Alex.B Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 (edited) Hallo! I was surfing the net and I found this picture: So, what is the bulge on top of the wingtip? I never saw this thing before... Edited December 9, 2009 by oldcrow Quote Link to post Share on other sites
THX1138 Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Looks an awfulll lot like some dude put his hardhat/helmet there. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brian P: Fightertown Decals Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 The test birds often had camera pods like this mounted on the top/bottom of wings and on the strake. I'm guessing the picture was shot at Pt Mugu and it was VX-30's 201 jet or it's Strike's 231 D.... -brian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lock n' Load Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 This looks like the inside of a carrier... Then again i don't know Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sig Saur & Son Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 I concur with Brian, camera mod. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
xavi84 Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 This looks like the inside of a carrier...Then again i don't know it looks to me like the inside of a hanger. the lack of tie downs is a big give away Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Reddog Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 Camera mod, not on the boat (boats don't have the grounding points and (as someone stated) lack of tie down points). Also, I don't think that's 231, 231 didn't have that camera mod when it transferred out of Strike in Oct 01. Reddog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brian P: Fightertown Decals Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 I'm pretty certain it's a VX-30 jet right at the end of it's life -brian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Reddog Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 I'm pretty certain it's a VX-30 jet right at the end of it's life-brian I would agree sir. Reddog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Quixote74 Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 Just to add, the Hawkeye in the background is from VAW-112. According to the squadron history, they've been based at Point Mugu since July 98. This would definitely support the hypothesis of a weapons test camera mod on the Tomcat. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alex.B Posted December 10, 2009 Author Share Posted December 10, 2009 Also for me is an hangar and not a carrier, not only for the lack of tie-down holes, but also because the floor looks really like concrete. Camera pod.. yes probably. But now I'm thinking about the purpose of that camera. If it really was a weapons test camera... why it's on top of the wing and not underside? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 Also for me is an hangar and not a carrier, not only for the lack of tie-down holes, but also because the floor looks really like concrete.Camera pod.. yes probably. But now I'm thinking about the purpose of that camera. If it really was a weapons test camera... why it's on top of the wing and not underside? The camera is on the underside but the housing protrudes through the top so they put that blister there ... :D And yes, that's a hanger shot ... Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alex.B Posted December 10, 2009 Author Share Posted December 10, 2009 The camera is on the underside but the housing protrudes through the top so they put that blister there ... Wow... so it's a big camera! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Reddog Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 The camera may have been positioned to view the top of the wing for tests like the DFCS, to see how the spoilers acted with the new system. It is a camera housing. DFCS - Digitial Flight Control System Reddog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joe Hegedus Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 Wow... so it's a big camera! Not such a big camera; I suspect that it used a periscope lens configuration, to minimize the size of the lower bubble protruding into the airstream. That puts the camera vertically in the wing, and you still need to accomodate first the power cables that attach to the camera, and then enough space to access the power cables to attach them, be able to change the film magazine, and be able to adjust the camera settings. And from what I remember, a Tomcat's wingtip isn't very thick. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
phantom Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 Looks like a F-14 STD. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Reddog Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 It was a young Tomcat, it had a zit. Reddog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alex.B Posted December 10, 2009 Author Share Posted December 10, 2009 It was a young Tomcat, it had a zit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mhoupt Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 (edited) The test birds often had camera pods like this mounted on the top/bottom of wings and on the strake. I'm guessing the picture was shot at Pt Mugu and it was VX-30's 201 jet or it's Strike's 231 D.... -brian Probably not a carrier. There are no padeyes spaced closely together for tie down, the equipment is not tied down (which it should be when not in use on a carrier - though not always) and the drainage grate on the side by the door is not on any carrier I have been on. Mark Edited December 10, 2009 by mhoupt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John B Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 I'm pretty certain it's a VX-30 jet right at the end of it's life-brian It's the USS Seahawk and that's Harm's jet. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spongebob Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 It's the USS Seahawk and that's Harm's jet. OK..that's funny considering: 1. This is most definitely from Pt Mugu, mid 2000's based on the Golden Shower paint scheme 2. The E-2 is in the same hangar as an F-14 (opposite sides of the flight line) with missiles on racks there...looks like an AIM-54 on the one. 3. The amount of filming for JAG and The West Wing that was done in the VX-30 hangars at Pt Mugu. This isn't the E-2 Hangar...we had a bright white floor and a red stripe before the drainage grate. My bet is it's a static set up for either of those shows or some other VIP thing. Looks like they're towing the E-2 out of there (wing walker with chocks). Spongebob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brian P: Fightertown Decals Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 It very well could be JAG/NCIS episode. That missile in the upper right corner looks suspiciously like a prop I remember and I'd venture the picture itself looks like it could even be a frame grab. If it's pre-2005, I could even have been on set that day! -brian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John B Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 (edited) OK..that's funny considering:1. This is most definitely from Pt Mugu, mid 2000's based on the Golden Shower paint scheme 2. The E-2 is in the same hangar as an F-14 (opposite sides of the flight line) with missiles on racks there...looks like an AIM-54 on the one. 3. The amount of filming for JAG and The West Wing that was done in the VX-30 hangars at Pt Mugu. This isn't the E-2 Hangar...we had a bright white floor and a red stripe before the drainage grate. My bet is it's a static set up for either of those shows or some other VIP thing. Looks like they're towing the E-2 out of there (wing walker with chocks). Spongebob It very well could be JAG/NCIS episode. That missile in the upper right corner looks suspiciously like a prop I remember and I'd venture the picture itself looks like it could even be a frame grab.If it's pre-2005, I could even have been on set that day! -brian How did I know that you two would get that joke? :) As well as the "USS Seahawk", it could be "NAS Oceana", "Gitmo", or any other number of locations required by those Hollywood scriptwriters.... :) Edited December 11, 2009 by John B Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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