Geez, You Guys Really Are Just Grunts.................
Recently, a Marine Corps Harrier squadron was invited to attend
the annual Air Force Red Flag exercises at Nellis Air Force
Base, NV. This is one of the USAF's big exercises, where they
test combined arms employment of tactical air assets. The USAF
F-15 pilots showed up on the ramp with dozens of rear echelon
airman types and tons of equipment such as Ground Power
Units, Accessory Power Units, Hummers, Trucks, Air Conditioners,
etc.
The Marines appeared ready to operate in a combat environment
and showed up with only their Harriers. The Air Force commander
commented to the Marine commander: "Where is all your support
stuff? Geez, you guys really are just Grunts that know how to
fly."
Not wanting to disappoint the Air Force commander, the Marine
commander got an idea of his own. He talked to his 1st Sergeant
and later that night, the 1st Sergeant had his Marines make up
bayonet studs on hose clamps. (There's a pitot tube sticking out
of the nose of a Harrier.) In the hours of darkness, the 1st
Sergeant had the clamp with the bayonet stud tightened onto the
pitot tube of each Harrier.
The next morning, the Air Force pilots fell out on the ramp in
front of their F-15s. The Marine pilots fell out on the other
side of the ramp in front of their Harriers. Each Marine pilot
had on his deuce gear with a bayonet in the scabbard. The USAF
commander ordered his pilots to "man your planes." The USAF
ground crews by the dozens scrambled to their trucks, APUs,
GPUs, etc. and the pilots ran to their planes.
The Marine commander ordered his Marines to "Fix Bayonets,"
whereupon each pilot ran to the front of his Harrier and fixed
his bayonet on the stud attached to the pitot tube. The Marine
commander then ordered "CHARGE," and the Marines jumped in their
Harriers, dusted airborne, and flew off.
The Marine commander turned to the USAF commander and said;
"This is what we Marines consider Close Air Support."
Funny story, but that's just not smart on a pitot tube... The pitot tube is connected to the aircraft's airspeed indicator, so that's how they get their airspeed reading... something happens with that, or if it comes off in flight, that could be trouble if any damage is caused...