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Q'ns about retired airframe

Brett327

Well-Known Member
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Thanks a lot. I have read that the most unpleasing basket belongs to KC-135. Is it 5.0 Simpson-Saffir? Does USAF Big Brother Wing tanker community really neglect NAVAIR and friendly tanking? If it doesn't, the basket could have been not so hard to deal with, I suppose
I think you have the scale backwards, Max. I'm surprised the GRU isn't more up to speed on such things.
 

Rockriver

Well-Known Member
pilot
The last one is what I meant. Imagine CAG (or shore AOC) can choose what to send to tank the legasy Hornet rookie pilot who's bingo'ing in a harsh weather. Is that possible to rank the known tankers this way? Evidently the A-7 would be the last bird to think of, right?
I'm certain CAG would send whatever tanker was on standby and ready to launch, period. If that rookie pilot's inflight refueling skills are such that different tanker platforms need to be considered, we got a problem.

That said, new guys often needed a little time to settle down and find their footing when first arriving at the boat. I once thought that the best plan for a new arrival was to maintain a low profile. I later learned that CAG, the ship's CO, the Air Boss, every LSO, and the folks down in CATCC all knew the new guys' names and were watching them closely for the first few weeks.
 

Max the Mad Russian

Hands off Ukraine! Feet too
That said, new guys often needed a little time to settle down and find their footing when first arriving at the boat

I.e. everyone could be the carrier pilot but not everyone makes through it smoothly, right?

Thanks again:D


Another "retired" question: why those USAF F-111 crews had grabbed all the glory for precise LGB hits on Iraqi targets in 1991? A-6E TRAMs were able to carry and drop LGBs as well. Maybe it is just an outcome of USAF-dominated CAOCs targets distribution? Or Ravens' targeting pod was really better?
 

ATIS

Well-Known Member
I later learned that CAG, the ship's CO, the Air Boss, every LSO, and the folks down in CATCC all knew the new guys' names and were watching them closely for the first few weeks.

Yep...If I were in CATCC for night recovery comfortably seated in the back row....I always saw CAG/DCAG look over just to nod when a newbie was coming down the chute at night. Not a ding, just a confirmation that they were being watched. It was subtle, but noticed. Of course if the newbie had trouble coming aboard...it was a race to get to the CO/XO/SDO after the recovery...but before the RR phone rang.

ATIS
 

Max the Mad Russian

Hands off Ukraine! Feet too
Gents,

Sorry for asking this but I ultimately have no clue to resolve this question basing on available sources. Namely: so was F/A-18A at its IOC any better in range than F-4J it superseded? The best I have is an opinion that yes, in a slick condition for both. Has somebody of you ever seen legacy Hornet in the air without at least one (underbelly) tank?
Similar situation was here when people jumped from MiG-21 to -29. Seasoned pilots instantly noticed that old bird had better range on inner fuel
 
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Hair Warrior

Well-Known Member
Contributor
Vacancy announcement: Action officer and aviation researcher to support the Russians. Must have AW.com login because we're too lazy to do our own research. Knowledge of retired airframes a plus.
 

Griz882

Frightening children with the Griz-O-Copter!
pilot
Contributor
Gents,

Sorry for asking this but I ultimately have no clue to resolve this question basing on available sources. Namely: so was F/A-18A at its IOC any better in range than F-4J it superseded? The best I have is an opinion that yes, in a slick condition for both. Has somebody of you ever seen legacy Hornet in the air without at least one (underbelly) tank?
Similar situation was here when people jumped from MiG-21 to -29. Seasoned pilots instantly noticed that old bird had better range on inner fuel
The F-18 didn’t supersede the F-4J, it followed the highly secret F4.5Z that included the (then) highly effectively Circle K Katzenhammer Type 17 Brazo Sierra jamming system. The greatest failure of this system is that it drove NFO’s insane after only a few weeks of operation because they (already confounded with poor eyesight) couldn’t handle large doses of the BS spectrum emitted by the 17. The result was a sudden shortage of sane NFOs in the fleet and the accompanying need to have single-seat aircraft thereby giving us the F-18A. As to your question, we would need to know if you are talking about the African Mod drop tank or the European Mod...oh and the number of coconuts the pilot has onboard.
 

Jim123

DD-214 in hand and I'm gonna party like it's 1998
pilot
The F-18 didn’t supersede the F-4J, it followed the highly secret F4.5Z that included the (then) highly effectively Circle K Katzenhammer Type 17 Brazo Sierra jamming system.
I thought the Fx.5 series were the designations given to the even-numbered series MiGs at Groom Lake?
 
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