Lebanon Air Force re-invents UH-1 Huey as bomber ... for Nahr-el-Bared

Via FasterTimes, in the DewLine, here

"... The Lebanese military resorted to the "Huey bomber" idea after a failed attempt to restore Hawker Hunter jets to flying status. Lebanon's Hunters have been parked for more than 20 years since being crippled during Lebanon's long civil war ending in 1990.

In May, 2007, fighting erupted between Lebanese troops and Fatah al-Islam militants barricaded inside Naher Al Bared, a populous Palestinian refugee camp. The siege dragged on for three months, killing 130 people and wounding more than 1,500.....

Lacking proper bomb-dropping aircraft, Lebanese officers hatched a plan to modify the Huey with a bomb release system. The modifications fitted a mix of bombs, ranging from 50kg to 400kg. The air force also calculated the precise envelope required to hit targets within a minimum range for accuracy.

The release envelope for the UH-1 bomber release was extremely tight. The pilot had to fly at precisely 90kts forward air speed and above 500m (1,500ft), Yassine said. Even a slight deviation from the speed and altitude parameters could throw off accuracy by several meters, he added.

In one month, Lebanese UH-1s performed 98 bombing sorties against the Fatah al-Islam haven inside the camp. The bombing opened up paths through the rubble of the camp for Lebanese infantry and armoured units to advance, Yassine said. By 2 September, fighting inside the camp had ceased, as the last remnants of Fatah al-Islam had been killed or surrendered."