OT-Giant Army Blimps?

Matrix Games Forums

Forums Register Login Photo Gallery Member List Search Calendars FAQ

My Profile Inbox Address Book My Subscription My Forums Log Out

OT-Giant Army Blimps?

View related threads: (in this forum | in all forums)

Logged in as: Guest

Users viewing this topic: none

Printable Version

All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition >> OT-Giant Army Blimps?

Page: [1]

Message

<< Older Topic Newer Topic >>

OT-Giant Army Blimps? - 2/8/2013 7:49:25 PM

crsutton

Posts: 9590
Joined: 12/6/2002
From: Maryland
Status: offline

I did not know about these.

http://wtop.com/41/3220906/Giant-military-blimps-coming-to-Aberdeen-Md

_____________________________

I am the Holy Roman Emperor and am above grammar.

Sigismund of Luxemburg

Post #: 1

RE: OT-Giant Army Blimps? - 2/9/2013 1:58:35 PM

Gunner98

Posts: 5508
Joined: 4/29/2005
From: The Great White North!
Status: offline

Not sure about these particular ones but they are used quite a bit these days, they are tethered above camps with all sorts of sensors etc on them. Only real problem is wind, once they rip free of the tether, who knows where all that sensor stuff will end up...

BG

(in reply to crsutton)

Post #: 2

RE: OT-Giant Army Blimps? - 2/9/2013 2:18:40 PM

obvert

Posts: 14050
Joined: 1/17/2011
From: PDX (and now) London, UK
Status: offline

Here's a video of one. I didn't know about these either, but there it is. Looks a bit like a giant catfish.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/9472952/US-Army-tests-new-blimp-like-military-airship.html

Lots of excited locals whooping in the background.

_____________________________

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

(in reply to Gunner98)

Post #: 3

RE: OT-Giant Army Blimps? - 2/9/2013 4:06:23 PM

Kull

Posts: 2625
Joined: 7/3/2007
From: El Paso, TX
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: obvert

Here's a video of one. I didn't know about these either, but there it is. Looks a bit like a giant catfish.

That's the LEMV, which has a different purpose. The two coming to Aberdeen are JLENS, and has primarily an anti-aircraft/anti-missile role (it can track vehicles and seacraft too, albeit not so well in the civilian environment). Essentially it's just another data feed into your local fire control system in the DC area. And if anyone thinks there isn't a fully operational center in the nation's capital, think again. (Hint: I do this for a living)

_____________________________

AE-Japan Setup

AE-Allied Setup

Japan Air-Engine Plan

(in reply to obvert)

Post #: 4

RE: OT-Giant Army Blimps? - 2/10/2013 3:26:06 PM

crsutton

Posts: 9590
Joined: 12/6/2002
From: Maryland
Status: offline

Pretty cool. I have always loved blimps but never have really understood how they are feasible given any sort of moderate to high wind. I mean try to carry around an inflatable mattress in a high wind. Perhaps the low air density at high altitudes makes it less severe but I just don't get the physics.

_____________________________

I am the Holy Roman Emperor and am above grammar.

Sigismund of Luxemburg

(in reply to Kull)

Post #: 5

RE: OT-Giant Army Blimps? - 2/10/2013 3:31:56 PM

guytipton41

Posts: 351
Joined: 2/26/2011
From: Houston, TX
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: crsutton

Pretty cool. I have always loved blimps but never have really understood how they are feasible given any sort of moderate to high wind. I mean try to carry around an inflatable mattress in a high wind. Perhaps the low air density at high altitudes makes it less severe but I just don't get the physics.

Hi CRS,

We had an aerostat above Camp Victory in Baghdad and I don't recall it every being winched down even for bad windstorms. But I was only there for a month or so. The major use for this one was LOS radio relay for convoy comm.

Cheers,
Guy

(in reply to crsutton)

Post #: 6

RE: OT-Giant Army Blimps? - 2/10/2013 6:32:29 PM

Jorge_Stanbury

Posts: 4320
Joined: 2/29/2012
From: Toronto and Lima
Status: offline

ohh the humanity!

(in reply to guytipton41)

Post #: 7

RE: OT-Giant Army Blimps? - 2/10/2013 10:02:46 PM

Gunner98

Posts: 5508
Joined: 4/29/2005
From: The Great White North!
Status: offline

We were losing quite a few during the winter in Afghanistan, the high winds through the mountain passes played havoc with them, but they were all at a relatively low alt. They were great as long as the winds were predictable enough to get them down in time, but I suspect a few of them ended up in China once they broke lose...

Nothing like the ones in the original post, they look interesting.

BG

(in reply to Jorge_Stanbury)

Post #: 8

RE: OT-Giant Army Blimps? - 2/14/2013 2:17:06 PM

lexo1014

Posts: 29
Joined: 2/4/2011
Status: offline

Hey Guytipton41 when were you at the VBC? i was there 09-11.
Yea we had 1 there and like 1 near every camp in the vbc i think i saw 5-6 in total,,seemed tho they were pretty close to where the C-RAM's were placed.

(in reply to guytipton41)

Post #: 9

RE: OT-Giant Army Blimps? - 2/14/2013 2:56:10 PM

AW1Steve

Posts: 14507
Joined: 3/10/2007
From: Mordor Illlinois
Status: offline

"Aero stats" have been around since the 1980's (for the war on drugs, etc). There was one in Central Florida that had to be watched out for. You don't want to fly into one at 8000'.

_____________________________

(in reply to lexo1014)

Post #: 10

RE: OT-Giant Army Blimps? - 2/14/2013 4:12:37 PM

Blackhorse

Posts: 1983
Joined: 8/20/2000
From: Eastern US
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: guytipton41

quote:

ORIGINAL: crsutton

Pretty cool. I have always loved blimps but never have really understood how they are feasible given any sort of moderate to high wind. I mean try to carry around an inflatable mattress in a high wind. Perhaps the low air density at high altitudes makes it less severe but I just don't get the physics.

Hi CRS,

We had an aerostat above Camp Victory in Baghdad and I don't recall it every being winched down even for bad windstorms. But I was only there for a month or so. The major use for this one was LOS radio relay for convoy comm.

Cheers,
Guy

I was in Baghdad/ Iraq for much of 2005. You are correct - the aerostats stayed up through sandstorms and all weathers.

In terms of protecting my hide, I thought the most valuable use was the telemetry for artillery tracking. Before the blimps went up, the insurgents would, from time to tome, set up a mortar or a rocket launcher in one of the maze of nearby neighborhoods and lob several rounds into the "green zone." After the telemetry was airborne, the insurgents learned to 'shoot and scoot' -- generally firing one round, then abandoning the mortar, or firing it off the bed of a pickup truck and driving away. Our guys could have counter-battery fire underway, or helicopters vectored to the launch site, before the first round landed.

_____________________________

WitP-AE -- US LCU & AI Stuff

Oddball: Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here? Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change?
Moriarty: Crap!

(in reply to guytipton41)

Post #: 11

RE: OT-Giant Army Blimps? - 2/15/2013 3:56:02 AM

guytipton41

Posts: 351
Joined: 2/26/2011
From: Houston, TX
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: lexo1014

Hey Guytipton41 when were you at the VBC? i was there 09-11.
Yea we had 1 there and like 1 near every camp in the vbc i think i saw 5-6 in total,,seemed tho they were pretty close to where the C-RAM's were placed.

Hi Lexo,

I was there in '04, '06 and '08. But don't be impressed - I was a HQ puke working out of the 'Deid. Most of the time I was in the rear with the Cuban cigars and Chivas Regal. OMG, when I was at the 'Deid in '08 the permanent party folks were allowed to keep liquor in their rooms! So much for GO1.

Cheers,
Guy

Ps. Notice the $#!+ eating grin... I think this was '06. And yes, that's a gold plated MP5.