Suplus aircraft dumped down mineshafts?

[HealzDevo]

There are rumours of sorts that up in the Northern Territory there are large halls in the rock with aircraft, jeeps, tanks and other vehicles that were going to be used by Z Force to defend the Northern Part of Australia if a Japanese Invasion ever came. However, no one really seems to know too much about Z Force them being 'Top Secret' all that. Who is it really going to damage now letting all the information on Z Force out into the open?

 

[Nonskimmer]

Governments often have trouble admitting to things even decades after the fact.
For one reason or another, it may still be classified. Who knows?

 

[superunknown]

Ever seen that film footage from Vietnam where they were bulldozing aircraft over the side of a carrier?. Phantoms, Hueys, Cobras, Intruders and even a couple of Skyraiders landing, crew getting out and then pushed over the edge to make way for more!

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Ever seen that film footage from Vietnam where they were bulldozing aircraft over the side of a carrier?. Phantoms, Hueys, Cobras, Intruders and even a couple of Skyraiders landing, crew getting out and then pushed over the edge to make way for more!

Sometimes it easier to do that than to fix em.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

although abviously it doesn't really happen today......

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Ya know Lanc, it might. Depending on the conflict and the equipment, maintenance officers may make the call that the equipment is "BER," Beyond Economical Repair and just toss them into a hole or push them off a ship. It sounds sacrilegious, but that's the reality of aircraft maintenance in a combat environment.

 

[Nonskimmer]

I've seen video of an F-14 being pushed over the side of a carrier. It was on television, but it may be somewhere online. I'll have a look later, just for interest's sake.

 

[superunknown]

Ever seen that film footage from Vietnam where they were bulldozing aircraft over the side of a carrier?. Phantoms, Hueys, Cobras, Intruders and even a couple of Skyraiders landing, crew getting out and then pushed over the edge to make way for more!

Sometimes it easier to do that than to fix em.

There was nothing wrong with them, they were all in perfectly good condition. It's just that they were pulling out of Vietnam and wanted to get out as quick as possible.
They were not "lame ducks" as they usually at least inspect those first before torching/ditching or bulldozing into ditches. They were literally landing, crew disembarking and then dumped overboard, followed within seconds by another one. Most of the aircraft, still their had payloads as well.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

There was nothing wrong with them, they were all in perfectly good condition. It's just that they were pulling out of Vietnam and wanted to get out as quick as possible.

Not really....

When the US military left Viet Nam in 1973 there was a cease fire in place and identified equipment left accordingly. No mass evacuation.....

When Saigon fell in 1975 there was a mass evacuation of the US embassy, the remaining US troops (which I believed number about 1000) US citizens and certain South Vietnamese civilians. Most of the helicopters you see being pushed overboard were not "US Government Assets" including the Air America birds. Most of those helicopters were from the South Vietnamese military and they were dumped to make way for more helicopters and evacuees.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Found this today as a side note on Viet Nam.....

American allies took casualties as well. South Korea provided the largest outside force and suffered something between 4400 and 5000 killed[3] (http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/warstat2.htm) full details including WIA and MIA appear difficult to find. Australia lost 501 dead and 3,131 wounded out of the 47,000 troops they had deployed to Vietnam. New Zealand had 38 dead and 187 wounded. Thailand had 351 casualties. It is difficult to locate accurate figures for the losses of the Philippines. Although Canada was not involved in the war, thousands of Canadians joined the American armed forces and served in Vietnam. The American fatal casualties include at least 56 Canadian citizens. It is difficult to estimate the exact number because some Canadians crossed the border to volunteer for service under false pretenses whereas others were permanent residents living in the United States who either volunteered or were drafted.

 

[plan_D]

Britain sent SAS out there as 'neutral observers' but I don't think any were lost. Just a side-side note.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Britain sent SAS out there as 'neutral observers' but I don't think any were lost. Just a side-side note.

I never knew that, but I'm not surprised!

 

[Nonskimmer]

As another side note, because it wasn't a "Canadian war", the sacrifice of those Canadians who died isn't recognized here. Not surprising really, as Canada had no involvement (that I'm aware of ) other than being a haven for draft dodgers, but still a bit of a shame IMO.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

As another side note, because it wasn't a "Canadian war", the sacrifice of those Canadians who died isn't recognized here. Not surprising really, as Canada had no involvement (that I'm aware of ) other than being a haven for draft dodgers, but still a bit of a shame IMO.

I met a few Canadian Viet Nam vets when I lived in Canada. Real shame, got screwed at both sides of the border

 

[Nonskimmer]

And the worst part for them is they can't go to Veterans Affairs for help because as I said, it wasn't Canada's war.

 

[Nonskimmer]

It seems there's a memorial of some sort called the North Wall in Windsor, Ontario that was erected in 1995, dedicated to Canadian Vietnam vets. I've never heard of it before, but the last time I was in Windsor was in 1990.

This is an interesting link, although the figure of over 30,000 Canadians who served the US at the time is somewhat debatable. The actual number is yet to be confirmed and may never be, but I don't think it was quite that high.

http://dede.essortment.com/canadasvietnam_rgwv.htm

 

[superunknown]

Why do I bother?

 

[Nonskimmer]

Beats me, but thanks fer comin' out!

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Thanks for the link NS - I'll send it to my brother.

 

[superunknown]

Ever seen that film footage from Vietnam where they were bulldozing aircraft over the side of a carrier?. Phantoms, Hueys, Cobras, Intruders and even a couple of Skyraiders landing, crew getting out and then pushed over the edge to make way for more!

I've figured it out! I forgot to mention the fact that these didn't all happen in the same bit of footage, the hueys were from the Saigon evacuation, and the Intruders (could have been something else, I can't remember) were from a carrier that caught fire, so they were dumping 'em over the edge to stop the fire spreading. But I don't know where the Phantoms were filmed, and I have a sneaky suspicion that the Skyraiders were being dumped during Korea, due to the fact that the film was worse quality than the rest of the footage.

Oh, and the RN also had a Carrier out in Vietnam apparantley.