wolfik Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 hi all flew the bombcat with dumb bombs during the OEF, OIF ? thanks for any help Quote Link to post Share on other sites
phantom Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 (edited) Might have been a very rare occasion. But its a good guess most of all US bombing missions involved smart weapons. Edited January 27, 2013 by phantom Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pete Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 Arabian Gulf (Nov. 8, 2004) - Aviation Ordnancemen assigned to the Jolly Rogers of Fighter Squadron One Zero Three (VF-103), load Mk-83 1,000 pound general purpose bombs fitted with proximity-fuzes on an F-14B Tomcat aboard the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67). Carrier Air Wing Seventeen (CVW-17) aircraft aboard Kennedy are supporting ground troops in Fallujah, Iraq. Proximity-fuzed bombs are used against targets such as troops in trenches, radars, trucks, and other vehicles. Kennedy and embarked CVW-17 are currently on deployment in the 5th Fleet area of responsibility in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Joshua Karsten (RELEASED) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wolfik Posted January 27, 2013 Author Share Posted January 27, 2013 thanks very very much. the photo helps me to add details to the academy parts. thanks Quote Link to post Share on other sites
EX_Birdgunner Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 wolfik, I am glad you asked the question as I was wondering the same thing. I love the pic provided above as I am in the middle of doing a VF-103 bird but since I have no LANTIRN pod to put on it I was going to load it out as a purely Air-to-Air platform. If I don't need the LANTIRN pod for dumb bombs I might change that plan. Does anyone know if Bombcats flew without the LANTIRN pod when carrying dumb bombs? Denis Quote Link to post Share on other sites
VFA-103guy Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 (edited) wolfik, I am glad you asked the question as I was wondering the same thing. I love the pic provided above as I am in the middle of doing a VF-103 bird but since I have no LANTIRN pod to put on it I was going to load it out as a purely Air-to-Air platform. If I don't need the LANTIRN pod for dumb bombs I might change that plan. Does anyone know if Bombcats flew without the LANTIRN pod when carrying dumb bombs? Denis This all depends on what time frame you're building your VF-103 tomcat from. Early VF-103 cats from about 96 to about 98 were rarely loaded with LTS because it was still new to the fleet. If you're doing any of the jets from 2002 through to the last cruise, LTS (aka LANTIRN) was attached to the jets. They did drop MK-20 Rockeyes and MK-83's during their COMP2EX, but typical loadouts during the combat cruise were 2 GBU-12's but I think on rare occasion MK-83's were loaded. Here's a pic of Vic 100 from the 2004 COMP2EX with the MK-20's being loaded. Here's one of Vic 105 on the deck loaded with MK-83's. Edited January 28, 2013 by VFA-103guy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rocky Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 "As the needs for CAS grew in OIF, it became standard to load Mk 82 500-lb 'dumb' bombs on all the TARPS jets." Photos show a pair of low drag Mk 82s on the forward pallets with the TARPS pod in back. On March 17, 2003, a pair of TARPS equipped VF-2 F-14Ds each dropped two Mk 82s on Saddam Hussein's presidential yacht. - US Navy F-14 Tomcat units of Operation Iraqi Freedom, by Tony Holmes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.