Saintsman From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2002, 2065 posts, RR: 2 Posted (8 years 4 months 3 weeks 14 hours ago) and read 980 times:
Before I begin, this tread is definitely not intended to start any flame wars.
I heard a theory this morning that the aircraft could have been shot down by mistake by American forces. I think it is highly unlikely.
But, there was a very nervous atmosphere yesterday in Iraq. The RAF aircraft was approaching an unfamiliar base. Was there a communication problem (IFF or otherwise). Did some commander on the ground not want to take a chance and gave the order to take it down?
I think that the most likely scenario is enemy fire but mistakes have happened before. I would have thought that there is no arial threat in Iraq so would there be a need for coalition forces to shoot anything down?
FutureUALpilot From United States of America, joined May 2000, 2562 posts, RR: 8 Reply 3, posted (8 years 4 months 3 weeks 14 hours ago) and read 958 times:
How can someone shoot down a C-130? Is it possible to shoot down a large aircraft like that with, say, a shoulder-launched stinger missile?
Springbok,
Its entirley possible, if the missile hits the right spot. Possibly the cockpit, wing roots, knocks the horizontal stabs or tail off, hits a fuel tank and the fuel goes up, etc.
Thom@s From Norway, joined Oct 2000, 11951 posts, RR: 50 Reply 4, posted (8 years 4 months 3 weeks 13 hours ago) and read 950 times:
I just read that Ansar al-Islam have taken the blame for the crash. They claim that the plane was passing low, and they were able to shoot it down using an anti-tank missile. They also say that thanks to god, the plane was hit and fell to the ground engulfed in flames and black smoke.
This has been posted on an islamic website.
It has not been confrimed from anyone though.
Thom@s
"If guns don't kill people, people kill people - does that mean toasters don't toast toast, toast toast toast?"
Oly720man From United Kingdom, joined May 2004, 6225 posts, RR: 11 Reply 6, posted (8 years 4 months 3 weeks 12 hours ago) and read 929 times:
OK, so who, apart from the Coalition would be flying a Hercules in the neighbourhood of Baghdad? Why should any aircraft need shooting down by "our side" if only our aircraft are there????
The curious thing is what a British C-130 was doing north of Baghdad. The British sector is a heel of a long way away, so the presumption has to be that it was some form of special operation.
She's as nervous as a very small nun at a penguin shoot.
Banco From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2001, 14752 posts, RR: 55 Reply 10, posted (8 years 4 months 2 weeks 6 days 9 hours ago) and read 840 times:
No, Jan. It was flying to one of the US bases in the north of the country. That's why it has created speculation, there aren't any British forces (officially) there.
She's as nervous as a very small nun at a penguin shoot.
AA61Hvy From United States of America, joined Nov 1999, 13975 posts, RR: 59 Reply 16, posted (8 years 4 months 2 weeks 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 809 times:
There is a video out of the missle being fired at it. Release by Al Jezeera.
GDB From United Kingdom, joined May 2001, 12735 posts, RR: 79 Reply 17, posted (8 years 4 months 2 weeks 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 804 times:
That was what I was referring to, in my previous post, looks like a crude ground to ground rocket, fired in a most unusual way for a SAM, the whole footage looks to be a patchwork job of (save the actual wreck) unrelated other incidents, plus you have several groups all claiming they did it.
Might well have been a SAM, but the footage released by insurgents is most unconvincing.
GDB From United Kingdom, joined May 2001, 12735 posts, RR: 79 Reply 18, posted (8 years 4 months 2 weeks 6 days 6 hours ago) and read 784 times:
BBC have said the aircraft was XV179, a C130K.
Between 1980-85, 30 of the then 60 odd C130K fleet were lengthened to -30 standard, this aircraft was not one of them, as well as being employed by the Special Forces Flight it may have had an ELINT role too.
The C-130K's were delivered in the mid/late 1960's, some have been retired, replaced by C-130J's in more recent years.
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