Cessna 'gunships' !

[Silver]

Having read (somewhere?) that the Cessna's can (and were!) fitted with MATRA Rocket Launchers, I was wondering if they ever carried these launchers when on Cash Escort duities - especially during the height of the troubles ?

Could they carry a door mounted (small) machine gun ?

[futurepilot]

For anyone thats interested, theres a photo of the 172`s carrying rockets in the Air Corps book on page 52.

[Imshi-Yallah]

eh how could it be called a gunship  when it doesnt have any gun systems, and a saner person might have at least proposed a gun pod as opposed to the wildly stupid pintlemounted GPMG.

[Silver]

Lighten up Imshi !

'Gunship' was a tongue-in-cheek suggested name for the Cessna's.

[Claudel Hopson]

The Cessna's did not carry door mounted machine guns of any type and the use of spotting rocket pods were discontinued as when they were fired in a salvo or very close together, eg ripple, the Cessna's were prone to stalling in flight.

[GoneToTheCanner]

Hi all
I read a report, when I served in Tech Wing(showing my age!), about the decommissioning of the rocket pods and firing systems of the Cessnas. The report recommended the withdrawal of the pods for several reasons; the rockets were (A)becoming obsolete,in that the manufacturer was ceasing production (B)they were useless in that one could not reasonably expect to fire them into a crowded street if a Cash Escort was attacked.©some of the motors and warheads were time-expired (D)spares for the pods were becoming scarce. Aside from that, they were quite inaccurate and required the launch aircraft to descend into the kill-zone of even light-calibre anti-aircraft weapons.They did NOT affect the stall speed of the Cessna when fired for the simple reason that rockets are recoilless.I was working in Tech Wing when the Cessnas were having their firing panels stripped out and the looms in the wings taken out.When I left in 95, the Cessnas still had the airspeed arming switch and the cannon-plug under the wings.
cheers
GTTC

[Silver]

Welcome GTTC !

Interesting post - cheers for that !

[Buran]

I remember reading somewhere that the A-10 would stall if its gun was fired for long enough (5 secs??)

[Fouga]

It wont stall but an A-10 pilot told me that it really really shakes very violently and if your not strapped in tight enough you can expect a sore back for a few days. The Aircraft also gets considerable lighter as the rounds are expelled.

[Frank]

Hi Guys,

The aircraft doesn't stall if the gun is fired for too long, what does happen though is a few knots get knocked off the air speed, kind of like tipping the brakes.


Regards,

Frank.