Here's another Army one. I hate to keep bringing up the Army ones, but it's where I've had my widest exposure with weapons.
I got voluntold that I was going to be an M47 Dragon gunner. Ok, cool. Went to the subcaliber range, where they basically put a giant blank shell into a dummy M47, and have you track a Jeep-mounted target. I got 20 out of 20 hits, so I was selected to be one of three guys to fire a live Dragon round at the live fire range.
At the live fire range, the first guy fires his Dragon from an M113 Armored Personnel Carrier. This is a wire-guided tank killer missile for those of you who don't know what it is. His guide wire must have immediately snapped upon launch, because it went about 50 meters and hit the dirt. I think I remember the arming distance is 65 meters, but it's been a long time. Regardless, it was dangerous UXO. Had to wait for EOD to come and blow it in place.
The second guy fired his missile from the foxhole. It went maybe 200 meters or so, and I dont know if it was a malfunction or operator error, but the missile suddenly went straight up in the air, then straight down to the ground and exploded. At least we didn't need EOD for that one.
Now I'm getting ready to fire the third and last missile of the day, and I'm sure it's going to F up in some manner. I'm firing from the kneeling position, aiming at a CONEX about 800 meters out. I smash the trigger on the sight, and BLAM, it's loud and my vision is completely obscured by smoke for a couple seconds. Then I see it. The missile is in my sight, and I can see the little thruster motors firing, which is cool but a distraction. I retrain my crosshairs on the CONEX, and a few seconds later, WHA-BLAM, the CONEX is destroyed. I swear, if I would have smiled any wider, the top of my head would have fallen off.
The instructors were very happy too, and I was mobbed by everyone from the instructors to my fellow students who were spectating from the bleachers. It was a good day.
A few months later, ... Well, that's another story. Probably shouldn't tell it.
I got voluntold that I was going to be an M47 Dragon gunner. Ok, cool. Went to the subcaliber range, where they basically put a giant blank shell into a dummy M47, and have you track a Jeep-mounted target. I got 20 out of 20 hits, so I was selected to be one of three guys to fire a live Dragon round at the live fire range.
At the live fire range, the first guy fires his Dragon from an M113 Armored Personnel Carrier. This is a wire-guided tank killer missile for those of you who don't know what it is. His guide wire must have immediately snapped upon launch, because it went about 50 meters and hit the dirt. I think I remember the arming distance is 65 meters, but it's been a long time. Regardless, it was dangerous UXO. Had to wait for EOD to come and blow it in place.
The second guy fired his missile from the foxhole. It went maybe 200 meters or so, and I dont know if it was a malfunction or operator error, but the missile suddenly went straight up in the air, then straight down to the ground and exploded. At least we didn't need EOD for that one.
Now I'm getting ready to fire the third and last missile of the day, and I'm sure it's going to F up in some manner. I'm firing from the kneeling position, aiming at a CONEX about 800 meters out. I smash the trigger on the sight, and BLAM, it's loud and my vision is completely obscured by smoke for a couple seconds. Then I see it. The missile is in my sight, and I can see the little thruster motors firing, which is cool but a distraction. I retrain my crosshairs on the CONEX, and a few seconds later, WHA-BLAM, the CONEX is destroyed. I swear, if I would have smiled any wider, the top of my head would have fallen off.
The instructors were very happy too, and I was mobbed by everyone from the instructors to my fellow students who were spectating from the bleachers. It was a good day.
A few months later, ... Well, that's another story. Probably shouldn't tell it.