kiowafixer Posted December 10, 2013 Share Posted December 10, 2013 Another question... When the engines are on idle would the intake ramps be in full open or in any other kind of configuration? The ramps would be fully up if they were getting ready to launch on the cat. The engines, especially the P&Ws, needed as much air as they could get at this point. During the preflight checks after engine start up the crew would preform an OBC, OnBoard Check-out. During this check the ramps would run their full travel while the engines were at idle and would end in the full up position, it was very common during that check for the P&Ws to pop and cough due to lack of air. During my time in Tomcats I had more then one pilot tell me they would launch from the carrier with the inlet control switches in "Stow." One of their biggest fears during cat shots were to suck down a ramp surface and stall an engine, the switches being in "Stow" gave all the ramp actuators a constant up signal. KiowaFixer Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mirrage Posted December 10, 2013 Author Share Posted December 10, 2013 (edited) The ramps would be fully up if they were getting ready to launch on the cat. The engines, especially the P&Ws, needed as much air as they could get at this point. During the preflight checks after engine start up the crew would preform an OBC, OnBoard Check-out. During this check the ramps would run their full travel while the engines were at idle and would end in the full up position, it was very common during that check for the P&Ws to pop and cough due to lack of air. During my time in Tomcats I had more then one pilot tell me they would launch from the carrier with the inlet control switches in "Stow." One of their biggest fears during cat shots were to suck down a ramp surface and stall an engine, the switches being in "Stow" gave all the ramp actuators a constant up signal. KiowaFixer I took my chances and glued them in the up position thinking about the need for air. Regardles that I thank you for the answer because now I am 100% sure and I can finally sleep peacefully... :lol: Edited December 10, 2013 by mirrage Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kiowafixer Posted December 11, 2013 Share Posted December 11, 2013 (edited) I took my chances and glued them in the up position thinking about the need for air. Regardles that I thank you for the answer because now I am 100% sure and I can finally sleep peacefully... :lol:/>/> Glad I could help out. For those interested in the movie "Top Gun," a former C.O. of mine, Dave "Bio" Baranek, wrote a book about his experiences in the real "Topgun" and his assistance to the production crew of the movie "Top Gun." He flew in one of the "MiG-28s" and his name can be seen in the end credits. The name of his book is "Topgun Days" and is a pretty good read for both aspects of the real "Topgun" and the movie "Top Gun." KiowaFixer Edited December 11, 2013 by kiowafixer Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mirrage Posted January 2, 2014 Author Share Posted January 2, 2014 A new question for you Tomcaters... What is the normal position of the exhaust nozzles of an F-14A during its time on the shuttle while on idle? According to what I found online they are open but I have to make sure before I glue'em. Thank you in advance! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Check Six Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 At 02:26min might answer your question: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
scotthldr Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 (edited) Came across another pic for you, is it just me or does the jet look to be rather close to JBD? http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/F-14A_VF-142_on_cat_USS_Eisenhower_%28CVN-69%29_1980.JPEG Edited January 2, 2014 by scotthldr Quote Link to post Share on other sites
habu2 Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Came across another pic for you, is it just me or does the jet look to be rather close to JBD? The catapult bar on the nose gear isn't hooked up to the cat yet so it may not be in "launch" position. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Check Six Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Looks wide open to me: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Check Six Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 (edited) The catapult bar on the nose gear isn't hooked up to the cat yet so it may not be in "launch" position. Heck; The nose gear is still extended (Up), the shuttle isn't even present, the wings are still in storage posit., and the Tomcat is waaaaay too close to the blast deflector. Also; The Yellow Shirt (A/C Director) isn't even in front of the Tomcat. Edited January 2, 2014 by Check Six Quote Link to post Share on other sites
scotthldr Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Yip I should pay more attention, thought is was the hold back bar extending from behind the nose gear but it's actually a tie down chain. It looks like it's still attached to ground/deck power as well Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Check Six Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Yip I should pay more attention, thought is was the hold back bar extending from behind the nose gear but it's actually a tie down chain. It looks like it's still attached to ground/deck power as well Here's what a break-away holdback bar looks like: And here's what it looks like hooked up to a Super Hornet: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mirrage Posted January 3, 2014 Author Share Posted January 3, 2014 Check Six the nozzles seem to be closed just before launch.Hmmm... scotthldr Nic photo.I stored it because it is exactly what I was planning to do.Although I might attach the shuttle.Will see.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Check Six Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 Check Six the nozzles seem to be closed just before launch.Hmmm... That's what I see too. Did you notice the checker in the background? As soon as the Tomcat was in full afterburner he gave the thumbs up. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mirrage Posted January 3, 2014 Author Share Posted January 3, 2014 That's what I see too. Did you notice the checker in the background? As soon as the Tomcat was in full afterburner he gave the thumbs up. No I did not but I will do now you mention it. :-) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rocky Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 The JBD couldn't be used on Cat 4 when Tomcats were on it Why is that? Was the Tomcat too long? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Check Six Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 Why is that? Was the Tomcat too long? Did you happen to read his whole post? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ventris Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 Did you happen to read his whole post? But he doesnt give a reason. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
redcorvette Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 But he doesnt give a reason. The JBD on Cat 4 was smaller due to it's proximity to the deck edge. Tomcats needed the larger water-cooled JBD's. There was an interesting tidbit in the last issue of the Hook magazine about how one of the prototype F-111B/TFX's was used to test the new water-cooled JBD design needed for the F-14 at Lakehurst. They would chain down one of the F-111B's in front of the prototype JBD's and run at full burner to see if they could melt it. Mark Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mawz Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 The JBD on Cat 4 was smaller due to it's proximity to the deck edge. Tomcats needed the larger water-cooled JBD's. There was an interesting tidbit in the last issue of the Hook magazine about how one of the prototype F-111B/TFX's was used to test the new water-cooled JBD design needed for the F-14 at Lakehurst. They would chain down one of the F-111B's in front of the prototype JBD's and run at full burner to see if they could melt it. Mark One would assume that the water-cooled JBD development was started for the F-111B/TFX, given it had the same engines as the F-14 and was even more in need of thrust. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
redcorvette Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 One would assume that the water-cooled JBD development was started for the F-111B/TFX, given it had the same engines as the F-14 and was even more in need of thrust. The tongue-in-cheek comment in the Hook article was that testing the JBD was the most useful thing the F-111B prototypes ever accomplished...;) Mark Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Check Six Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 The tongue-in-cheek comment in the Hook article was that testing the JBD was the most useful thing the F-111B prototypes ever accomplished... Mark Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gsquared Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 Looks wide open to me: this my friends look like an alert 5 bird...its setup to launch and be in the air in 5 minutes... so a pre flight already completed, an engine start and short taxi while the cat is warming up....and away they go... notice the chains by the nose gear... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
redcorvette Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 The TF-30 nozzles would be full open at idle. Obviously non going anywhere too soon since he's chained & chocked (and based on the casual body language of the deck crew). Mark Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spongebob Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 As mentioned, that's an alert bird...JBD is up because the deck isn't really spotted for engine starts - probably a helo aft of this frame so just safer for everyone/thing. Also, based on the safety chain they could have an engine running as I don't see a power cord (I believe A5 required it to be turning?). The yellow cord plugged into the nose gear well is for keeping the NAV aligned. No yellowshirt until the aircraft moves; the PC is the brownshirt forward/right of the nose. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jeff_C Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 Glad I could help out. For those interested in the movie "Top Gun," a former C.O. of mine, Dave "Bio" Baranek, wrote a book about his experiences in the real "Topgun" and his assistance to the production crew of the movie "Top Gun." He flew in one of the "MiG-28s" and his name can be seen in the end credits. The name of his book is "Topgun Days" and is a pretty good read for both aspects of the real "Topgun" and the movie "Top Gun." KiowaFixer Another good book is "The Cutting Edge", done by the guy who did most of the aerial photography for that movie - CJ "Heater" Heatley. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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