A Western Il-76

archipeppe said:
I knew that all the Russian transports, up to the An-124, had bomber position and rear gunner to serve as "emergency bomber" in case of war. Something that could be justified during and immediately after WWII but difficult to understand during the 60's or, worse, during the 70's....
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Lack of radar nav systems across most of Siberia, and I believe even most of Russia west of the Urals.
 
archipeppe said:
I knew that all the Russian transports, up to the An-124, had bomber position and rear gunner to serve as "emergency bomber" in case of war. Something that could be justified during and immediately after WWII but difficult to understand during the 60's or, worse, during the 70's....
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IL-76 hardly counts a modern bomber … even by 1960s standards. No Bombay doors, no under-wing bomb shackles, etc.
Mind you, when you study all of the stupid little wars fought in Africa … you would be amazed at how many barrel bombs were simply rolled out of whatever cargo planes was available. Few of those barrel bombs hit their intended targets, but they scared the “@&$! out of the locals!
 
Yep, that concept of a transport aircraft turned bomber by throwing barrels of TNT through the rear door or ramp, was surprisingly popular. Up to the 1960's at least.
And even beyond.
During the Falkland war Argentina armed forces were ready to go very far with their C-130s. I recently learned that they used Hercules to bomb oilers far away from the Falklands ! Early June 1982 they attacked a british tanker joining the Task Force; some day later, a "neutral" one that limped to Brazil and had to be scuttled. It took ten years to get a litigation unfavorable to Argentina government and repaying the tanker company.
 
Archibald said:
Yep, that concept of a transport aircraft turned bomber by throwing barrels of TNT through the rear door or ramp, was surprisingly popular. Up to the 1960's at least.
And even beyond.
During the Falkland war Argentina armed forces were ready to go very far with their C-130s. I recently learned that they used Hercules to bomb oilers far away from the Falklands ! Early June 1982 they attacked a british tanker joining the Task Force; some day later, a "neutral" one that limped to Brazil and had to be scuttled. It took ten years to get a litigation unfavorable to Argentina government and repaying the tanker company.
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Even the US got into that act with the big "Daisy Cutter" bombs. 10klbs or more, the only aircraft capable of lifting and dropping those were C-130s and CH-54 Skycranes. Instant LZ, even in triple-canopy jungle.
 
Archibald said:
Yep, that concept of a transport aircraft turned bomber by throwing barrels of TNT through the rear door or ramp, was surprisingly popular. Up to the 1960's at least.
And even beyond.
During the Falkland war Argentina armed forces were ready to go very far with their C-130s. I recently learned that they used Hercules to bomb oilers far away from the Falklands ! Early June 1982 they attacked a british tanker joining the Task Force; some day later, a "neutral" one that limped to Brazil and had to be scuttled. It took ten years to get a litigation unfavorable to Argentina government and repaying the tanker company.
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Worth noting that although initial reporting was that the Argentines had rolled bombs out the rear ramp of the C-130, in fact they had adapted an MER to hang from the pylons between the engines that normally hold external fuel tanks.

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Archibald said:
Yep, that concept of a transport aircraft turned bomber by throwing barrels of TNT through the rear door or ramp, was surprisingly popular. Up to the 1960's at least.
And even beyond.
During the Falkland war Argentina armed forces were ready to go very far with their C-130s. I recently learned that they used Hercules to bomb oilers far away from the Falklands ! Early June 1982 they attacked a british tanker joining the Task Force; some day later, a "neutral" one that limped to Brazil and had to be scuttled. It took ten years to get a litigation unfavorable to Argentina government and repaying the tanker company.
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The tanker was called Hercules......

http://www.admiraltylawguide.com/supct/AmeradaHess.htm

By June 8, 1982, after a stop in Brazil, the Hercules was in international waters about 600 nautical miles from Argentina and 500 miles from the Falklands; she was outside the "war zones" designated by Britain and Argentina. At 12:15 Greenwich mean time, the ship's master made a routine report by radio to Argentine officials, providing the ship's [488 U.S. 428, 432] name, international call sign, registry, position, course, speed, and voyage description. About 45 minutes later, an Argentine military aircraft began to circle the Hercules. The ship's master repeated his earlier message by radio to Argentine officials, who acknowledged receiving it. Six minutes later, without provocation, another Argentine military plane began to bomb the Hercules; the master immediately hoisted a white flag. A second bombing soon followed, and a third attack came about two hours later, when an Argentine jet struck the ship with an air-to-surface rocket. Disabled but not destroyed, the Hercules reversed course and sailed to Rio de Janeiro, the nearest safe port. At Rio de Janeiro, respondent United Carriers determined that the ship had suffered extensive deck and hull damage, and that an undetonated bomb remained lodged in her No. 2 tank. After an investigation by the Brazilian Navy, United Carriers decided that it would be too hazardous to remove the undetonated bomb, and on July 20, 1982, the Hercules was scuttled 250 miles off the Brazilian coast.
 

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