Waspie]

Nice pics Andrew.

My contribution! (If they'd asked me; would be!!)

[COLOR=rgb(44, 130, 201)]The Mighty Wasp and it's sting!![/COLOR]

[adt70hk]

Some great photos Andrew, thanks for posting the link :thumb2:

Uh!!! Nice link Andrew, but aren't you supposed to be building a set of Jagdkittys and working on your GB entry, instead of surfing the net all day??? Just wondering Buddy!!!

Prost
Allen

Nice pics Andrew.

My contribution! (If they'd asked me would be!!)

[COLOR=rgb(44, 130, 201)]The Mighty Wasp and it's sting!![/COLOR][ATTACH=CONFIG]n1204030[/ATTACH]

Thanks Gents

I thought there were some great shots there!


Allen - have no fear....the Hunting Kitties saw glue this morning and I have started on the Raiden too....sort of!

Doug - that's a great shot! What is the missile it's firing? Post WW II my knowledge is very limited.



Thanks again.

Andrew

[Waspie]

Andrew, The missile was a AS12. AS = Air to surface, (there was a ground use version designated SS12. Made by Nord Aviation. A wire guided missile with a max range 0f 7000yards. (irrespective of what Wiki says). 370 km/h propelled by a solid fuel motor. The flash you can see is from the main sustainer motor igniting. Directly behind the missile is the illumination from two tracking flares!
Just over 60 pounds of HE with a HEAT warhead, (warshot), to spoil any FAC's day!!
Top left hand upper cockpit sits the M260 Bezu sight for assisting in target acquisition and directing the missile onto the target. The sight is a periscope design that allows for magnification and moves in azimuth and elevation!!!
Phew!! Amazing what rubbish is kept aloft in the grey stuff!!
I took the image of my buddy as both our ships were told to empty the AS12's from the magazines to avoid unloading weapons at Plymouth. That day, the pair of us fired some 14 x AS12 missiles.

[adt70hk]

Andrew, The missile was a AS12. AS = Air to surface, (there was a ground use version designated SS12. Made by Nord Aviation. A wire guided missile with a max range 0f 7000yards. (irrespective of what Wiki says). 370 kms propelled by a solid fuel motor. The flash you can see is from the main sustainer motor igniting. Directly behind the missile is the illumination from two tracking flares!
Just over 60 pounds of HE with a HEAT warhead, (warshot), to spoil any FAC's day!!
Top left hand upper cockpit sits the M260 Bezu sight for assisting in target acquisition and directing the missile onto the target. The sight is a periscope design that allows for magnification and moves in azimuth and elevation!!!
Phew!! Amazing what rubbish is kept aloft in the grey stuff!!
I took the image of my buddy as both our ships were told to empty the AS12's from the magazines to avoid unloading weapons at Plymouth. That day, the pair of us fired some 14 x AS12 missiles.

Thanks for that Doug!

[Guest]

a max range 0f 7000yards. (irrespective of what Wiki says).

That says “7000/8000 m” which seems a bit short … only 87.5 cm?! I guess they mean 7000–8000 m, which is a bit more than the 7000 yards you mention. Now I wonder …

Ah, yes:

Installed in a helicopter, the AS.12 is reported to be highly accurate when used with [a stabilised] sight at ranges out to 6,000 m.

That corresponds well to 7000 yards. But it continues two sentences later with:

Maximum range of the AS.12 when launched from an aircraft providing 200 knots forward speed is 8,000 m.

I guess this is what the Wikipedia article alludes to: firing from an aircraft moving with some speed.

[Waspie]

That says “7000/8000 m” which seems a bit short … only 87.5 cm?! I guess they mean 7000–8000 m, which is a bit more than the 7000 yards you mention. Now I wonder …

Ah, yes:

That corresponds well to 7000 yards. But it continues two sentences later with:

I guess this is what the Wikipedia article alludes to: firing from an aircraft moving with some speed.

Well I can only refer to my training notes. The wire reel has only apron 6000 yards of wire. If firing from a hover then we only expect a 6k range. Add forward airspeed and 7000 yards was possible. (Wasp tops out at 120 kts - usually when firing we were at 60 kts.) Hence the 7000yards max.
Most targets are engaged at 6000yards, the downside is you are usually well within range of the average 30mm canon. Of which most Soviet block countries fast attack craft had. (Usually on twin or quad mounts, very often pushing out between. 4-6 thousand rounds a minute!!)

I actually fired a AS12 at a sea target at 6500 yards without use of the sight. It was actually easier to locate and guide the weapon onto the target. Clearer image and depth perception.

[Airborne01]

Doug,
I have the feeling the SS12 was the ATGW missile used on a bizarre vehicle from the '70's, designated FV430 and (I think) Beeswing. If I recall correctly it was a shortened Saracen equipped with two cantilever arms that were the firing posts - meant to provide AT capability for Airborne Forces operating on light scales. Wire everywhere, a big 'No, No' during early Arab/Israeli conflicts as well!
Steve

[Waspie]

Doug,
I have the feeling the SS12 was the ATGW missile used on a bizarre vehicle from the '70's, designated FV430 and (I think) Beeswing. If I recall correctly it was a shortened Saracen equipped with two cantilever arms that were the firing posts - meant to provide AT capability for Airborne Forces operating on light scales. Wire everywhere, a big 'No, No' during early Arab/Israeli conflicts as well!
Steve

MMM, yeah, rings bells Steve. And as for the wires. Talk to any crew that has had a rogue firing and the weapon was jettisoned post firing. Removing yards and yards of wire from ranges are a PITA. I had two rogues in succession down South but luckily didn't have to recover the wires!!

When I was at Bovington/Lulworth there was a Major who was in charge of a guided weapons section. (The 430 I can image would be an ideal platform to launch them from, watched many an upgrade at ABRO.) That said, I have only witness ground launches of the SS12 using the containers as the launch platform.

The initial AS versions used the same AT head and fusing but found they detonated after passing through the soft hull boats. So the OP3C fuse was shortened from 8m/s to 3m/s to achieve detonation inside soft targets!!!

[Guest]

I have the feeling the SS12 was the ATGW missile used on a bizarre vehicle from the '70's, designated FV430 and (I think) Beeswing. If I recall correctly it was a shortened Saracen equipped with two cantilever arms that were the firing posts

Are you by any chance referring to FV 1620 Hornet, carrying the Malkara missile?


(Wikimedia Commons)

[Airborne01]

Are you by any chance referring to FV 1620 Hornet, carrying the Malkara missile?


(Wikimedia Commons)

I think that may be it Jakko! Memory fades ...
Steve