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.
I used to do this for a living (pilot) 30 years ago. We had to watch a long video of these types of accidents, but it never happened to me. Accidents are much more rare now.
Back in the early 1970's, when the F-14's were being evaluated something similar to this happened out of Miramar. Front latch hung and missile went into the aircraft.
It's am F-111 jettisoning a 600 gallon external tank from the left wing. There were 8 external tank mounting points on F-111s, four on each wing, and none on the C/L. The two inboard pylon mounts rotated with the wings via an internal wing draglink mechanism. The two outer pylons were fixed. At takeoff the wings were full forward, and those two outer tanks were actually pointed toward the fuselage. Obviously that was not very aerodynamic, so the aircrew would sweep the wings back to 27.5 degrees and the two outer tanks would be in line,or paralel to, the fuselage. I worked on F-111A, E, & EF-111As for ttwelve years, and never saw an F-111 loaded with all 8 pylon fuel tanks. Infact, only one time with a drop tank on each wing. I never saw the outer two pylon attachments used. Perhaps this was an FB-111G, or the Aussie F-111C both with slightly longer wings (5 slats and flaps -vs- typical wing with only 4 slats and flaps.
That's why China Lake drops every piece of ordnance multiple times in every possible combination of speed, angle of attack, altitude etc before a weapon or fuel tank is cleared for service. In "Thud Ridge" (a good read) the author mentions that the F105 drop tank could strike the wing or horizontal stabilizer. Al_in_Ottawa
I am a bit surprised that the bomber did not at least "flinch" when it got hit.
ReplyDeleteI used to do this for a living (pilot) 30 years ago. We had to watch a long video of these types of accidents, but it never happened to me. Accidents are much more rare now.
ReplyDeleteBack in the early 1970's, when the F-14's were being evaluated something similar to this happened out of Miramar. Front latch hung and missile went into the aircraft.
ReplyDeleteOne of the few times a pilot has shot down his own plane while flying it.
ReplyDeleteA kill is a kill!
DeleteAnyone know what two crafts these are (were)???
ReplyDeleteI believe this is an FB-111 Aardvark and it looks like they jettisoned the center fuel tank.
DeleteBayouwulf
Pilot should have turned away, slowly so as to not roil the air. Looks to be an F-111, but I do not know the missile. Quite the embarrassing mishap...
ReplyDeleteBeen There
ReplyDeleteI watched a toob about something like this and why modern jets have to push ordinance away.
ReplyDeleteBecause unlike WWII planes, jets go fast enough to basically suck them back if if they just rely on gravity.
It's am F-111 jettisoning a 600 gallon external tank from the left wing. There were 8 external tank mounting points on F-111s, four on each wing, and none on the C/L. The two inboard pylon mounts rotated with the wings via an internal wing draglink mechanism. The two outer pylons were fixed. At takeoff the wings were full forward, and those two outer tanks were actually pointed toward the fuselage. Obviously that was not very aerodynamic, so the aircrew would sweep the wings back to 27.5 degrees and the two outer tanks would be in line,or paralel to, the fuselage. I worked on F-111A, E, & EF-111As for ttwelve years, and never saw an F-111 loaded with all 8 pylon fuel tanks. Infact, only one time with a drop tank on each wing. I never saw the outer two pylon attachments used. Perhaps this was an FB-111G, or the Aussie F-111C both with slightly longer wings (5 slats and flaps -vs- typical wing with only 4 slats and flaps.
ReplyDeleteThat's why China Lake drops every piece of ordnance multiple times in every possible combination of speed, angle of attack, altitude etc before a weapon or fuel tank is cleared for service.
ReplyDeleteIn "Thud Ridge" (a good read) the author mentions that the F105 drop tank could strike the wing or horizontal stabilizer.
Al_in_Ottawa