FSTDT Forums
Community => Science and Technology => Topic started by: Askold on November 05, 2014, 04:22:20 pm
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http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-08-29/air-tractors-crop-duster-other-planes-revamped-for-military-use
OH BOY! Due to sales not going well some company that makes crop dusters decided to expand into defense industry.
They have already sold weaponized crop dusters to Saudi Arabia to be used in anti-terrorism war as ground attack planes. Let's face it. Against terrorist this actually is a functional weapon. They have no or little anti-air weapons, no functional air force and countries are already using attack craft against them. This just does it for the fraction of the price of an A-10 Warthog.
But I am still laughing at the idea of an crop duster loaded with rockets and machine guns... Again, it is a slow flying plane that can land in dirt fields. Perfect for the job it is being advertised for. BUT I CAN'T STOP GIGGLING AT THE IDEA!
(http://www.aopa.org/-/media/Images/AOPA/Home/News/All/2013/September/0910_ga_warplaneswideaspectratio.jpg)
Teeheehee! Look at that plane. It is SO cute!
When I first saw a photo of it I thought it was built by some Syrian rebels or African warlord or something. Kinda like the technicals and gun trucks that are already used in third world countries.
Warning: Do not read the comments in the article. Half of them are screaming that Obummer (sic) is going to use them against US citizens. (apparently missing the fact that the planes are not built by US goverment or marketed to them.) And the other half are just racist.
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I wonder if those comments would be saying the same things if it were a Republican president. Almost certainly not.
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There's a market for everything, I guess.
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Given the tactical situations it will address, this concept has merit. I guarantee if this plane comes zooming toward you about 50 feet off the ground, you ain't going to notice whether it's Star Wars or Fred Flintstone.
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Confession: I think drones (the smaller ones) are actually kind of adorable.
Still, though, I wouldn't want to see that flying at me.
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A bunch of girls in Polikarpov Po-2's scared the Germans so bad they earned the nickname Night witches.
The Po-2 was/is a converted crop duster.
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A bunch of girls in Polikarpov Po-2's scared the Germans so bad they earned the nickname Night witches.
The Po-2 was/is a converted crop duster.
Night Witches?
That's fucking awesome.
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The problem with the niche it's going for (a multipurpose aircraft the can use small airstrips) is already filled by the little bird, Huey, and md 500.
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*kiowa
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I think the thing that it beats those with is price, since I can imagine it's a lot less pricier to outfit a crop duster plain with a machine gun than it is to build a Little Bird or a Huey.
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Wouldn't a OV-10 be far more versatile for the role sought?
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I wonder if this'll lead to a re-enactment of the scene from North by Northwest.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJMkJmAXUWg
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I think the thing that it beats those with is price, since I can imagine it's a lot less pricier to outfit a crop duster plain with a machine gun than it is to build a Little Bird or a Huey.
True, I suppose there's plenty of tiny African/Mexican countries that would be happy to buy the planes.
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I think the thing that it beats those with is price, since I can imagine it's a lot less pricier to outfit a crop duster plain with a machine gun than it is to build a Little Bird or a Huey.
True, I suppose there's plenty of tiny African/Mexican countries that would be happy to buy the planes.
"Mexican countries".
(http://i1.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/015/652/230114_908223010.png)
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I think the thing that it beats those with is price, since I can imagine it's a lot less pricier to outfit a crop duster plain with a machine gun than it is to build a Little Bird or a Huey.
True, I suppose there's plenty of tiny African/Mexican countries that would be happy to buy the planes.
"Mexican countries".
(http://i1.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/015/652/230114_908223010.png)
Sure, there's South Mexico, North Mexico, Mexistan, the Poeples a Democratic Republic of Mexico, Mexopolise, New Mexico, Mexunburg, and New Mexico.
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Excellent recovery.
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This makes me wonder if there's a market for the most basic of basic ground attack aircraft. I'm thinking the cheapest open cockpit aircraft money can buy plus a box of grenades for the pilot to throw over the side. I wonder if anyone would actually buy it.
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This makes me wonder if there's a market for the most basic of basic ground attack aircraft. I'm thinking the cheapest open cockpit aircraft money can buy plus a box of grenades for the pilot to throw over the side. I wonder if anyone would actually buy it.
Probably not. Though it would have more to do with the weapons than the aircraft.
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This makes me wonder if there's a market for the most basic of basic ground attack aircraft. I'm thinking the cheapest open cockpit aircraft money can buy plus a box of grenades for the pilot to throw over the side. I wonder if anyone would actually buy it.
Probably not. Though it would have more to do with the weapons than the aircraft.
I think that was in an episode of "the A Team"
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I seem to remember that the first time an airplane was used in combat was just a random guy dropping bombs/dynamite from an aircraft.
Incidentally, there are plans to use a plane like this in an upcoming mercenary-rpg campaign. If nothing else at least the dictator the players are attacking is likely to have planes like this. (or armed helicopters depending on how rich he is.)