Strange eBay Find

[MasterBates]

Once due to wrecked airframe, or ensuing FNAEB?

 

[A4sForever]

Once due to wrecked airframe, or ensuing FNAEB?

Probably BOTH. Plus, you could add temporary insanity.

Rig the Barricade!!

 

[A4sForever]

....

Note: There is no light, pesky, underpowered overachieving A-4 on those powerful 'smokers' six.

True, true, ahhhhhh, so true.

As normally, the guy who wins the "fight" gets to come into the break and land first ...

 

[jride200]

My new ride has a black and white but I hope I don't have to go to the boat with it.View attachment 4771

Is that, specifically, your new ride? I just saw a Navy F-5 at the Rockford Airfest, although it was painted differently. I can't imagine the Navy having too terribly many adversary F-5s. A hot plane for sure. I was amazed at how extremely little it was. Must be a blast to fly.

 

[FastMover]

Those F-5's must be getting on up there in hours. Anyone have an idea as to the average age of the airframes they're using now?

 

[Flugelman]

F5 Airframes

I toured VMFT-401 at Yuma a couple of years ago, courtesy of the Maint Chief. He told me that the Marines were getting planes purchased from Sweden. They had an upgraded cockpit and much lower time on the airframes.

 

[Flash]

I toured VMFT-401 at Yuma a couple of years ago, courtesy of the Maint Chief. He told me that the Marines were getting planes purchased from Sweden. They had an upgraded cockpit and much lower time on the airframes.

Actually they are from Switzerland (both start with Sw, are 'neutral' and are in Europe so not that much different.....).

The Swiss cut back the number of F-5's they had in their Air Force considerably and sold some back to us and are leasing some to Austria. The Swiss F-5's were apparently very well maintained (what do expect from the best watchmakers in the world?) and have a lot of hours left on them. One of the 'new' F-5's was on blocks when we took a Prowler down to St Augustine to get rewinged. She was there to get 'reworked' before she was sent to one of the VFC's or VMFT-401. Smaller than I expected, but a very nice looking bird though......

 

[brownshoe]

And both were just hot, greasy, dirty places that the pilot had to stick his head into and pretend to "really" be looking for something on preflight. You were basically just looking for leaks in a "leaky" place ....

In hundreds (maybe a couple thousand?? ) preflights on the A-4, I never did see anything worthy of maintenance other than one hydraulic leak ... however I did bang my head a few times and get grease and hydraulic fluid on a couple of ball caps ...

Yes true not much up there to see, but (sigh) it was on the checklist. However I could see if you were a 'weenie' or not… The “G” meter was up there Not to mention you could carry an overnight bag up there From time to time I also found a few bottles of alcoholic beverages stowed up there from Mexico after a Yuma Det. (I’d smuggle them into the hanger from the pits, for a small fee of course. All arranged before the flight.)

Steve

 

[Flugelman]

Swiss F5s

Actually they are from Switzerland (both start with Sw, are 'neutral' and are in Europe so not that much different.....).

You are correct, my mistake... I've got a mind like a steel trap... Rusty with little bits of blood and hair around it.

In my defense, the conversation was a couple of years ago and I've slept since then. Thanks for the correction.