Alan Minyard wrote in message . ..
On 19 Oct 2003 10:20:38 -0700, (robert arndt) wrote:

(Kirk Stant) wrote in message . com...
What was the last piston-engined airplane (not aircraft - lets keep
the helo's out of this one) to employ weapons in A/A or A/G combat
(guns, bombs, rockets, nukes, whatever). Where and when?

Just being there doesn't count.

Oh, and it does have to have a pilot on board - so Predators don't
count either!

I'll open with T-28D's in the Phillippines - late 80's.

Kirk

Kirk,

This is an idiotic question since the inventories of many of the
world's poorest Air Forces still use piton-engined aircraft in a
combat role as of 2003. These Air Forces are largely African, South
American, and Asian.
For example you have the Brazilian Tucano/Super Tucano/ALX which still
flies drug interdiction and has fired on Columbian drug runners both
in the air and ground in recent years. The aircraft carry gun pods,
rockets, and home-made Piranha aams.
Second, helos are not aircraft... they are rotorcraft! Sheesh...

Rob

Turboprops do not have pistons.

Helicopters are definitely aircraft, according to every dictionary
that I have.

Al Minyard

My bad, Al. However, for the reason stated in the first paragraph of
my post I still think it is an idiotic question. There are plenty of
true piston-engined a/c in the inventories of the world's AFs that are
still used in the strike mission primarily.
Second, the helicopter is an aircraft by basic definition; however,
most of the military encyclopedias I have been accustomed to further
classify these aircraft as rotorcraft. I think it's pretty common
sense to make a distinction between a helicopter and other "aircraft".
BTW, rotorcraft include: helicopters, gyrocopters, coleopters, etc...
My apologies to the original poster.