Mig 21 Bombing Video

[Gman]

http://theaviationist.com/2014/05/12/mig-21-drop-bomb-video/

Snackbar warning at the end, as per usual.

This is incredible footage, I can't believe how the camera operator held it SO still and got such great footage, right up until the end.  I've seen bombs come off aircraft from a much different perspective, but have never seen it from the perspective of those being dropped on.  Crazy footage IMO.

[GScholz]

That's what mobile cameras has done to warfare; now everybody is taking selfies when they should be taking cover!  

[Rich46yo]

See Rule #4

[mthrockmor]

Intense!

My Dad served in the US Navy on the USS St Paul (CA-73) during the Korean War as a fire control director. He said they would frequently get into shooting matches with many dozens of North Korean guns and cannons as his ship provide fire support to ground troops. In one area that they had many shoot outs he said they would watch as hundred plus flashes of light from guns going off...wondering if one of those flashes would produce the shell that killed them, and nothing they could do about it.

[GScholz]

I know it's Syran rebels and not Taliban, but I thought this was appropriate...

[Gman]

That brings up an interesting point GScholz.  I was wondering watching that Mig21 come in what kind of targeting system he was using.  Do they even have a CCIP or similar bombing aids that most western fighters have?  I somehow doubt it has any FLIR or DLIR capability, but who knows, I know there are a ton of "modernized" Mig21 projects around, heck, even the Israeli's have a company that modernizes them up to pretty high standards.

That bomb didn't miss that group by much if they were the target, if you pause the video at the end, that blast was no more than 50 yards from them. There was some large caliber tracer fire from the edge of the video taking shots at that Mig21.  Makes me wonder what was there, and what the target was.

[DaveBB]

The Mig-21 wasn't even wings-level when it dropped the bomb.  Is that normal to be in a bank when bombing?

[Larry]

What a noob. What he should have done was   .salvo 2   .delay  .75 

[Gman]

What a noob. What he should have done was   .salvo 2   .delay  .75  old

Hah, I guess I'm not the only one who thought about that.

Dave, I'm wagering that the pilot saw those big fat tracers whizzing by him and he maybe pickled a little early and continued putting G's on to be a harder target afterwards.  He did drop short by the looks of it, that makes me think the incoming fire spooked him perhaps.  Who knows, could be a dozen different reasons, that's what makes this such an interesting vid, it's very rare to see video of an aircraft dropping on those filming it with such clarity.  

[SmokinLoon]

Hah, I guess I'm not the only one who thought about that.

Dave, I'm wagering that the pilot saw those big fat tracers whizzing by him and he maybe pickled a little early and continued putting G's on to be a harder target afterwards.  He did drop short by the looks of it, that makes me think the incoming fire spooked him perhaps.  Who knows, could be a dozen different reasons, that's what makes this such an interesting vid, it's very rare to see video of an aircraft dropping on those filming it with such clarity.  

Dropping a dead bomb to within 50 yards is hardly a miss, especially if we don't really know all the particulars. There may have been a lot of snckbars right where thst bomb landed. I'm just glad I wasn't there. 😀

[-ammo-]

That is insane footage. 

When I was a young ammo troop in 1995, I was deployed to Incirlik AB to support our 6 F-15Es from SJAFB. It was a weird process - Our pilots would get lit by Iraqi radar/missile sites, the pilots would report the location and ask the JOC for permission to engage, and the Turks had to consent.  Only then could our guys drop on the Iraqi missile sites.

We had a very cool Operations Officer that would extend an invitation to our Munitions NCOIC for us to come and review film from their combat drops, when they had them.  This one drop using an IR GBU-15 sticks in my mind.  The WSO's view and our view is from the perspective of the weapon.  When the weapon releases, I am just sitting there wondering as it glides at several thousand feet AGL.  The WSO makes corrections and eventually, I can make out what looks like a circle of vehicles in the desert.  As the weapon closes in, two men are clearly identifiable as are the missile launchers and other equipment.  The weapon is heading straight for these two guys and it is apparent they are in a heated conversation.  Everything is happening really fast now in the video.  One of the guys must hear the weapon at the last second as he turns to see 2000 lbs of love on top of him.  Boom. 

[GScholz]

That brings up an interesting point GScholz.  I was wondering watching that Mig21 come in what kind of targeting system he was using.  Do they even have a CCIP or similar bombing aids that most western fighters have?  I somehow doubt it has any FLIR or DLIR capability, but who knows, I know there are a ton of "modernized" Mig21 projects around, heck, even the Israeli's have a company that modernizes them up to pretty high standards.

That bomb didn't miss that group by much if they were the target, if you pause the video at the end, that blast was no more than 50 yards from them. There was some large caliber tracer fire from the edge of the video taking shots at that Mig21.  Makes me wonder what was there, and what the target was.

The Syrians have modified 100 or so MiG-21s for ground attack. I don't know what aiming systems they use, but after three years of civil war their pilots are as proficient at bombing insurgents as anyone. According to Turkish intelligence the SAAF flies more than 100 sorties per day.

[SFRT - Frenchy]

That Mig29 straffing is something too. Just like in AH when you try to sneak in a M3. Fighter circles around ... did he see me? ... keeps on turning and rolls wings level facing you ... oh snap digidy dang.

[Gman]

I think I posted that Mig29 strafe video as well here someplace.

Smokinloon, that's fair enough, 50 yards is pretty close, although it was outside lethal fragment range for the camera guys at 50ish yards.  It looked like a pretty small bomb to be honest, and was mounted pretty far outboard on the Mig21's slender wing, so it couldn't have been too heavy.

I know our CF18's on their bombing range, anything within 10 yards or so is a shack, not sure how they grade the rest.

Also, regarding Syria's air force - if they are running an ops tempo with 100 sorties a day, those pilots are getting a ton of combat experience, I have no doubt that whatever they are using, it's probably to great effect now.

[artik]

The Syrians have modified 100 or so MiG-21s for ground attack. I don't know what aiming systems they use, but after three years of civil war their pilots are as proficient at bombing insurgents as anyone. According to Turkish intelligence the SAAF flies more than 100 sorties per day.

And soon they should get Yak-130s with all bells and whistles any modern combat aircraft has...

So if they are good in attacking ground targets now, they would become even better...