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Seahawk,
Actually both Herks and Hornets were doing it in 04 and 05 also. The Lawn Dart (I mean Harrier) spent most of their time up in the holding pattern and are far more vulnerable to manpads, small arms and small birds.
In the hills it is a matter of fuel, and luck. Who can hang around. I remember the 1st time I suckered a big engined Tomcat into a low level fight over Korea to use the hills. Use to be get them tochase on down, they lost mucho energy, reverse and finish. This time, down ridge cross kind of a pylon turn and look back to ensure he has unloaded and finished. He is falling back but not very quickly and has a better fuel fraction, lucky draw.
There are different tactics than using the gun on a helo. Actually a Herk can turn inside of any of the teen series. Watch a good Herk driver pull back the inside engine and give a little bottom rudder and see him gain in a circle fight. One of the better ones was the USAF aggressors out of Nellis, had only fought straight trash hauling Herks and w/10,000’ hard deck. Basically crew put a video camera on the dash and was bounced while low with the Viper coming from high 0800. By one turn the Herk had gained and was at the Viper’s 0800.
FOG
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