Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="nokia_owner" data-source="post: 4494381" data-attributes="member: 27747"><p>The SLAF received the first two Shaanxi Y-8s (Antonov An-12s licence-built in China) in 1987. One of these, serialled "CR-872", was shot down on 5 July 1992 while on approach to Jaffna, killing 20 on board. The second example, "CR-871", was grounded shortly after due to technical difficulties. After losing also two HS.748 transports in spring of 1995, in emergency the SLAF loaned this Y-8 from China. The aircraft was serialled "CR-873". While some contemporary reports indicated that it was returned subsequently, it was outright purchased and continued soldiering with SLAF until crashing in a non-combat related accident, on 15 August, 2002. All the SLAF transports saw heavy service while supporting the air-bridge from Katunayake AB to Palay airfield, in the mid-1990s: they were used for hauling reinforcements and supplies to Jaffna, and evacuating casualties to such a extension that several aircraft suffered corrosion damage from blood. Also, the runway of Palay airfield saw such heavy use, that it is considered as in need of repairs already since several years<img src="http://g.imagehost.org/0661/slaf_y-8_r-873b.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p></blockquote><p></p>

Top Bottom