Da SWO Posted February 12 Share Posted February 12 (edited) DVIDS website, a harrier with an AIM-9X on one side and another missile on the right wing, is it an AIM-120? Edited February 12 by Da SWO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
andyf117 Posted February 12 Share Posted February 12 Yes, note the 'adapter' between pylon and rail - they've carried them for a number of years; this one dates from 2015: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Da SWO Posted February 12 Author Share Posted February 12 34 minutes ago, andyf117 said: Yes, note the 'adapter' between pylon and rail - they've carried them for a number of years; this one dates from 2015: Any aftermarket adaptors available? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joe Hegedus Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 2 hours ago, Da SWO said: Any aftermarket adaptors available? For modeling purposes, I think you can use the ADU-299 that is included in all the Hasegawa A-4 kits in 1/48. The actual adapter that attaches the LAU-127 has different wiring in it to interface with the missile, but externally I think they are the same. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stephen Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 13 hours ago, Da SWO said: Any aftermarket adaptors available? I think Dave Roof at Flying Leathernecks is on the case. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Collin Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 21 hours ago, Da SWO said: DVIDS website, a harrier with an AIM-9X on one side and another missile on the right wing, is it an AIM-120? 120 and a 9M from the looks of it (not an X). Cheers Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dutch Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 (edited) Brett, Yes. And there is even a USMC ace now. https://theaviationgeekclub.com/with-7-confirmed-houthi-drones-shot-down-this-usmc-av-8b-harrier-pilot-could-be-the-first-american-ace-since-the-vietnam-war-meet-usmc-captain-earl-ehrhart-v/amp/ Edited February 14 by Dutch Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Roof Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 15 hours ago, Dutch said: Brett, Yes. And there is even a USMC ace now. https://theaviationgeekclub.com/with-7-confirmed-houthi-drones-shot-down-this-usmc-av-8b-harrier-pilot-could-be-the-first-american-ace-since-the-vietnam-war-meet-usmc-captain-earl-ehrhart-v/amp/ Maybe not. I've received several PM's on Facebook from Marines on the MEU that are stating it isn't true. Regarding the ADU-299, I should have it released in a couple weeks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Da SWO Posted February 14 Author Share Posted February 14 3 hours ago, Dave Roof said: Maybe not. I've received several PM's on Facebook from Marines on the MEU that are stating it isn't true. Regarding the ADU-299, I should have it released in a couple weeks. So it could be 7 shootdowns among multiple pilots? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dutch Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 (edited) Brett, that is most likely. Though why the Marine Corps would purposely publish false information on the DVIDS website is beyond me. If for MILDEC purposes, they are not allowed to deceive US govt, public and press by law. If someone said something in the foreign press and it got back to the US, that is different. They would still have to backstop it though, to prevent blowback, especially from Congress. They write the checks, after all. Edited February 14 by Dutch Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Niels Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 Agree with @Dutch, very strange if the story isn't correct? Interesting though that no formal declaration of "Ace" has been made? I would assume that this is due to the USMC top management is looking into whether this should qualify for "ace" status? Time will tell... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dutch Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 Yes, USMC is very parsimonious in giving awards and medals. More often than not, I have seen them downgrade awards for battlefield valor. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Roof Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 18 hours ago, Da SWO said: So it could be 7 shootdowns among multiple pilots? No, as in ZERO shootdowns. 17 hours ago, Dutch said: Brett, that is most likely. Though why the Marine Corps would purposely publish false information on the DVIDS website is beyond me. If for MILDEC purposes, they are not allowed to deceive US govt, public and press by law. If someone said something in the foreign press and it got back to the US, that is different. They would still have to backstop it though, to prevent blowback, especially from Congress. They write the checks, after all. There is not a single mention of this on the DVIDS website, nor has the Marine Corps made any sort of statement (official or unofficial). The Aviation Geek Club is quite literally the only publisher of this story, via the BBC. While there are mentions of it on X, and a couple other sites, not a single one has been verified by official sources. After looking into it further myself, I also find it odd that the ONLY person telling the story is the pilot himself. A young Captain shoots down 7 drones (which have to have occurred on at least 4 different sorties, if not more), and no one other than him is talking about it? No one from PAO, no one from the MEU command, no one from HQMC? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Da SWO Posted February 15 Author Share Posted February 15 6 hours ago, Dave Roof said: No, as in ZERO shootdowns. There is not a single mention of this on the DVIDS website, nor has the Marine Corps made any sort of statement (official or unofficial). The Aviation Geek Club is quite literally the only publisher of this story, via the BBC. While there are mentions of it on X, and a couple other sites, not a single one has been verified by official sources. After looking into it further myself, I also find it odd that the ONLY person telling the story is the pilot himself. A young Captain shoots down 7 drones (which have to have occurred on at least 4 different sorties, if not more), and no one other than him is talking about it? No one from PAO, no one from the MEU command, no one from HQMC? If true, a big black eye for the Marine Corps. I still think an A2A Harrier is unique enough to be entered into my Que. Headed off to your website to figure what I need to get (understanding the adapters are a few weeks away) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Roof Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 2 hours ago, Da SWO said: If true, a big black eye for the Marine Corps. I still think an A2A Harrier is unique enough to be entered into my Que. Headed off to your website to figure what I need to get (understanding the adapters are a few weeks away) No, not really. The Marine Corps as an organization didn't make the announcement, nor has anyone officially confirmed it. One thing to keep in mind though, is this. I am in no way stating as matter of fact this claim isn't true. All I am relaying is what's been told to me via private messages. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Niels Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 Thanks for helping to clarify @Dave Roof, appreciate your contribution on this topic. On a general note, and looking back and the USAF shootdowns during the Balkan conflicts in the 90's and the more recent shoot down by VFA-87 in 2017 I would suppose that anyone shooting down 7 drowns would be made into a celebrity fairly soon. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Roof Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 On 2/13/2024 at 3:40 PM, Dutch said: Brett, Yes. And there is even a USMC ace now. https://theaviationgeekclub.com/with-7-confirmed-houthi-drones-shot-down-this-usmc-av-8b-harrier-pilot-could-be-the-first-american-ace-since-the-vietnam-war-meet-usmc-captain-earl-ehrhart-v/amp/ On 2/15/2024 at 11:16 AM, Da SWO said: If true, a big black eye for the Marine Corps. I still think an A2A Harrier is unique enough to be entered into my Que. Headed off to your website to figure what I need to get (understanding the adapters are a few weeks away) On 2/15/2024 at 4:44 PM, Niels said: Thanks for helping to clarify @Dave Roof, appreciate your contribution on this topic. On a general note, and looking back and the USAF shootdowns during the Balkan conflicts in the 90's and the more recent shoot down by VFA-87 in 2017 I would suppose that anyone shooting down 7 drowns would be made into a celebrity fairly soon. My fiancee and I just returned from Cherry Point, spending several hours with VMA-231. Had a very brief conversation with the CO, and discussed quite a bit with the airframes SNCOIC (who was our escort), and several other Marines in the squadron. I am 99.9% convinced the reports are bogus. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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