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Monday, December 10, 2012

Runway? Yeah, right.....


I'm wondering if this is the famed U-10 used by Air America in Laos during the Vietnam War. I've read some incredible stories about it's short take-off/landing capabilities.
Thanks to Adam for the video.

17 comments:

  1. Got to love tail draggers. I like the way when the power is applies the tail lifts instantly.

    FUCK OBAMA

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  2. Thats incredible to say the least. Im surprised to see a tail dragger in a place like that tho' ? But hey there making it work for sure thanks for the post

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  3. Howdy All,

    I took a ride on a small plane kinda like this in Alaska back in 1988 during a 4 yr tour. In the middle of some cold river on a darn short gravel bar. But it came off the ground just fine!

    ML27

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  4. U-10 was a Helio Courier. You can tell by the landing gear that this one is either a Cub or a Husky. Insane flying, the guy is an artist.

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  5. Concur with U.B. The Air America U-10 was a Helio Courier - an aircraft built specifically for STOL (Short takeoff/landing). The majority of this video was a Piper Super Cub or Aviat Huskey with balloon tires - a common configuration for AK bush flying. The aircraft shown at the end was a Maule. Those bush guys hold short field takeoff/landing competitions. Google that for some really short takeoff run videos.

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  6. Thanks, Guys. I don't know a thing about small aircraft. Or big ones, either.

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  7. Man, makes you want to learn to fly... awesome!

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  8. That was incredible! I rode in a small plane over the Mt. Whitney area in my boy scout days and that scared the shit outta me! These pilots are part of the machine itself....

    ~Boarshide

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  9. Damn, that made my ride in a 1953 Stagger Wing Beach Craft look like a pikers ride to the General Store in a VW Classic. Thanks for sharing WC.

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  10. STOL

    Yes, I remember catching a hop in an 0-1 from TSN to Bien Hoa and the pilot showed me how quickly he could stop once the wheels hit and it was really impressive.

    More.

    http://www.namsouth.com/viewtopic.php?t=2316&highlight=skyraider
    "We went by jeep to a nearby rice paddy where an *O-1 was stranded on a cart path with barely a foot clearance on either side of the landing gear," Youngblood recalls. "Dogood paced off the length of the path, put some gas from a tanker truck into the plane. Then he got in and in a cloud of dust flew the O-1 off the cart path."

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  11. Nice clip, thanks. I'm building a Savannah STOL kitplane - only a few weeks to go and it will be flying - will do my licence on it early next year. Bushplanes are awesome - I want to try some jackal hunting from the air.

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  12. Maybe I'm cynical, but I'm about 75% convinced that most of this footage is of a really nice and pretty big RC model airplane--mostly based on perspective and depth of field. Things that look like bushes and grass turn out to be much bigger when the plane shows up--in particular the grass about 1 minute in. Less conclusive, the pilot is rarely seen, and never moves. Wouldn't bet my life savings either way.

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  13. Jack Russell, Devon, EnglandDecember 11, 2012 at 9:42 AM

    Looks like an RC plane to me as well. The perspective is all wrong for full size and the camera is very low to the ground to give the impression of a larger aircraft.

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  14. Now that's some badass flying! Wow.

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  15. the video is from "Big Rocks and Long Props" and show a modified Super Cub and a modified Maule. The guy with the Maule made several videos which can be found on the internet for sale. I own three of them - they're worth the price, IMHO.

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  16. Air America used the Pilatius Porter in VN. It was so STOL, it could almost hover. AA, and the USAF and VNAF also flew the Helio Courier. I was a crew chief and observer/M60 gunner on an Army O-1 Birddog. A nifty little plane in it's own right. Our eyes and ears mission has now been replaced by unmanned drones. Drones can't throw beercans out the back window.

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