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Since the Blackbird thread reminded me of another photo shoot, decided to relate it seperately.
Early March in 1973 a co-worker and self went TDY to Burlington VT, to photograph the GAU-8A in development. First multi-round live fire test. The beast was mounted on a 1" and 2" angle iron fixture, anchored into concrete, in a bay of the building and aimed at a Vermont hillside down range. Two 55-gallon barrels flanking it, one for ammo feed, the other for brass recovery. Corrugated roof and a very thick trolley door between it and the center of the building where the fire team was assembled. We'd set up a Nikon Ftn on a tripod with a 250 frame back and motor drive, pointed at the weapon about ten feet away with a long cable release wire running under the door. Countdown went and the THING let loose with a half-second burst. A concussive wave came from it that felt like a fifty-knot gust of wind, pinning clothing against the body. Then all heck broke loose. Sirens and red flashing lights up and down the length of the facility! A lab-coated guy came over to me and said: "Sergeant, we'd like to have the film from your camera." To which I replied: "You can't have that, it is property of the Air Force." He conferred with another technician, they then rolled the door open. The weapon was pointing STRAIGHT UP and there was a gash from the front edge of the roof to the peak, as if a giant can opener had been taken to it. I saw that first and figured I didn't have a camera to worry about. Fortunately the Nikon was unscathed. They had totally under-estimated the force the thing would put out. I imagine information began flying between G.E. and Fairchild about airframe strengthening! Photos went to DoD as raw unprocessed film, I never got to see 'em. But we did get these nifty keepsakes, now called "fridge magnets". It has lived on my various toolboxes in the intervening years, a bit the worse for wear:
View attachment 53860
The thingie in the gunsight is supposed to be a burning tank.
Early March in 1973 a co-worker and self went TDY to Burlington VT, to photograph the GAU-8A in development. First multi-round live fire test. The beast was mounted on a 1" and 2" angle iron fixture, anchored into concrete, in a bay of the building and aimed at a Vermont hillside down range. Two 55-gallon barrels flanking it, one for ammo feed, the other for brass recovery. Corrugated roof and a very thick trolley door between it and the center of the building where the fire team was assembled. We'd set up a Nikon Ftn on a tripod with a 250 frame back and motor drive, pointed at the weapon about ten feet away with a long cable release wire running under the door. Countdown went and the THING let loose with a half-second burst. A concussive wave came from it that felt like a fifty-knot gust of wind, pinning clothing against the body. Then all heck broke loose. Sirens and red flashing lights up and down the length of the facility! A lab-coated guy came over to me and said: "Sergeant, we'd like to have the film from your camera." To which I replied: "You can't have that, it is property of the Air Force." He conferred with another technician, they then rolled the door open. The weapon was pointing STRAIGHT UP and there was a gash from the front edge of the roof to the peak, as if a giant can opener had been taken to it. I saw that first and figured I didn't have a camera to worry about. Fortunately the Nikon was unscathed. They had totally under-estimated the force the thing would put out. I imagine information began flying between G.E. and Fairchild about airframe strengthening! Photos went to DoD as raw unprocessed film, I never got to see 'em. But we did get these nifty keepsakes, now called "fridge magnets". It has lived on my various toolboxes in the intervening years, a bit the worse for wear:
View attachment 53860
The thingie in the gunsight is supposed to be a burning tank.
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