Article Source: AVGEEKERY.COM
On July 8th 1991, a US Navy Grumman E-2C Hawk-eye early warning and control aircraft was shot down by a US Navy McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet approximately 40 miles southeast of Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
The Hornet utilized its M61A1 20 millimeter Vulcan cannon to splash the Hawkeye. There were no casualties.
The Hawkeye, belonging to Carrier Early Warning Squadron (VAW-122) Steel-jaws, experienced an in-flight fire in its starboard side Allison T-56-A427 turboprop engine nacelle during a routine monitoring mission while assigned to Carrier Air Wing SIX (CVW-6) aboard the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal (CVA-59).
Forrestal was in the area as part of the forces committed to Operation Provide Comfort.
The aircraft’s on-board fire suppression systems were unable to extinguish the fire. With few options available to them and the Hawkeye’s crew in grave danger, a decision had to be made quickly.
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The Hawkeye, AKA Hummer, carried a crew of five- pilot and copilot along with three systems operators/controllers.
Knowing that the aircraft was not recoverable and fearing that the E-2C might fly into a populated area before coming down on its own, the aircraft commander ordered the crew to exit the aircraft and they did so via parachute.
Then a VFA-132 Privateers F/A-18C Hornet gunned the Hawkeye down. All five crew members were rescued with no significant injuries by HS-15 Red Lions Sikorsky SH-3H Sea King helos from the Forrestal and by the Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Yorktown (CG-48).
During this, Forrestal’s final combat deployment, CVW-6 consisted of VF-11 Red Rippers and VF-31 Tomcatters flying the Grumman F-14A Tomcat, VFA-132 Privateers and VFA-137 Kestrels flying the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet, VA-176 Thunderbolts flying the Grumman A-6E Intruder, VAW-122 Steeljaws flying the Grumman E-2C Hawkeye, VAQ-133 Wizards flying the Grumman EA-6B Prowler, VS-28 Gamblers flying the Lockheed S-3B Viking, and HS-15 Red Lions flying the Sikorsky SH-3H Sea King. The deployment began on May 30th 1991 and concluded on December 21st 1991.
