Air Force Helicopter takes a bullet in VA

[dogmush]

https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/12/politics/fbi-investigating-air-force-helicopter-shooting/index.html

Details are still thin, but it looks like a Huey from 1st Helicopter SQ got shot this week.

If it was just someone randomly shooting into the air, those are some crazy odds.  If someone is shooting at .gov helicopters you have to wonder if it's a Marxist/Antifa type, or a moonshiner.  (I have my suspicions)

For folks that don't recognize that unit, wiki describes them thusly:

The 1st Helicopter Squadron's primary mission is to be prepared to evacuate high-ranking personnel from the Capital area in the event of a national emergency.[2] It also supports Washington D.C. area airlift for high-ranking Executive Branch, dignitaries, military leaders and other VIPs. The squadron also supports search and rescue missions.[2]

Their aircraft are dark with a white roof, gold stripe and "United States of America" printed on the tail boom.  I wonder whose helicopter that looks like......

[Ben]

As bold as some of these antifa types are getting, I also have my suspicions. If we were to ever find out that it was one of them, I suspect the narrative would not be antifa control, but rather gun control.

[WLJ]

Fairly close to DC. Nowadays it wouldn't surprise me if someone thought they shooting at Marine One considering the helo's markings

[RocketMan]

As bold as some of these antifa types are getting, I also have my suspicions. If we were to ever find out that it was one of them, I suspect the narrative would not be antifa control, but rather gun control and evil white supremacist control.

FIFY

[Northwoods]

Just a guess, but I rather doubt a single hit even from a .50BMG round would be able to injure POTUS while aboard Marine 1.  That chopper will be pretty well armored against small arms fire.

[Fly320s]

Just a guess, but I rather doubt a single hit even from a .50BMG round would be able to injure POTUS while aboard Marine 1.  That chopper will be pretty well armored against small arms fire.

Windshield isn't armored.  Take out both pilots, or ruin the flight controls, and the game is over.

Probably not too much armor around the engines, either.

[MechAg94]

Windshield isn't armored.  Take out both pilots, or ruin the flight controls, and the game is over.

Probably not too much armor around the engines, either.

I see this on the Apache.  I don't see why they couldn't or wouldn't have similar armor on Marine 1, whatever it can carry.

The Apache is heavily armored on all sides. Some areas are also surrounded by Kevlar soft armor for extra protection. The cockpit is protected by layers of reinforced armor and bulletproof glass. According to Boeing, every part of the helicopter can survive 12.7-mm rounds, and vital engine and rotor components can withstand 23-mm fire.

https://science.howstuffworks.com/apache-helicopter6.htm

As a security measure, Marine One always flies in a group of as many as five identical helicopters. One helicopter carries the president, while the others serve as decoys. Upon take-off these helicopters shift in formation to obscure the location of the President. This has been referred to as a presidential shell game.[19] Marine One is also equipped with standard military anti-missile countermeasures such as flares to counter heat-seeking missiles and chaff to counter radar-guided missiles, as well as AN/ALQ-144A infrared countermeasures.[

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_One

I don't see much detail readily at hand online other than one link that said it was armored. 

[Angel Eyes]

Details are still thin, but it looks like a Huey from 1st Helicopter SQ got shot this week.

So was someone playing "Flight of the Valkyries"?

[Jim147]

I would think it would have had to happen out in the sticks or the shot tracker would have pin pointed it.

[French G.]

I used to fix executive transport H-3s, green, but no white top. I imagine they could carry some soft armor, but not a lot, guessing the VIP interior, all the comm and ECM stuff already has Marine One weighed down. A guess, because that's about what I know about HMX-1. I thought I would go check it out when I was on Quantico once. After a quick look at the security and the we will shoot you signs I made an effort to not look at the buildings, drive completely correct and get back to my hotel. I spent some time next to DEVGRUs compound and that was nothing compared to this.

Years ago I got to see the "shell game" with Bush #1 except with H-53s. Pretty neat, willing to bet the ones without him on it were pretty heavily loaded with miniguns and angry Marines. Saw a similar shell game except with black SUVs as they passed me on the interstate. Laura Bush convoy. Rear windows down on a couple with agents sitting in the trunk monkey position, I assume with a belt fed. Shoot at a few more helos may well be eff around and ind out territory.

[charby]

Probably someone pissed off about aircraft flying too close  to their property. Even in old boring Iowa once or twice a year we get someone shooting at planes or helicopters that they think fly too close to their house, usually aerial pesticide applicators.