Article

2008-06-14 -Lurid Crime Tales-

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Atomic Conspiracy 2008-06-14 08:41|| || Front Page|| [3 views ] Top

#1 What a horrible screw-up! We really need to work on target recognition.

I mean, what kind of incompetent would mistake a rented Suburban for a VW busload of peaceniks or a media van?

Posted by Atomic Conspiracy 2008-06-14 09:09|| 2008-06-14 09:09|| Front Page Top

#2 That's all 70 20mm shots will do to a Suburban? Haji and Muji would drive that baby off the lot in a Baghdad minute.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2008-06-14 09:31|| 2008-06-14 09:31|| Front Page Top

#3 That's it?
Seems rather minimal damage for that kind of firepower...

Posted by john frum 2008-06-14 09:48|| 2008-06-14 09:48|| Front Page Top

#4 The two people in the SUV are very lucky. There is a lot of damage to the vehicle. If the vehicle is not considered "totaled," fix-up costs would be considerable. It's not clear what the interior damage looks like. My brother-in-law has one of these vehicles. At the price of gas, he would probably offer his up for F-16 target practice if the pricer were right. These vehicles are, however, flex fuel vehicles and will burn 85% ethanol if you can find it.

Posted by JohnQC 2008-06-14 10:04|| 2008-06-14 10:04|| Front Page Top

#5 In my ignorance that looks like pretty precise firing -- not one hole through the front seat where the two were sitting. The article says it was a rented vehicle, though, so any payments will go to the rental company. I'd call the thing totalled, on general principle.

Posted by trailing wife ">trailing wife 2008-06-14 10:50|| 2008-06-14 10:50|| Front Page Top

#6 IMHO the pilot should be sacked.

Posted by Bright Pebbles 2008-06-14 11:27|| 2008-06-14 11:27|| Front Page Top

#7 That's all 70 20mm shots will do to a Suburban?

The article says 70 rounds fired. It isn't likely that all 70 rounds hit the vehicle.

Posted by One Eyed Ulese1266 2008-06-14 12:07|| 2008-06-14 12:07|| Front Page Top

#8 IMHO the pilot should be sacked.
Agreed, piss poor shooting.

Posted by George Smiley 2008-06-14 13:53|| 2008-06-14 13:53|| Front Page Top

#9 Nah, don't sack him, he DID hit what he was aiming at, but a refresher in target recognition is clearly in order here.

Posted by Redneck Jim">Redneck Jim 2008-06-14 14:02|| 2008-06-14 14:02|| Front Page Top

#10 The question is, did they decline the rental insurance?

Posted by Intrinsicpilot 2008-06-14 15:46|| 2008-06-14 15:46|| Front Page Top

#11 He failed to hit what he SHOULD have been aiming at, that's FAR more important.

Posted by Bright Pebbles 2008-06-14 16:04|| 2008-06-14 16:04|| Front Page Top

#12 ....Many air to ground ranges have derelict cars, trucks and other vehicles littered all over the place. Without question if he was FIVE clicks off the range some remedial training is is in order, but it's not an entirely impossible occurrence.
Now, the Lawn Dart driver who zapped a school last year was another story entirely...

Mike

Posted by Mike Kozlowski 2008-06-14 19:37|| 2008-06-14 19:37|| Front Page Top

#13 "Speed Limit Enforced by Aircraft"

I'd take that sign a little more literally from now on.

Posted by CrazyFool 2008-06-14 19:53|| 2008-06-14 19:53|| Front Page Top

#14 Oops.

Posted by Barbara Skolaut">Barbara Skolaut 2008-06-14 20:30|| http://ariellestjohndesigns.com/]">[http://ariellestjohndesigns.com/] 2008-06-14 20:30|| Front Page Top

#15 Looks to me the F16 was just trying to shoot out the tires...

Posted by bingo! 2008-06-14 21:25|| 2008-06-14 21:25|| Front Page Top

#16 Consider this: if this incident had been the result of a UAV pilot error, you could hear the USAF brass bitching all the way to Kalamazoo. No enlisted pilots, all officers, and then there would be the two recent USAF firings to think about (I can hear them now: "I told you so. Neener, Neener")

Posted by USN,Ret. (from home) 2008-06-14 22:48|| 2008-06-14 22:48|| Front Page Top

23:22 bombay
23:15 gorb
23:12 CrazyFool
23:06 Barbara Skolaut
23:04 ed
23:00 Phaimble Sforza6890
22:48 USN,Ret. (from home)
22:35 McZoid
22:30 USN,Ret. (from home)
22:27 USN,Ret. (from home)
22:21 RWV
22:20 RWV
22:18 McZoid
22:13 McZoid
22:10 RD
21:51 RD
21:29 Frank G
21:26 Frank G
21:25 bingo!
21:19 DarthVader
21:19 Frank G
21:18 DarthVader
21:16 Frank G
21:08 fishy