Refueling Basket (current) dimensions???

[Citation3]

I'm looking to build a display with a Super Hornet refueling. Can anyone here give me the rough dimensions of the basket so I can scale it down.

Also, if anyone has a close up of the basket taken from the cockpit I would really appreciate your time and effort to post it. If not, I'm sure I can track one down online.

Thanks for your time.

 

[NavAir42]

That do it for you? (Note- not taken by me)

 

[Col Angus]

27 inches

 

[Flash]

I think this would give you a pretty good idea of the size compared to the F/A-18D, I imagine you could get a good estimate of the size since it is a side view.

 

[yodaears]

I think this would give you a pretty good idea of the size compared to the F/A-18D, I imagine you could get a good estimate of the size since it is a side view.

Thread jack. Anyone know what is going on in this pic? Some kind of auto-pilot formation?

 

[Catmando]

Actually, the "apparent" size of the basket varies greatly.... Depending on the smoothness and experience of the stick.

 

[TopShot]

Thread jack. Anyone know what is going on in this pic? Some kind of auto-pilot formation?

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/aerial-refueling-look-ma-no-hands-03605/

Yea its an autopilot refueling test.

 

[yodaears]

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/aerial-refueling-look-ma-no-hands-03605/

Yea its an autopilot refueling test.

Cooooooooooooool.

 

[Pugs]

Photo by me. VS-24 tanker

 

[yak52driver]

I have read that when you make contact with the basket you're supposed to move forward enough to make an "S" in the hose before refueling begins. Does the "S" trigger something that allows the fuel to flow, or does it help make sure the probe doesn't slip out of the basket?

 

[A4sForever]

This is w/ a 6+ inch HUGE AMERICAN 'penis' (w/ apologies to South Park) inserted firmly in the 'basket' ... but, in all seriousness, the 'working end' of the probe is @ 12" long (ooooops ... that's what SHE said -- w/ apologies to The Office) ... so-o-o-o-o-o-o-o--ooooo ... I'm guessing the actual 'shuttlecock' (that's what we called it when we wanted to say something other than 'basket') is @ 2' across ... ???

image by A4sForever

 

[jfulginiti]

I have read that when you make contact with the basket you're supposed to move forward enough to make an "S" in the hose before refueling begins. Does the "S" trigger something that allows the fuel to flow, or does it help make sure the probe doesn't slip out of the basket?

I think you're referring to Navy/Marine jets tanking behind the KC-135... aka Iron Maiden... aka The Wrecking Ball. The hose/basket is attached to the end of the normal Air Force boom. The hose is only about 9 feet long and the basket weighs about 150 pounds. Not a lot of wiggle room so if you mess it up, it gets ugly quick. In the Prowler, we always put a horizontal S in the hose offset to the right of the boom. It didn't do anything to start/stop the fuel flow, just gave the pilot a little more room to play with while trying to stay in the basket.

If you manage to make an S in the hose while behind a KC-10, KC-130, F/A-18, or (formerly) S-3 you really screwed up and you're probably directly UNDER or NEXT TO the tanker.

I'll see if I can find a few pictures.

 

[jfulginiti]

I'll see if I can find a few pictures.

Prowler behind a KC-135.... you can see the S in the hose.

 

[jfulginiti]

Approaching the KC-135. You can kind of see how short the hose is.

 

[Catmando]

I think you're referring to Navy/Marine jets tanking behind the KC-135... aka Iron Maiden... aka The Wrecking Ball. The hose/basket is attached to the end of the normal Air Force boom. The hose is only about 9 feet long and the basket weighs about 150 pounds. Not a lot of wiggle room so if you mess it up, it gets ugly quick. ....

Correct. The KC-135 Rube Goldberg adaptation for Navy and Marine aircraft was an abomination!

Back in the day, before Navy crews could ferry F-14s to the Shah of Iran, they had to practice at the RAG, tanking KC-135s. It humiliated and pissed off many a pilot, and dented up a quite a number of RAG aircraft.

Since each F-14 had to tank 6 times on each of the two legs to Iran, the F-14s flew from the factory without refueling door panels so they wouldn't be damaged or ripped off as was common. (They were shipped separately, I believe.) Nevertheless, one of three F-14s in my flight was beat up so severely by the "Iron Maiden" - many dents and dings and a cracked canopy - it had to be repaired in Madrid before going on to Iran.

It was such a very stiff and short hose, so the needed "S" gave some bit of slack between accidentally disconnecting, and getting bashed.