-
-
Re: OFF TOPIC but had to share!
I've got that pic on my desktop at work. Thats an awesome picture. I wish I knew where it was taken. It looks like it could have been taken in San Luis Obispo a few years ago. I was out for a mountain bike ride, and came across a fire they were bombing. They were across the valley from me, (the east side of 101 on Cuesta Grade) and watching the Neptunes dump their load and climb out the other side (attacking down the hill toward the freeway, pulling out over the freeway and standing on their tails to clear the ridge line that was standing on) was awesome. Those guys really know how to fly. It was cool hearing 4 R3350s (2 neptunes) in the afternoon.
Will -
lucky!!
too bad we only get to see them flex their wings during firesComment
-
Re: OFF TOPIC but had to share!
Just amazing!Comment
-
Re: OFF TOPIC but had to share!
Is that real? if so it's awesome!
JarrodComment
-
Re: OFF TOPIC but had to share!
amazing shot! Anybody else want to share any firebomber shots they have? Please share.Comment
-
Re: OFF TOPIC but had to share!
The Martin Mars fly over here on occasion, and there's one heading to California to help with the fires there. This is a great machine
My pics aren't as good as the ones from the Martin Mars website
Comment
-
Re: OFF TOPIC but had to share!
That shot has actually been around for a little while and is on the website below.
For more absolutely neat pictures go to: www.airtanker.com and click on tankers and pictures. There are hundreds of cool pictures.....
Still makes me sad that I saw the smoke from Tanker 4 that crashed near Missoula in '94 shortly after......Last edited by Box A35; 10-23-2007, 09:20 PM.Comment
-
Re: OFF TOPIC but had to share!
I had that one as my desktop for a while. Too cool!
Check it out and more at:
There's over twenty pages of tanker shots there!"And if they stare, just let them burn their eyes on your moving."Comment
-
-
Re: OFF TOPIC but had to share!
A quickie search of www.wildlandfire.com revealed this:Originally posted by Apteryx
Tanker 85: No, this is not an early version of a "water-scooper" air tanker. This event occurred in the mid 1970's. Tanker 85 was dispatched from Medford, OR to a fire on the Deschutes N.F. in central Oregon. Tanker 85 made an initial trip, dropped its load, and then returned to Medford for a second load. The pilot "thought" he had enough fuel for a second trip so he didn't bother to refuel. On the second trip he was held up over the fire longer than he anticipated, finally dropped his load and then ran out of fuel on the way back to Medford. He managed to make a perfect, "dead-stick" landing in Diamond Lake near the crest of the Cascades (note Mt. Thielsen in the background). You can see how well an air tanker can float when it has empty fuel and retardant tanks!
To get the plane out of the lake they floated it close to shore and wrapped cables around both wings. The cables were attached to a D-8 Cat to drag the plane onto the shore. Needless to say, once tension was applied, the cables promptly sliced both wings off! That made the plane much easier to remove.
There's more to the story. When the plane was coming in to Diamond Lake the engines were off so they made no noise. Just as the pilot was setting down he noticed an older couple fishing in a rowboat directly in front of where he planned to splash down. The pilot was able to have enough lift/speed to "hop" over the couple by about 50 feet. The couple made a very hasty trip to shore. This incident was used in one of the opening scenes in the movie Always. As old pilots are fond of saying "Any landing you can walk....er, swim away from is a good landing." Photos compliments of AK Old TimerComment
-
Re: OFF TOPIC but had to share!
Thanks A35, good find. I'm going to have to find a copy of Always, haven't seen it in years. Flying sequences were pretty good, and then there's Holly Hunter in the white dress.....
PaulComment
-
Re: OFF TOPIC but had to share!
I've been on a fire where they were using the Mars. That monster makes it rain hard!Last edited by forbergler; 10-24-2007, 09:45 AM.Comment
-
Re: OFF TOPIC but had to share!
I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the DC-10 working the fires! Also awesome!Comment
-
Re: OFF TOPIC but had to share!
VERY awesome and much welcomed! Just watched live the drop in the Jamul area-so cool! NBC 7/39 news followed them for about 20 minutes
JMurphyComment
OFF TOPIC but had to share!
Comment