MARQ #soldierporn: C-123

C-123 Rangehand. Used to deploy herbicides (like Agent Orange).

image

A U.S. Air Force Fairchild UC-123B Provider ”Ranch Hand” aircraft spraying defoliant next to a road in South Vietnam in 1962. “Operation Ranch Hand” was a U.S. Military operation during part of the Vietnam War, lasting from 1962 until 1971. It involved spraying an estimated 72 mio. ltr. (19 mio. US gal.) of (toxic) defoliants over rural areas of South Vietnam in an attempt to deprive the Viet Cong of vegetation cover and food. The USAF planes were marked as South Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF) planes. [Source.]

[H/T to 88badger for the submission that sent me hunting for a pic to go with it. -R]

sean-p3: kiratala: Reposting to see if someone can tell me what the aircraft is.  Yes I am that Military vehicle ignorant >.< This is either an H-47 Chinook (Army) or an H-46 Sea Knight (Navy/Marines). Probably a Chinook. They’re very similar except the Chinook is a lot bigger. I can’t quite get an idea of the scale. [Phrogs have those strange humps over the rear wheels wheels though, and only a single front wheel assembly. Definitely a Chinook! -R] High-res

sean-p3:

kiratala:

Reposting to see if someone can tell me what the aircraft is.  Yes I am that Military vehicle ignorant >.<

This is either an H-47 Chinook (Army) or an H-46 Sea Knight (Navy/Marines). Probably a Chinook. They’re very similar except the Chinook is a lot bigger. I can’t quite get an idea of the scale.

[Phrogs have those strange humps over the rear wheels wheels though, and only a single front wheel assembly. Definitely a Chinook! -R]

Vietnam era aircraft recognition. kiratala: sean-p3: loaded-for-bear: kiratala: Name that aircraft for me?  Vietnam. Ugh, aircraft identifaction has never been easy for me.  C-130 maybe? It is out of Cam Rahn Bay.  I know that much from the back of the photo *shrug* [C-130&#8217;s have four engines mounted on the wings, not two&#8230; otherwise I&#8217;d agree with that classification. -R] High-res

Vietnam era aircraft recognition.

kiratala:

sean-p3:

loaded-for-bear:

kiratala:

Name that aircraft for me?  Vietnam.

Ugh, aircraft identifaction has never been easy for me. 

C-130 maybe?

It is out of Cam Rahn Bay.  I know that much from the back of the photo *shrug*

[C-130’s have four engines mounted on the wings, not two… otherwise I’d agree with that classification. -R]

Rare bird sighting. US Navy’s HM-14 “Vanguard” MH-53E Sea Dragon lands in Hoboken, N.J. The Navy-Marine Corps team is well-equipped to respond to national disasters when required, through the coordination of U.S. Northern Command. While the military plays an important role in disaster response, all efforts are in support of FEMA first and foremost, who coordinates with state and local officials. (Photo by Corporal Kyle N. Runnels, 3 NOV 2012.) [Note about the craft: the original caption only labeled it an “H-53” with no further designation or origin, which made me cringe. The 562nd (nose number) is a Flying Training Squadron, and it looks as though this Sea Dragon was requisitioned or reassigned. Close inspection of the original resolution photograph (too large to upload here) shows a trace of VANGUARD on the visible wheel cover. Glare on the craft’s paint makes it difficult to discern, which leads me to the conclusion that this is a reassigned craft— the Vanguard squadron is a Mine Countermeasures Squadron comprised of sixteen Sea Dragons. HM-14 and their sister squadron, HM-15, are the only US Navy helicopter squadrons that use the Sea Dragon variant of the H-53. And now that I’ve drafted a MARQ treatise…. if I’m wrong someone please correct me. -R] High-res

Rare bird sighting.

US Navy’s HM-14 “Vanguard” MH-53E Sea Dragon lands in Hoboken, N.J. The Navy-Marine Corps team is well-equipped to respond to national disasters when required, through the coordination of U.S. Northern Command. While the military plays an important role in disaster response, all efforts are in support of FEMA first and foremost, who coordinates with state and local officials.

(Photo by Corporal Kyle N. Runnels, 3 NOV 2012.)

[Note about the craft: the original caption only labeled it an “H-53” with no further designation or origin, which made me cringe. The 562nd (nose number) is a Flying Training Squadron, and it looks as though this Sea Dragon was requisitioned or reassigned. Close inspection of the original resolution photograph (too large to upload here) shows a trace of VANGUARD on the visible wheel cover. Glare on the craft’s paint makes it difficult to discern, which leads me to the conclusion that this is a reassigned craft— the Vanguard squadron is a Mine Countermeasures Squadron comprised of sixteen Sea Dragons. HM-14 and their sister squadron, HM-15, are the only US Navy helicopter squadrons that use the Sea Dragon variant of the H-53. And now that I’ve drafted a MARQ treatise…. if I’m wrong someone please correct me. -R]

That aircraft pictured is a MiG-23 Flogger, which was the earlier, fighter/interceptor version of the MiG-27 Flogger (which is the optimized attack variant). The -27 has smaller intakes & a duckbill nose for optics and ground attack goodies, while the -23 sports a conical nose for its radar used in the fighter role. The Su-24 is a larger aircraft with TWO engines and TWO crew sitting side-by-side, much like our F-111, vs the Flogger which seats only ONE pilot and has ONE engine.

Asked by gangstache

I am annoyed that my MARQ cards didn’t have that particular MiG because it’s sufficiently different from later versions of the Flogger that the profiles aren’t similar at all.

And from the photos on the MiG-23’s Wiki page, that is a perfect match to the aircraft pictured. Thanks! -R

operatorsgonnaoperate:

I wanna call this a Foxbat, but it only has one engine from what I can see.

Anyone know what it is?

It’s not a Foxbat, as it has a single tail section instead of a twin design.

There are three “old school” Russian swept-wing fighter jets with the correct single-engine design that demonstrate similar nose-cone profile. Of them, the MiG-27 Flogger and the TU-36 Backfire demonstrate the gap between wing and tail that is shown above. The cockpit and nose profile deviate slightly from the depiction below, but it’s the best fit—the Backfire’s intakes are above the wings, not below.

[Apologies for the blur, that’s human error :) -R]

[ETA: The aircraft is most likely a Flogger; not the MiG-27 variant shown above, but the MiG-23 version. Check out the pics on the Wiki page here, and decide for yourself. -R]

Fast-rope from the Hip. Reconnaissance Marines of the Ground Combat Element, Black Sea Rotational Force 12, fast rope on to a beachhead, from a Lithuanian (MI-17 Hip) helicopter, in order to observe enemy movements prior to an amphibious landing during Exercise BALTOPS 2012. The Marines and sailors of BSRF-12 joined Lithuanian infantry soldiers in the first amphibious landing on Lithuanian soil in 40 years. BSRF-12 is Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force training with 19 countries to facilitate interoperability with U.S. partner nations and promote regional stability while providing a limited crisis response capability in the Black Sea and Caucasus regions. BALTOPS 2012 aims to improve maritime security in the Baltic region through increased interoperability and cooperation amongst regional allies both on land and sea. (Photo by Staff Sergeant Nate Hauser, 4 June 2012&#160;via DVIDS.) High-res

Fast-rope from the Hip.

Reconnaissance Marines of the Ground Combat Element, Black Sea Rotational Force 12, fast rope on to a beachhead, from a Lithuanian (MI-17 Hip) helicopter, in order to observe enemy movements prior to an amphibious landing during Exercise BALTOPS 2012.

The Marines and sailors of BSRF-12 joined Lithuanian infantry soldiers in the first amphibious landing on Lithuanian soil in 40 years. BSRF-12 is Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force training with 19 countries to facilitate interoperability with U.S. partner nations and promote regional stability while providing a limited crisis response capability in the Black Sea and Caucasus regions. BALTOPS 2012 aims to improve maritime security in the Baltic region through increased interoperability and cooperation amongst regional allies both on land and sea.

(Photo by Staff Sergeant Nate Hauser, 4 June 2012 via DVIDS.)

The 5 of Spades. Because I&#8217;m such a MARC geek, and the previously posted images made me laugh &#8212; and wonder what aircraft that was. Going to wager it&#8217;s RAF (Royal Air Force) but the tail insignia is not immediately familiar. And because I&#8217;m such a geek, hi-res sketches of the above card&#8217;s images: High-res

The 5 of Spades.

Because I’m such a MARC geek, and the previously posted images made me laugh — and wonder what aircraft that was.

Going to wager it’s RAF (Royal Air Force) but the tail insignia is not immediately familiar.

And because I’m such a geek, hi-res sketches of the above card’s images: