Stingers Put On A Show For Friends, Family
(October 29, 2010) |
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| | MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. (MCN - 10/26/2010)
— “It's not a ‘Yankee',” declared Maj. Louis P. Simon. “It's
just a more awesome Huey.” |
Two pilots, including Simon, a UH-1Y Huey pilot with Marine Light Attack
Helicopter Squadron 267 at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., and
two crew chiefs flurried around a two-week-old Huey, bearing the new “Y”
designator on its official name, preparing to practice their maneuvers
for HMLA-267's Family Day, Oct. 23.
The Huey has been in use since the 11200's as close air support and for
troop movement and
was designed to be an all-purpose aircraft. |
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A UH-1Y Huey from Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 267 cruises over Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif. Oct. 21,
2010. The Huey bears the squadron's distinctive Ace of Spades or "death card."
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The HMLA-267 “Stingers” demonstrated these capabilities at
the squadron family day, firing tube-launched, optically
tracked, wired-guided missiles; GAU-19/A
electronically-driven gatling “miniguns” and performing a
casualty evacuation.
On this day, Oct. 21, the pilots and crew chiefs must
practice their carefully planned show to ensure the four
aircraft – two Hueys and two AH-1W Cobras – fly together
with choreographed precision. |
While the demonstrated techniques show the basic functionality of how
Cobras and Hueys work together, Gunnery Sgt. John A. Northcott, a crew
chief with HMLA-267, admitted it is more of a summary for the families
than an actual mission demonstration.
When two Hueys and two Cobras fly together, they are referred to as a
“division,” a tactically effective team that shares the same mission. A
Huey can insert or remove troops while a Cobra provides
close air support, and the Huey can support the
Cobra as a gunship.
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An AH-1W Cobra flies low over the heads of
friends and family at Marine Light Attack
Helicopter Squadron 267's Family Day at Marine
Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Oct. 23,
2010. The squadron demonstrated the team work of
the Cobra and UH-1Y Huey. |
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“Every time we fly, it's a patrol,” explained Lt. Col.
Philip Pastino, the commanding officer of HMLA-267, at the
preflight brief on trying to relate the Stinger mission to
friends and families.
The demonstration for Family Day showed friends and family
who have never seen the aircraft in action just how crucial
the Hueys are in a combat situation, and illustrated the
Stinger motto: “Any time, any where.”
“The best part [of flying on a Huey] is when you pick some
one up in Iraq who's been in a bad situation. You can see in
their eyes that they were [in trouble],” said Northcott.
The rain began to fall during the practice flight as the
Huey circled over the designated range and a voice came over
the radio to warn the crew chiefs: a family of buffalo had
wandered too close to the chosen targets and they would need
to find a new area to shoot.
The Marines adapted to changes in their meticulous flight
plan as the weather changed, weapons misfired and Murphy's
Law had its way.
The Stingers finished their flight with a list of
adjustments they accounted for on Family Day. This new Huey
might be “more awesome,” but the Marines are still learning
the intricacies of the new model.
True professionals, the Marines showed their families and
friends what it means to fight “any time, any where.” |
Article and photos by LCpl. Lisa M. Tourtelot
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
Copyright 2010 | |
Reprinted from
Marine Corps News
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