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| -Lurid Crime Tales- |
| USAF F-16 Scores Truck Kill in LAS VEGAS |
| 2008-10-22 |
| October 21, 2008 (by Lieven Dewitte) - A US Air force F-16 dropped a BDU-33 dummy bomb near the strip in Las Vegas, hitting a truck. FAC reported an ACORN campaign bus was in the area..... The 22 pound bomb fell from an F-16 flying over Nellis AFB at 11.30h on wednesday morning. Somehow the device got detached from the launching mechanism after which it fell 1,700 feet. This has been known to happen when bombs become detached.... It first hit the tarmac near a mobility warehouse at the base itself before it bounced over a fence and penetrated the front of a civilian truck. The driver of the truck escaped with nothing more than a bad fright. ....followed by soiled underwear, foul language, and, shortly, a new truck. A Spokesperson for the Air Force did not know how the bomb became unattached, nor did they know whether pilot error was involved. "Actually, our guy made a terrible mistake, he thought it was car-load of reporters." "We take this incident very seriously. The safety of our airmen and our neighbors here is of the utmost concern to us and we're very, very thankful no one was injured," Brig. Gen. Russell J. Handy, the 57th Wing commander, said. Soon-to-be Colonel Handy if he doesn't have a really good explanation. The BDU-33 training bomb is used to simulate air-to-ground weapons and does not contain explosives. The device has a small smoke charge used to mark the impact point. Investigators said the incident was probably not due to negligence on the part of the pilot, but was more likely the result of malfunctioning bomb racks or incorrect installation of the bombs. Base personnel have been alerted to be aware of a similar hazard, rolling heads, during the next few weeks. The pilot can probably have a truck kill marking painted on his jet now. They have kill-markings for everything now: planes and choppers, of course, but also trucks, tanks, camels, buildings, missile launchers, guns, etc. There's a new one I haven't figured out yet, though; a typewriter superimposed on a whisky bottle. Whatever could this represent? It is not uncommon for practice bombs to fall off Air Force jets. In March for example, a BDU-33 fell from an F-16 over Tulsa, Okla., striking an apartment building. Imagine the truck driver's initial report to his insurance company: "You were bombed by an F-16? Sure. What were you doing? Giving Osama a lift? You're out of luck, we don't cover acts of war." |
| Posted by:Atomic Conspiracy |
| #12 Never saw a BDU reused; they were all bent up due to hitting the ground. or whatever. Of course it is not unknown for the Ordies to 'adjust' the fins of these things if they were not particularly fond of the aircrew' does wonderful things to the trajectory and makes it almost impossible to hit the target. just sayin' and 'near' vis-a-vis Nellis and 'the strip' is relative; i remember a fairly short walk to, and a slightly longer crawl back to Nellis following Liberty one dark Red Flag night.... |
| Posted by: USN, Ret. 2008-10-22 23:14 |
| #11 Hey hey, just in time for CARY GRANT on TV > OPERATION PETTICOAT = "We sunk a Truck". * "For the first time in my professional Naval career I came close to hitting a Woman...Is it possible that [sexy slinky bosomy Army Lt. babe] could possibly be a enemy spy"!? |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2008-10-22 19:24 |
| #10 Sure this isn't an episode of CSI? |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2008-10-22 15:54 |
| #9 "Something heavy will fall on you from a great height if you rattle the windows in Vegas' high-rise hotels with your speed run, son." -- Good advice to nuggets |
| Posted by: mojo 2008-10-22 15:45 |
| #8 While stationed at Luke AFB in Phoenix, one of my compatriots had a 'bad day'. The bombing ranges in Arizona are located in the southern half of the state. Some of the bomb runs extend many miles outside the ranges themselves. One of the runs matched the border between Maricopa and Pima counties almost exactly. The major highway connecting Phoenix and Tucson runs perpendicular to the county lines and the aformentioned bomb run. Also, county sheriffs liked to meet at the county line and park their cruisers nose to nose and shoot the proverbial, well you know what. Thus the scenario for a perfect storm was set Our intrepid F-4 aviators flying a low level route, at around 500', for a simulated nuclear radar delivery, make their final turn looking for the IP. The WSO, in the back seat, head stuck in the radar is looking for the reflectors indicating the target. He sees and acquires the target. Hits the switch to start the timers for the drop. The pilot hits the 'pickle' button and the drop tone starts. As they approach the highway, the tone stops, indicating that the MK 106 simulated nuclear weapon has 'left the building'. As they cross the highway, they see the flash- bang smoke cartidge go off. Long 110' at 12 relative to the cruisers. The rocket scientist in the back of the bird had obviously picked up the cruisers on his radar, an understandable mistake. The fact that they were literally miles from the range, understandable, not so much. Boy was there a lot of paperwork, briefings and reg changes on that one. Always wished I'd had a chance to talk to the deputies involved. |
| Posted by: Total War 2008-10-22 14:13 |
| #7 Mike is right. Getting bombed in Las Vegas is not news. |
| Posted by: Richard of Oregon 2008-10-22 13:00 |
| #6 I doubt anyone will get in any real trouble for this. After all, what happens in Vegas, . . . . |
| Posted by: Mike 2008-10-22 07:58 |
| #5 Probably a nit picky remark, but as I recall Nellis AFB is nowhere "near" the strip. |
| Posted by: Lionel Flaigum1587 2008-10-22 07:44 |
| #4 "There's a new one I haven't figured out yet, though; a typewriter superimposed on a whisky bottle." Journalist? |
| Posted by: Minister of funny walks 2008-10-22 07:41 |
| #3 ...This sort of thing, sadly, does happen. A BDU-33 is roughly the same shape and dimensions as a bowling pin with fins at the long end. This shape gives it the same ballistic characteristics as a full-size Mk82 500lb bomb - AND it's reusable. Th problem is that it doesn't have the same safeguards as a full up -82 to keep it from dropping - it has only one attachment lug, no sway braces - and if the loader is in the slightest bit inattentive, or the ejection cartridge misfired, the BDU can and will come off at the slightest provocation such as a nice, tight break as the pilot gets into the pattern. Because of the time of the accident, it sounds to me like this bird was returning from a practice run where the cart fired but the bomb didn't leave the plane. Somebody didn't do a hung bomb check, and Mr BDU stayed with the bird until he pulled a couple G's going into the pattern. Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2008-10-22 05:01 |
| #2 Haji and Muji were unavailable for comment at press time. |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2008-10-22 03:32 |
| #1 nice inline comments :-) |
| Posted by: Classer 2008-10-22 01:05 |