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Additional Information on Fulton Recovery System
I normally try to avoid crossposting, but am sending
this to three related and relevant newsgroups. (and plan on later sending most of it, to 3 others) Not very long ago on one of these groups, I read an interesting discussion on the Fulton STAR System. Background - the Fulton system was an "interesting" plan/device to extract an individual. Individual on the ground or in the water could secure himself in a harness, harness secured to stretchable rope/cord/cable, cord lifted into air by 'weather' type balloon, plane with 'wiskers/forks' and special grabing apparatus would fly by and snag (hit cord below baloon and over extractee), person would go whooosh up, and be recovered by plane crew. Shown in movie Thunderball by a B-17, and in fair number of other movies. Later and totally unrelated, I was reading in book "Fighting Dirty" by Peter Harclerode, and came upon what I think was interesting information in the chapter on "Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos 54-71". "Assigned solely to SOG, the 90th SOS's MC-130s were also fitted with the Fulton --- designed to permit the aerial retrieval of downed aircrew from the ground." ---- "The system was proven, having been used by the CIA during several operations in other parts of the world ---" But as for these BRIGHT LIGHT MISSIONS in Vietnam etc., "Although a number of such rescues of pilots were attempted by the 90th SOS Blackbirds, none were successful as on each occasion, enemy troops, guided to the pilot's location by the baloon, arrived before he could be snatched to safety." Clasify under, "Seemed like a good idea at the time!" |
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Additional Information on Fulton Recovery System
The common pickup aircraft was a C-130. Had cables stretched from radome to
wingtips, to keep from fouling the props. On the cable were flags for the pilot to aim between. Upon capture by the aircraft, weak link in cable would part releasing balloon. Was used by U.S. Army Special Forces in the 60's. Nice footage in the movie "The Green Berets". |
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