N/A is the main language of ATLAS IMPALA facebook group. It is a CLOSED group. There are 1,149 participants in that group. So people rank it like a Medium group. You can find this group by searching 140670189449701 on Google, Bing or Yahoo. Last update is on 2015-03-24 16:40:47.
This group is dedicated to the Impala Fighter Aircraft manufactured by Atlas Aircraft Corporation. Please share any photos and information you may have.
South Africa used its Impalas in combat against the Angolans, the Cubans and several militia movements. They typically flew at 550–650 km/h at a height of 15 m to avoid the risk of being shot down or even sighted by AA defenses. One was shot down by a SA-7, another returned with an unexploded missile (SA-7,8 or 9) in its exhaust.
The aircraft had many advantages over high performance jets. Although slower, it could operate from primitive, short airfields and strike within minutes. The South African Air Force (SAAF) used up to 6 x 120 kg or 4 x 250 kg bombs. The main armament consisted of 68 mm SNEB rocket-launchers (four x 6 or two x 18), and two 30 mm guns (with 300 rounds). These guns were the real bonus for the Impala Mk II, helping to give a superior performance compared to the two-seat versions. The latter could carry a pair of 30 mm DEFA guns in under-wing pods. However, the dual capability as trainer-attackers was better appreciated, as was the availability of six hard points and so dual-seat versions were the most produced. Six squadrons were equipped with the Impala Mk. II in the SAAF during the 1970s and 1980s. The situation over Angola and Namibia in 1987 and 1988 was such that the Impalas were withdrawn from the front line, leaving the work to Mirages and Buccaneers.
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