LABS IP or LABS TGT: Nuclear combat, toe-to-toe with the Rooskies ...

[A4sForever]

Well, with that low-set (A4) wing , nuke or not, the space for a hefty bombload (plus tanks) and some bringback capability sorta would call for some long gear struts.

The relatively high, narrow, skinny gear were a significant problem for NUGGETs and STUDs and in reality -- any unwary or complacent Aviator -- when faced w/ a wet-runway, strong X-wind landing situation ... and many of those events resulted in off the runway excursions.

I can't remember the X-wind cut-off, but taking the field gear on a wet/strong X-wind landing was SOP. It could make life hell on those following you, so some headwork and planning was required to get all aboard ... especially when there was no other runway option available.

 

[zipmartin]

I can't remember the X-wind cut-off, but taking the field gear on a wet/strong X-wind landing was SOP. It could make life hell on those following you, so some headwork and planning was required to get all aboard ... especially when there was no other runway option available.

Max allowable crosswind component with spoilers - 25 knots
Without spoilers - 15 knots
NAVAIR 01-40AVC-1 NATOPS FLIGHT MANUAL A-4E/F

 

[Gatordev]

Aux Tanks. I actually used one once.

Okay, I mean in anger. Technically, we've all used Torps, but I'm not counting those, either.

 

[jt71582]

Are these the torps you fellas were talking about?

 

[OUSOONER]

Are these the torps you fellas were talking about?

Who's narrorating this thing? Mayor West?

 

[JIMC5499]

We trained to drop a nuclear depth charge when I was with HS-15 in the 1980's. Passing the inspection for it was part of our pre-deployment criteria. I went down to Pinecastle with a det to practice the drops. This thing didn't have a stabilizing chute, it had a full parachute, took about 3 minutes to hit the ground from release. The delivery method didn't give me a warm fuzzy feeling about our life expectancy if we ever had to drop one.

 

[VetteMuscle427]

The delivery method didn't give me a warm fuzzy feeling about our life expectancy if we ever had to drop one.

Not so much concerned about the delivery method... I'd be more concerned with what is happening in the rest of the world to warrant such a weapons use.

 

[Mumbles]

Castle Bravo, and the USSR's Tsar Bomb, the biggest yield ever...

 

[Mumbles]

Are these the torps you fellas were talking about?

There is a great, older book called "To Kill the Potemkin" about a fictional encounter between a USN Skipjack class and a Soviet Alfa...that is based on what the author surmises actually happened to the Scorpion in 1968....that the old game of cowboys and cossacks actually went real bad.

 

[Gatordev]

Castle Bravo, and the USSR's Tsar Bomb, the biggest yield ever...
MOVIES

The show that those clips are from (or at least the first one) is pretty interesting to watch. Well done and an interesting history of nuclear proliferation, but in the exciting, blowing-up kind of way. Plus it has Bill narrating it. I recommend it in HD, too.

 

[JIMC5499]

Not so much concerned about the delivery method... I'd be more concerned with what is happening in the rest of the world to warrant such a weapons use.

Since there wasn't a chance that we could get out of the blast area in time, what was happening in the rest of the world wouldn't really concern us at the time.

 

[A4sForever]

Since there wasn't a chance that we could get out of the blast area in time, what was happening in the rest of the world wouldn't really concern us at the time.

Roger that -- in point of fact, some (most) of the SIOP profiles left little doubt as to the chances of "survival" for the crews involved ...

My B/N & I devised a better plan ... we'd CAT off -- pickle off the NUKE "on safe" -- then fly by the ship and wave to the rest of the poor fools as he gave 'em a "pressed ham under glass" -- and then fly our pre-selected BINGO profile to our pre-selected tropical isle to wait out the results w/ our pre-selected tropical native "attendants" of a female persuasion ...

I could only hope they would have limes ....

 

[Mumbles]

Gator, I agree.... I think the show was called "Trinity and Beyond" on the HD network if I'm not mistaken. Those mushrooms looked damn good on my plasma. I remember watching "The Day After" and the British post-nuke holocaust movie, "Threads" as a kid, and being absolutely terrified of nuclear war.

 

[Mumbles]

I believe Heinemann designed the A-4 to be a ONE way nuke delivery vehicle.

 

[A4sForever]

I believe Heinemann designed the A-4 to be a ONE way nuke delivery vehicle.

Typical engineer -- they neglected to tell the pilots that little bit of information ...