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Newsgroups: alt.government.abuse,alt.conspiracy,alt.fan.rush-limbaugh,rec.aviation.military
Subject: Re: !!----->  BLACK HELICOPTER FAQ   <------!!
From: Bryan Walker <bryan@domark.com>
Date: Fri, 04 Oct 1996 10:07:49 -0500

As a former soldier and helicopter pilot, I felt compelled to respond
to this paranoid and ignorant rambling about "black" helicopters from
"Dr." Thompson.

> 2.  Well, if the black helicopters exist, where are they?<
> 
> Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, is home of the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne
> Division.<

	Having served at Fort Campbell, as well as having friends currently
serving in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, let me
clarify some of the "points" that "Dr." Thompson brought up:

	The 160th SOAR's primary mission is clandestine insertion and
extraction of Special Forces personnel.  Their mix of aircraft includes
different models of the UH-60 Blackhawk, OH-6 Cayuse, and CH-47 Chinook.
Though some of these aircraft are lightly armed, they could hardly be
called attack helicopters.  Simply put, these aircraft are not the
high-tech wonders that people think of when they hear the word "Special
Ops."  (Few things in the military are.)  

	The overwhelming majority of the aircraft the 160th fields at Fort
Campbell and Fort Stewart are painted the same dark green as regular
Army helicopters.  I've only seen one MH-6 "Little Bird" that was
actually painted black, as opposed to dozens of civilian helicopters
sporting that paint scheme.  (Obviously flown by sinister enemy agents
trying to undermine our national security...)
	 
> It is also the homebase for the 160th Special Operations Aviation
> Regiment (the 160th SOAR), known as the "Nightstalkers," whose motto
> is "Death Waits in the Dark."  Their logo is Death on horseback.<

	I know.  I have one of their top-secret T-Shirts.  They sell them at
their "Help Us Conqer the World" car-washes.

> See their logo at:  http://www.nightstalkers.com/death.htm<

	Agents of Evil with their own web page.  Now that's progress!
 
> See photos of some of their BLACK HELICOPTERS at:
> 
> http://www.nightstalkers.com/museum.htm
> http://www.dtic.mil:80/airforcelink/pa/factsheets/pictures/mh_53j.gif<

	And any issue of "Private Pilot" magazine.
 
> The color is significant because Special Operations Command gets this
> particular type of paint, called "CARC" because it avoids infra-red
> detection.  Some of the black paint is also radar absorbant.<

	The color of this IR and radar absorbent paint is makes no difference
as to its performance.  In fact, black is one of the worst colors to use
for IR absorbency, as it increases the surface temperature of the object
considerably.
 
> The Special Operations units are often involved in clandestine (and
> usually illegal) operations<

	Clandestine, yes.  Illegal, no.

>Their aircraft never have any markings on them for this reason (unless they are temporarily handpainted on in a homedone job when they are posing for TV).<

	Any civilian can view these aircraft on the ramps at Fort Campbell and
Fort Stewart.  Yes, they have markings.

> The CARC paint appears flat black.  The radar-absorbant black paint
> looks somewhat crumbly.  Both are black, however.
> 
> Other Special Operations Units have black aircraft as well.  Other
> black aircraft pictures can be seen at:
> 
> http://www.dtic.mil:80/airforcelink/pa/factsheets/pictures/ac_130h.gif
> 
> It is especially significant when a black helicopter is either a
> "Little Bird" or an "Apache."  The 160th is the only unit that flies
> the black "Little Bird" tactical chopper and black Apaches.<

	The 160th SOAR does not operate Apaches.  I can say this with
considerable confidence, as the 160th called for Apaches from the
3/227th Attack Helicopter out of Hanau, Germany to support one of their
long-range extraction missions (of an SAS unit) during Desert Storm. 
There are, however, three regular Army Apache battalions operating at
Fort Campbell.  The only "black" Apache I've ever seen was an LHX
testbed at the McDonnel Douglas factory in Mesa, AZ.  It even sported
the extra-ominious gold pinstripes down the side to strike fear into the
hearts of a helpless American populace.

>When Special Operations military is used against American Citizens on
U.S. soil, that should be cause for alarm and outrage.<

	Agreed.  If it ever happens, we promise to be outraged.

> Black little birds, flown only by the 160th Special Operations
> Aviation Regiment, were filmed by CNN, and by the FBI (we have a copy
> of the FBI tape and have widely distributed it for two years) at Waco,
> several times.<

	The DEA and ATF also operate dark blue and black helicopters, as well.
 
> Remember the government's lies that no active duty military played
> anything but a "support" role at Waco?<
> Remember Title 18, Section 1385 of the U.S. Code that makes such use
> of the Army against American citizens COMPLETELY ILLEGAL?
> Remember the women and children who came out of Waco saying that the
> helicopters had fired into their house, into the roof?
> Remember the BLACK LITTLE BIRD seen on TV in the first opening shots
> of the "three helicopters" at Waco?<

	Ah.  Given these statements, little else the good "Doctor" can say has
any legitimacy.
	
> Remember Waco II, our video,<

	NOW the motivation behind these posts becomes clearer.  Making paranoia
pay, it seems.

> The 160th is a unit specially trained to do nothing but kill.  Their
> own video, which shows their training, can be seen at the Pratt
> Museum.<

	Every combat unit in the US military is trained to do nothing but
kill.  Should that be a surprise?

> They are trained to do "urban insertion" -- parachuting from a
> helicopter while a DOOR GUNNER fires into the URBAN TARGET below as a
> "DIVERSION."  We filmed the 160th actually doing this training.<

	Urban warfare is commonly taught to regular Army units, as well.

	Given the increasing degree of lunacy that "Dr." Thompson launches into
after thse points, I see little need on debunking a diatribe that
invalidates itself so well.

	One of the more obvious questions is why any group intent on world
domination would paint their helicopters flat black and ensure they
stick out like a sore thumb, particularly now that "patriots" such as
Thompson have surmised their nefarios plans?  Why not paint their
aircraft like the average traffic helicopter and blend in?  

	(I can hear the nut-cases now:  "I was followed by the Channel 3
helicopter as I drove to work this morning!  Now that I think of it,
isn't the pilot one of them there Or-Rye-Entals??")

	On that note, I might be on to something:  Ever notice how there's a
news helicopter at EVERY major disaster?  I'm beginning to see a
pattern!!

	-BW
