Looks like this story would make one heck of a model. If only somebody made 1/48th scale British troop figures. Click on the link to the video footage (top right of story) for some great pictures.
IIRc there was an earlier story of a similar feat by Cobras in action either last year or maybe it was two years ago.
Definitely a hell of a ride!
David
Yup, USMC Whiskey Cobras did it in A’stan a while back. It is nothing new though. It was done by G model Cobras in Vietnam as well. In a pinch, just about anything can be used as a CSAR platform.
Guys in the 1-227th ATKHB did a real-world medevac extraction to rescue two downed Kiowa aviators back in November 2004. The front seater hopped out, got the two guys, placed the injured Kiowa driver in his front seat, and then he and the other Kiowa guy strapped to the outside. The back seater then flew 12km to the nearest hospital.
Jon
It may well have been done before but in each of the stories you have all re-told but the sheer guts from those men involved is just something I am in awe of.
Cheers
As noted, it’s a normal emergency extraction technique. On the Cobra, the armament bay doors open flat as a maintenance platform, and you can put someone seated on them. On the Apache, a downed airman can ride out on the EFABS. What the Brits did here is a bit different - riding INTO combat on the outside of an Apache. That’s a whole different kind of Huevos.
Dan H.
As the previous poster Dan said…
It takes a special kind of soldier to do that…
Regretably their buddy had died of his wounds, but the above event was reported on by the BBC & mentioned at his memorial.
Leaving aside the opinion that ‘our boys’ don’t have the equipment to do the job they are tasked to do…
One of our UK national newspapers carried a story of Merlin Helos used as MedEvac’s in the region… They carry 2 machine gunners as aircrew…
Respects to those doing a hard job in difficult circumstances
Jon UK
the son of a gunner