Ian Cooper Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 A cry for help guys ..... I'm part way through building an A-7D in two tone gray (OH) ANG colours and want to load it with two GBU-16s (Mk 84 Paveways) and 2 AIM-9Ps. Could anyone help me with references for about the mid-1980s for such a load out please? Ideally I'd like to do the GBU-16s in training round colours (i.e. green with blue central section). If the GBU-16s are training rounds, presumably any AIM-9s would be training rounds too? Can any of you knowledgable ARCers help me out with this please? If the load-out I've mentioned is a big "no-no", do let me know. I've taken it from the Warplane magazine which detailed such a load-out as "A-7D ANG 'smart' bombing. Thanks in anticipation .... Ian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Murph Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 If the GBU-16s are training rounds, presumably any AIM-9s would be training rounds too? Almost certainly. Regards, Murph Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joe Hegedus Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 A cry for help guys .....I'm part way through building an A-7D in two tone gray (OH) ANG colours and want to load it with two GBU-16s (Mk 84 Paveways) and 2 AIM-9Ps. Could anyone help me with references for about the mid-1980s for such a load out please? Ideally I'd like to do the GBU-16s in training round colours (i.e. green with blue central section). If the GBU-16s are training rounds, presumably any AIM-9s would be training rounds too? Can any of you knowledgable ARCers help me out with this please? If the load-out I've mentioned is a big "no-no", do let me know. I've taken it from the Warplane magazine which detailed such a load-out as "A-7D ANG 'smart' bombing. Thanks in anticipation .... Ian First, A-7Ds in the mid 80s would not use GBU-16, which is a USN/USMC 1000lb LGB based on the MK-83 warhead. GBU-10 is the 2000 lb, MK-84-based LGB. For that time period, the guidance section and fins would most likely be OD, and the bomb body itself could be either FS35109 blue, or OD green with a blue stripe (which might have been covered by the adapter for the guidance kit and not visible). I wouldn't expect to see live missiles carried with inert LGBs, so the AIM-9 would likely be inert, also. Not really much reason to carry more than one CATM-9, as the only reason would be to have the seeker to provide feedback to the pilot if he was in the launch envelope. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Reddog Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 What Joe said but to add, all of the inert Mk 80 Series bombs I have seen the Air Force use have been green with one blue strip on the nose. The guidance section would cover that blue strip and the bomb would be of NTP (Non-Thermally Protected) type, ie, no rough surface. The guidance and tail fin (Airfoil Group - AFG) would be green but a slightly different shade. HTH Reddog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joe Hegedus Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 What Joe said but to add, all of the inert Mk 80 Series bombs I have seen the Air Force use have been green with one blue strip on the nose. The guidance section would cover that blue strip and the bomb would be of NTP (Non-Thermally Protected) type, ie, no rough surface. The guidance and tail fin (Airfoil Group - AFG) would be green but a slightly different shade. HTH Reddog Interesting. So, once the AF builds up a GBU with a MK-80 series bomb body, there's not really any way to tell if it's live or inert? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Reddog Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 They may paint a blue stripe around the nose once it's built up but I'm not sure. I haven't seen too many "all blue" Mk 80 Series Inerts used by the Air Force, with the exception of the BDU-45. Most of the inert bombs I've seen the A/F use where green NTP with a single blue stipe on the nose. We need one of the A/F munitions guys to check in here, they would have better info then me, I'm going off limit expereince with A/F ordnance. Reddog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mrvark Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 The ground load trainers were typically OD with a blue band, but the band was placed farther aft than normal so you could tell if it was live or inert. For a bomb to be dropped in training, the whole body was 35109 blue, usually faded (at least on one side). I'm not sure if they were inert filled Mk 84s or a variant of the BDU-56 cement shape. The basic BDU-56/B lacked the capability to mount nose fuzes and presumably guidance kits. However, the similar BDU-50 500-lb practice bomb came in both the /B and A/B flavors, with the latter capable of fitting guidance kits and nose fuzes.) What I can say for sure is that I dropped a bunch of inert GBU-10s in my time and the warheads were overall blue. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ian Cooper Posted January 5, 2010 Author Share Posted January 5, 2010 (edited) Wow. Thanks for the replies and information guys. You've helped me avoid making the mistake of an unrealistic load-out on my A-7D (in the A7/F8 Group Build) OK - so I'm looking at the big GBU-10s (Mark 84s). I've got these from the Hasegawa weapons kit ... From what Joe has said, I can paint the guidance (fin) sections in Olive Drab and the main body that nice Blue colour. Anybody have a reference photo or drawing I could use? Failing that - anyone know who on the ARC is one of those "A/F munitions guys" Reddog has referred to? Maybe I could PM them and beg for help! Cheers Ian Edited January 5, 2010 by Ian Cooper Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Reddog Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 Contact mrvark, he's the Air Force weapons expert, he made the post right above yours. Reddog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ian Cooper Posted January 5, 2010 Author Share Posted January 5, 2010 Contact mrvark, he's the Air Force weapons expert, he made the post right above yours.Reddog Thanks Reddog. I know where to come when I get to the USN aircraft in my stash! Cheers! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
scotthldr Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 (edited) They would be very similiar to this HTH Scott Edited January 5, 2010 by scotthldr Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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