Air-to-Air Missile performance (including Blue on Blue)

[HeyJoe]

That LOOKS like a CATM. The lau 7's on the Hornet are notorious for shedding stuff if not inspected between every flight (or properly preflighted for that matter).

That picture was taken before we took CATMs to sea. There is also a detent that keeps the Sidewinder from moving forward. It retracts when weapon is selected. If you land without deselecting it (some ircraft are different, but that is what bit more than a few A-7 drivers) there is nothing from keeping the Sidewinder from continuing forward. I saw my first one in 83 timeframe when Flag staff 0-6 bagged an A-7 ride. Oops, there went a brand new AIM-9L that was scarce to be had at the time.

 

[Single Seat]

That picture was taken before we took CATMs to sea. There is also a detent that keeps the Sidewinder from moving forward. It retracts when weapon is selected. If you land without deselecting it (some ircraft are different, but that is what bit more than a few A-7 drivers) there is nothing from keeping the Sidewinder from continuing forward. I saw my first one in 83 timeframe when Flag staff 0-6 bagged an A-7 ride. Oops, there went a brand new AIM-9L that was scarce to be had at the time.

Eh, whats $100 grand among friends.

:icon_zbee

 

[HeyJoe]

Eh, whats $100 grand among friends.

:icon_zbee

A heater went for approx $85K in then year dollars, but would be about that now. 9X goes for a bit more, but it delivers a lot more.

 

[MasterBates]

I thought Hellfires were expensive!

 

[Catmando]

I thought Hellfires were expensive!

Try the Phoenix missile... a million buck$ a copy back in the day.

Fired a great number of AIM-9's and many AIM-7's in training, but not those AIM-54 million dollar babies.

Once had a rookie ordie doing stray voltage checks on the flight deck, and accidently hosed off a Sidewinder accross the flight deck. Fortunately it missed everything and went in the water. We were all in the RR just below it, watching a movie. Unbelievable how loud it was! Stopped the movie. Sounded like a freight train just above your head!

 

[A4sForever]

....our CAG ... was hit by a careening A-6 into the pack that had lost a main on landing in the wire.....

Was that like: OCT/NOV/DEC '72???

 

[Single Seat]

A heater went for approx $85K in then year dollars, but would be about that now. 9X goes for a bit more, but it delivers a lot more.

Oh yes. Yes it does. Flown with it, love it. One of my previous Skippers was the project manager for it at China Lake. Had all kinds of awesome propaganda/video's of the thing.

 

[Mumbles]

I hope aim-9x really negates the aa-11 advantage in a knife fight for you fighter guys....sounds like it does. They've been talking about putting it on subs for an anti helo/anti boghammer weapon for a while.

 

[ea6bflyr]

....our CAG ... was hit by a careening A-6 into the pack that had lost a main on landing in the wire.....

Was that like: OCT/NOV/DEC '72???

Soundslike the incident on the Ranger early 90's where the A-6 truss broke.

-ea6bflyr

 

[Catmando]

Was that like: OCT/NOV/DEC '72???

Yes. VA-115 onboard Midway, 1972. I don't know the exact month.

 

[A4sForever]

Yes. VA-115 onboard Midway, 1972. I don't know the exact month.

Yeah, I can't remember the month, just the event ... bad day. Thanks, Compadre.

 

[Catmando]

Yeah, I can't remember the month, just the event ... bad day. Thanks, Compadre.

Yes, a real bad day.

A little more research shows it was 24 Oct. Four men on the flight deck were killed, and Ltjg Bixel (whom I believe was the B/N) was lost at sea. And many more deck and flight crew were severely injured.

Fortunately, the crash truck was rolling even before the A-6 finally stopped. A big flash of fire was immediately smothered by them, or it would have been much worse. One aircraft was knocked overboard, and at least one or two more later had to be pushed overboard. Missiles, bombs, and injured bodies scattered all over the deck. Both airwing and HC-7 SAR helo's did a masterful job of medevacing the many wounded to Da Nang and saved a few lives.

The crash was a mechanical failure, and not the pilot's fault.

About a decade later, a very similar accident involving an A-6 occurred on the East Coast down by Rosie Roads, I believe.

 

[HeyJoe]

I hope aim-9x really negates the aa-11 advantage in a knife fight for you fighter guys....sounds like it does. They've been talking about putting it on subs for an anti helo/anti boghammer weapon for a while.

That was the driver for the requirement after the Soviets handily went from a generation behind to a genration ahead in SRM capability circa 1985.

 

[Pags]

Eh, whats $100 grand among friends.

:icon_zbee

Even Sparrows are expensive....as I found out...the hard way.

 

[MasterBates]

Do tell.