Good Morning Gentle Readers,
UPDATE: This is a very popular post and I have received countless hits and countless emails directing me to the exact link I posted in the story below. I make no representation about Ms Dobos except that she is the Air Force's first female aerial gunner and that she was trained as a gunner on an HH-60. Stevie's insistence notwithstanding, I concur that this photo was likely taken in the doorway of an HH-60. However, the Vulcan in her hot little hands was also used extensively on AC-130's, many of which were painted olive drab. Therein lies the confusion I believe. Many of the unverified claims that I expressly disclaimed (referenced below) have been found in emails circulating in the US.
There are those men who find scantily clad women posing with dangerous looking weapons to be alluring. I'm not on that boat.
Roberto, OTOH, prefers his women posing with WMD's.
Vanessa Dobos is reportedly a gunner on a USAF AC-130 gunship and has seen action in Iraq and Afghanistan. She even likes walking on the beach, guys who aren’t afraid to cry, and puppies.
Disclaimer: TWC cannot verify that Dobos has seen action (shaddup, I mean combat action), if she likes puppies and the beach, or if she is actually a gunner on an AC-130. She was, however, trained as a gunner on an HH-60 and is the Air Force's first female aerial gunner. In this photo, taken August 7, 2002 at Kirtland AFB, it's likely that she's posing in the door of an HH-60 and not an AC-130. Stevie Crown would know.
UPDATE: Stevie Crown says:
The cute young lady in uniform is indeed posing inside an AC-130 SPECTRE Gunship. A 20mm Vulcan Cannon is beside her. I used to work aboard those aircraft during the war. They have awesome firepower!
This is a very cool video of an AC-130 dropping decoy flares (angel wings) the purpose of which is to screw with enemy heat seeking missiles.
In another life, I plunked my girlfriend's little boy into the pilot's seat of a KC-130 transport aircraft at MCAS El Toro. Made his day.
Don't Shoot Me I'm Just The Piano Player Regards,
TWC
tip of the glass to RM in MA who says you have got to love a woman who has her priorities straight!
