*White* Helicopters??!!!

Russian *White* helicopters, the analog to our ubiquitous,
yet never confirmed "black helicopters"?

A couple days ago the news mentioned Russians rescuing some
Russian (??) scientists at an Antarctic station. I think
the ice had broken loose from the continent.

Some video of the rescue showed the helicopters to be white
in color! I thought to myself that this is a rather
unusual color scheme for arctic work, where orange is more
typically applied.

Knowing the Russian penchant for secrecy and varying degrees
of paranoia, is this an actual official color scheme for an
arctic based chopper, or one dragged up for other purposes
being locally used?

Perhaps white helicopters from the former Nazi secret Antarctic
submarine base??!!!


SMH

"Stephen Harding" wrote in message
...
Russian *White* helicopters, the analog to our ubiquitous,
yet never confirmed "black helicopters"?

A couple days ago the news mentioned Russians rescuing some
Russian (??) scientists at an Antarctic station. I think
the ice had broken loose from the continent.

Some video of the rescue showed the helicopters to be white
in color! I thought to myself that this is a rather
unusual color scheme for arctic work, where orange is more
typically applied.

Knowing the Russian penchant for secrecy and varying degrees
of paranoia, is this an actual official color scheme for an
arctic based chopper, or one dragged up for other purposes
being locally used?

Perhaps white helicopters from the former Nazi secret Antarctic
submarine base??!!!

Interestingly enough, and in all seriousness, the US Army once experamented
with the "white helicopter" bit. Rather stupidly, too. When my brother was
flying dustoff in Vietnam, some underemployed staffer got the bright idea
that if they painted the medevac birds white, then maybe the NVA would stop
shooting at them so much. It was not a very popular move with the crews, who
promptly labled them as "White Elephants". For good reason the idea did not
catch on beyond a couple of trial versions--one of which flew into a
mountainside with the loss of the crew. My brother was selected to
investigate the mishap, and in one of those strange twists of fate the world
sometimes tosses at us, during his review of the crew records found that the
crew chief on that bird was born in the same very small western North
Carolina town that he himself had been born in. Years later when I was in
the area I called my brother and got the guys name, then after a quick check
in the phone book ended up talking to one of his cousins; turned out his
parents were still alive but not in good health, so I didn't bother them but
the cousin said she'd stop by and tell them their son had not been
forgotten. Went over to the local courthouse and found the guy's name on the
county war memorial on the front lawn.

Brooks



SMH

Kevin Brooks wrote:


Interestingly enough, and in all seriousness, the US Army once experamented
with the "white helicopter" bit. Rather stupidly, too

SMH


IIRC: Air America flew "White helicopters" in SEA. as well..

"John" wrote in message
...

Kevin Brooks wrote:


Interestingly enough, and in all seriousness, the US Army once
experamented
with the "white helicopter" bit. Rather stupidly, too

SMH


IIRC: Air America flew "White helicopters" in SEA. as well..

Close to it. From what I have seen they tended more towards the natural
metal, though there is a replica AA Huey with predominant white surfaces.
The White Elephants were all white. You can see a photo of an AA Huey at:

http://airwarvietnam.com/Bell%20UH-1...eSheet10. jpg

You can see a photo of a White Elephant at:

http://www.dustoff.org/photo/images/Huey1.jpg

Brooks

In article ,
Stephen Harding wrote:

Russian *White* helicopters, the analog to our ubiquitous,
yet never confirmed "black helicopters"?

Black "camouflage" doesn't really work that well at night. Medium gray
is much better.

Not to mention the pink ones (pink camouflage works quite well in many
situations).

--
cirby at cfl.rr.com

Remember: Objects in rearview mirror may be hallucinations.
Slam on brakes accordingly.

"Kevin Brooks" wrote:


"Stephen Harding" wrote:

Russian *White* helicopters, the analog to our ubiquitous,
yet never confirmed "black helicopters"?

A couple days ago the news mentioned Russians rescuing some
Russian (??) scientists at an Antarctic station. I think
the ice had broken loose from the continent.

Some video of the rescue showed the helicopters to be white
in color! I thought to myself that this is a rather
unusual color scheme for arctic work, where orange is more
typically applied.

Knowing the Russian penchant for secrecy and varying degrees
of paranoia, is this an actual official color scheme for an
arctic based chopper, or one dragged up for other purposes
being locally used?

Perhaps white helicopters from the former Nazi secret Antarctic
submarine base??!!!

Interestingly enough, and in all seriousness, the US Army once experamented
with the "white helicopter" bit. Rather stupidly, too. When my brother was
flying dustoff in Vietnam, some underemployed staffer got the bright idea
that if they painted the medevac birds white, then maybe the NVA would stop
shooting at them so much. It was not a very popular move with the crews, who
promptly labled them as "White Elephants". For good reason the idea did not
catch on beyond a couple of trial versions--one of which flew into a
mountainside with the loss of the crew. My brother was selected to
investigate the mishap, and in one of those strange twists of fate the world
sometimes tosses at us, during his review of the crew records found that the
crew chief on that bird was born in the same very small western North
Carolina town that he himself had been born in. Years later when I was in
the area I called my brother and got the guys name, then after a quick check
in the phone book ended up talking to one of his cousins; turned out his
parents were still alive but not in good health, so I didn't bother them but
the cousin said she'd stop by and tell them their son had not been
forgotten. Went over to the local courthouse and found the guy's name on the
county war memorial on the front lawn.

Brooks

I'm touched - no lie.

Grantland

(I also see several feasible derogatory comebacks.. heh)

Chad Irby wrote:




Not to mention the pink ones (pink camouflage works quite well in many
situations).



I'm almost afraid to ask... ;)

"David Windhorst" wrote in message
...


Chad Irby wrote:




Not to mention the pink ones (pink camouflage works quite well in many
situations).



I'm almost afraid to ask... ;)

Pink is a pretty good shade for desert camouflage. IIRC, shades approaching
pink were even included in the UD desert BDU pattern (the one that
immediately followed the "chocolate chip" pattern).

Brooks

In article ,
David Windhorst wrote:

Chad Irby wrote:


Not to mention the pink ones (pink camouflage works quite well in many
situations).

I'm almost afraid to ask... ;)

Well, for ships there's "Mountbatten Pink."

http://www.shipcamouflage.com/3_2.htm

Then there's the SAS "Pink Panther" desert camo:

http://www.landroverclub.net/Club/HTML/Pink_panther.htm

Funny things happen when you start looking at how to hide things. Like
putting lights on them (light up a plane a certain amount during the day
or dusk, and contrast goes away).

--
cirby at cfl.rr.com

Remember: Objects in rearview mirror may be hallucinations.
Slam on brakes accordingly.

Stephen Harding wrote in message ...
Russian *White* helicopters, the analog to our ubiquitous,
yet never confirmed "black helicopters"?

A couple days ago the news mentioned Russians rescuing some
Russian (??) scientists at an Antarctic station. I think
the ice had broken loose from the continent.

Some video of the rescue showed the helicopters to be white
in color! I thought to myself that this is a rather
unusual color scheme for arctic work, where orange is more
typically applied.

The RNZAF used to have a detachment of 4 Hueys in East Timor as part
of the UN mission. Normally UN choppers are white (with a big "UN" on
the side), but due to the constant cycling of individual machines
through the detachment and the costs of repainting them, we were only
required to keep two deployed choppers in the 'right' colours. However
occasionally a white chopper (with the "UN" painted over) would be
used within NZ. Year before last an early snowstorm saw our Hueys
being used to distribute feed to stock in the snow-covered high
country - including at least one white one seen on TV.

So maybe the unit they came from has been on UN (or maybe NATO in
Kosovo?) duties somewhere, and not repainted?

Cheers, Errol Cavit
"You should never bet against anything in science at odds of more than
about 10^12 to 1." Attributed to Ernest Rutherford.