Author Topic: Is the russian bear back? (Read 2239 times)

Nilsen · « **on:** October 06, 2006, 06:03:26 AM »

During the 70s and 80s our fighters intercepted between 5 and 600 russian military planes every year. After the cold war ended that has dropped to about one every week.

Now they are flying again and testing our response times.

These pics were taken a few days ago by an F16 when 6! Bears flew just outside our territory down towards Scotland and back?... just like in the good old days.

Can we hope the russkies are back in business?

I wish i had access to hig res photos from this encounter.

bikekil · « **Reply #1 on:** October 06, 2006, 06:10:30 AM »

At least your guys have something to do right now

Look at it at the way that you have to opportunity to practice... for free

Nilsen · « **Reply #2 on:** October 06, 2006, 06:17:18 AM »

Indeed... Must be fun to jump in your plane and go full afterburner to meet and greet someone.

Even during the cold war we had a freindly and respectful relationship with our neighbours up there. They never violated our airspace but they always went so close that they could almost put their arm over the border. I bet they have all our response times down to the second noted in their files. Almost strange that there never was an incident up there during all those years of close encounters. Would be fun to be able to look thru the photo archives and radar data the airforce has tho.

Viking · « **Reply #3 on:** October 06, 2006, 10:39:00 AM »

Actually there were many incidences. Remember that Su-27 that clipped the propeller of one of our P-3 Orions? Also I remember my father telling me stories about the hazards of night interception in the North Sea. The Russians used to drop flares to blind our pilots at night. One F-104 crashed as a result and his wingman nearly lit off a Sidewinder at the offending Bear. There were many incidents during the cold war, but most were kept quiet for obvious reasons.

Nilsen · « **Reply #4 on:** October 06, 2006, 11:00:53 AM »

Well.. i did mean shooting incidents.

bang-bang.. dead bear.

followed by

bang-bang.. dead norway

Mace2004 · « **Reply #5 on:** October 06, 2006, 11:13:33 AM »

In WESTPAC they played lots of games, especially at low altitude. If you joined on them at very low alt they'd do a sudden (well...sudden for a Bear) turn into you to try to push you off in the water. They also liked to do the same thing by making a tight turn around a ship like the CV to scrape you off on the superstructure. There were numerous close calls. Of course worst was when the guy in the tail blister would hold up the current month's Playboy...and we hadn't received it yet on the boat. Those guys.....always such kidders...

Mace

Angus · « **Reply #6 on:** October 06, 2006, 11:50:45 AM »

Same game was played here around Iceland. The US had to scramble all the time.
They have just left the party, no jets left. So maybe we'll have to check Ebay for Jets

Nilsen · « **Reply #7 on:** October 06, 2006, 11:58:34 AM »

Ebay might be a good idea. The better solution would be to give us your fishing rights in return for us putting a squadron of F16s and a NASAMS battery there.

Wolfala · « **Reply #8 on:** October 06, 2006, 01:21:33 PM »

Fall 2002 International Air Power Review has a very good 50 page article on the TU-95/142 Varients.

Amazing aircraft when you consider it mated probally the most powerful turboprops every produced to an airframe - 15,000 SHP.

Yeager · « **Reply #9 on:** October 06, 2006, 01:24:19 PM »

I think its safe to downgrade the Bear to a poodle. Yes, the Russian Poodle is here, new and improved!

fuzeman · « **Reply #10 on:** October 06, 2006, 01:28:26 PM »

Wasn't the noise from the props so incredibly loud that it hurt the ears of the pilots intercepting them?
I vaguely recall hearing about this and seeing the prop tips were close to supersonic I can see it might happen.
Of course my recollection is from some dolt who was completely out of that loop.
It was probably from a tv show so maybe my recollections are about as good as the source.

WTC · « **Reply #11 on:** October 06, 2006, 01:29:41 PM »

so it begins...

Mace2004 · « **Reply #12 on:** October 06, 2006, 01:40:22 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by fuzeman
Wasn't the noise from the props so incredibly loud that it hurt the ears of the pilots intercepting them?
I vaguely recall hearing about this and seeing the prop tips were close to supersonic I can see it might happen.
Of course my recollection is from some dolt who was completely out of that loop.
It was probably from a tv show so maybe my recollections are about as good as the source.

Loud yes...painful? No. They were loud enough you could hear them in an F-14 cockpit which is quite a feat considering how loud the F-14's ECS system was. You could put your hand on the canopy and really feel the vibrations. What always astounded me was that these guys could fly around in a Bear for 15 or 20 hours and not have all their fillings fall out or their brains pour out their ears.

Mace

Chairboy · « **Reply #13 on:** October 06, 2006, 01:55:07 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Mace2004
What always astounded me was that these guys could fly around in a Bear for 15 or 20 hours and not have all their fillings fall out

Easy! In Soviet Russia, fillings are for party officials only who must interact with the corrupt capitalist pigdogs. Good strong citizens simply remove tooth, no need for luxury cosmetics like fillings.

dmf · « **Reply #14 on:** October 06, 2006, 02:06:22 PM »

Maybe the Russians are just bored?