And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
The early A-6A's had them there. Evidently they didn't work too well, or worked too well. In any case, the designers moved them out to the wingtips and disabled the mechanism on all the rest of the production run. Good bird; it would carry it's own weight in fuel and ordinance.
Called a probe. It's used in the probe and drogue refueling method adopted by Navy/Marine and some helicopters. Air Force mainly uses the flying boom and receptacle method. The boom is steered by an operator. Look it up online, it's interesting.
Ahh the irony of an attack aircraft with no forward firing gun. Sweet machine even if it looks for all the world like a pregnant guppy. And that "snorkle" thingy is for aerial refueling.
When I was working Joint service targeting and weaponeering, the A-6 was always my preferred platform for absolutely, positively, needs bombing situations. My second choice was the F-111. Back when the planes and crews had to be smart since we had primarily dumb bombs.
"Fighter pilots make movies. Bomber pilots make history." - every bomber pilot since Billy Mitchell, and Flight Of The Intruder(1991) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvyBrX1eK4I&t=10s
I've always wondered if those speed brakes were usable, just behind the exhaust? (16 years in helos)
ReplyDeleteThe early A-6A's had them there. Evidently they didn't work too well, or worked too well. In any case, the designers moved them out to the wingtips and disabled the mechanism on all the rest of the production run.
DeleteGood bird; it would carry it's own weight in fuel and ordinance.
what are the "snorkle" things ?
ReplyDeleteCalled a probe. It's used in the probe and drogue refueling method adopted by Navy/Marine and some helicopters. Air Force mainly uses the flying boom and receptacle method. The boom is steered by an operator. Look it up online, it's interesting.
DeleteAhh the irony of an attack aircraft with no forward firing gun. Sweet machine even if it looks for all the world like a pregnant guppy. And that "snorkle" thingy is for aerial refueling.
ReplyDeleteThe Iron Tadpole.
DeleteI've always liked the look of the A-6.
ReplyDeleteGood plane, eh appearance. There is a reason why one of its nicknames is the Tadpole.
ReplyDeleteGood ship. All weather attack. Will drop bombs on you, rain or shine!
ReplyDeleteBuilt them with a monstrous center strut from wing to wing, made them almost indestructible from vibration and stress cracking.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was working Joint service targeting and weaponeering, the A-6 was always my preferred platform for absolutely, positively, needs bombing situations. My second choice was the F-111. Back when the planes and crews had to be smart since we had primarily dumb bombs.
ReplyDeleteBest flight time of my life! - VMA(AW)-332 B/N
ReplyDelete"Fighter pilots make movies. Bomber pilots make history." - every bomber pilot since Billy Mitchell, and Flight Of The Intruder(1991)
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvyBrX1eK4I&t=10s
Excellent movie, took me a while to find a decent copy of it.
DeleteMovie's nowhere near as good as the book.
DeleteThe book is much better
DeleteI'll take "Things That Fly & Drop Boom Boom" for $1000, Alex.
ReplyDelete