Chopper-Bombing Drone-Killer

[pedaler]

Anybody know the guy who bombed the chopper?

WarIsBoring.com

October 23, 2009

Axeghanistan '09: Chopper-Bombing Drone-Killer

By David Axe

Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle tail number 89-0487 is one lucky jet. Deployed to Bagram air base in eastern Afghanistan with the 336th Fighter Squadron, the jet has dropped lots of bombs on the Taliban. But that’s not what makes it stand out. It hasn’t been reported anywhere else, but 89-0487 is the fighter that shot down a “rogue” U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone in September, after the Reaper’s controllers lost contact with the robot and it hurtled towards the Afghan border.

Today 89-0487 sports a tiny Sidewinder missile, painted under the canopy, to commemorate the kill. The marking is next to a star marking, indicating that this storied jet was also the one that killed an airborne Iraqi Mi-8 helicopter during Operation Desert Storm, by dropping a laser-guided bomb on it.

Most jets are lucky to get one kill, of any type. F-15E 89-0487 has two of the weirdest kills possible.

The Afghan air war is deadly serious business. But that doesn’t mean airmen can’t have a little fun. One F-16 pilot invited me to write message to the Taliban on a laser-guided bomb. I’m sending them my Website address. Always interested in reaching out to new readers.

[ClearedHot]

Anybody know the guy who bombed the chopper?

Yes...

Lt Col(Ret) Dan "Chewey" Bakke (right), is a friend of mine and a tremendous human being.

Read the story here

Edited October 25, 2009 by ClearedHot

[Herkdrvr]

Anybody know the guy who bombed the chopper?

To answer your question: I don't know the pilot or the WSO.

But, the guys involved were Cap Richard T. Bennett (pilot) and Capt Daniel B. Bakke (WSO).

Contrary to your post, this site http://128.121.102.226/aakill.html states it was a Hughes 500 helicopter. Also, this old Skunkworks digest calls it a Hughes 500. http://www.netwrx1.com/skunk-works/v05.n617

Other sources note the kills was an Mi-24. To that end, the USAF even painted a star indicating the Mi-24 kill on the aircraft: http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/009302.html

So, I don't think it was an Mi-8, it might be a Hughes 500 (based on the early date of the Skunkworks message), but was most likely an Mi-24 given the USAF star.

Finally, I can't find any other sources to support the assertion that it was *this* (or any other) Eagle that shot down the lost Predator Reaper.

Edit: Hacker confirms it was a Hind and discusses below. Thanks!

Regards,

Herkdrvr

Edited October 25, 2009 by Herkdrvr

[Toro]

Anybody know the guy who bombed the chopper?

Chewy was the Sq/CC when I went through the B course in the 333rd. At his farewell he told this story to all of us new to the Strike Eagle - amazing story, especially directly from him. I had heard the story before, but he enlightened us to some "fog of war" details involving the AWACS controller that had frightening similarities to the 1994 F-15C Blackhawk shoot down.

[Hacker]

Definitely a Hind, NOT a Hip or MD-500.

Chewie was my SQ/CC back in the day, and I had many chances to talk with Rhino Bennett over beers while we were both deployed to OIF in '03. They both adamantly said it was a Hind, and that it was clearly visible in their LANTIRN video.

Finally, I can't find any other sources to support the assertion that it was *this* (or any other) Eagle that shot down the lost Predator.

Tons of bro network discussion about it being an F-15E that shot down the UAV. And, it was a Reaper, not a Pred.

Edited October 25, 2009 by Hacker

[Vertigo]

Pretty sweet story.