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I youtubed Tomcat launches during lunch break and found this one that shows the whole process. The tailplane moved too (naturally, since they are used as ailerons too). Nice to see. I will do mine as if in the process of checking the moving surfaces for some added dynamic. I think I am catching a Tomcat fever... I mean, there is a Tomcat heading for the DCS simulator game too, and I am halfway through building the Tamiya F-14A. When I get home I´ll put on my RayBan Aviators, play some Kenny Loggins and do woooosch-sounds for sure!
 



 

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A few notes.

 

The Bravo's and Delta's were restricted from going into burner on the cat for two reasons, they would burn through the JBD and would out run the shuttle halfway down the cat stroke. (and personally, I'd rather they didn't go into burner, got tired of getting me arse fried by Alpha's when they went to burner)

 

The spoilers were primary flight controls and both sides would pop up when the wings were initially spread and the flap/slats were dropped. This was done as the bird was taxing up to the cat before it was put in kneel, after that, with the bird in kneel, only one wing would pop at a time during stick wipe out checks.

 

Also, when the bird was in tension and doing the stick wipe out, the nozzles would be closed.

 

During the wipe out the final checker would be looking for; launch bar in shuttle properly, spoilers pop, stabs rotate, rudders move in unison , nozzles puckered, no leaks, nothing has fallen off, thumbs up and hang on to the padeye.

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6 minutes ago, Solo said:

My predictions: Easter 2019.

Why?

Because I am optimist.

Hahahahahahahahahaha!!!!! I wouldn't be the least bit surprised, but figure they get it out right before the holidays. Maybe with one more pre-order circus AMK=sillyness

Edited by goondman
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2 hours ago, GW8345 said:

A few notes.

 

The Bravo's and Delta's were restricted from going into burner on the cat for two reasons, they would burn through the JBD and would out run the shuttle halfway down the cat stroke. (and personally, I'd rather they didn't go into burner, got tired of getting me arse fried by Alpha's when they went to burner)

 

The spoilers were primary flight controls and both sides would pop up when the wings were initially spread and the flap/slats were dropped. This was done as the bird was taxing up to the cat before it was put in kneel, after that, with the bird in kneel, only one wing would pop at a time during stick wipe out checks.

 

Also, when the bird was in tension and doing the stick wipe out, the nozzles would be closed.

 

During the wipe out the final checker would be looking for; launch bar in shuttle properly, spoilers pop, stabs rotate, rudders move in unison , nozzles puckered, no leaks, nothing has fallen off, thumbs up and hang on to the padeye.

 

What's the stick wipe out checks mean?

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56 minutes ago, Janissary said:

 

What's the stick wipe out checks mean?

it means cycling all the flight controls to full deflection, stick full left right back and forward. you will see the rudders do the same.

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3 hours ago, Manuel J. Armas S. said:

https://www.hobbyeasy.com/en/data/tare0bal4idjzfrztyrj.html
Maker :
AMK
Scale : 1/48
Material : Injection
Item No.# : 88007
Release Date : 2018-10-08

Relase date please…
:pray:

 

Do you have any idea how many times the date has changed? If it is released and in hand at Lucky Model or Hobby Easy on that date...I'll pay the full retail price. I'm looking more towards the holidays...especially our celebration of Baby Jesus.

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37 minutes ago, dylan said:

it means cycling all the flight controls to full deflection, stick full left right back and forward. you will see the rudders do the same.

 

Ok, Now how does a guy with an avatar of a cat wearing headphones know that? Huh?

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1 hour ago, dylan said:

it means cycling all the flight controls to full deflection, stick full left right back and forward. you will see the rudders do the same.

 

I was about to ask the same thing. Thanks Janissary!

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4 hours ago, Mr Matt Foley said:

 

Ok, Now how does a guy with an avatar of a cat wearing headphones know that? Huh?

well for starters its a kick a$$ avatar, I did stay at a holiday inn express once. and it was a common thing for the F-18's to do during a start up. I spent 5 years in the Canadian Air Force, mostly drinking Coffee but sometime doing Airframe Tech stuff.

its also standard practice for civilian pilots to do as well. but nowhere near as cool  

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3 minutes ago, dylan said:

well for starters its a kick a$$ avatar, I did stay at a holiday inn express once. and it was a common thing for the F-18's to do during a start up. I spent 5 years in the Canadian Air Force, mostly drinking Coffee but sometime doing Airframe Tech stuff.

its also standard practice for civilian pilots to do as well. but nowhere near as cool  

 

He shoots , He scores ‼️

 

 

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11 hours ago, Manuel J. Armas S. said:

https://www.hobbyeasy.com/en/data/tare0bal4idjzfrztyrj.html
Maker :
AMK
Scale : 1/48
Material : Injection
Item No.# : 88007
Release Date : 2018-10-08

Relase date please…
:pray:

Hmmmm, my birthday. Couldn't have picked a better date. Then again, , Mrs O'Leary's cow liked it too. We know how well that turned out.

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16 hours ago, GW8345 said:

A few notes.

 

The Bravo's and Delta's were restricted from going into burner on the cat for two reasons, they would burn through the JBD and would out run the shuttle halfway down the cat stroke. (and personally, I'd rather they didn't go into burner, got tired of getting me arse fried by Alpha's when they went to burner)

 

The spoilers were primary flight controls and both sides would pop up when the wings were initially spread and the flap/slats were dropped. This was done as the bird was taxing up to the cat before it was put in kneel, after that, with the bird in kneel, only one wing would pop at a time during stick wipe out checks.

 

Also, when the bird was in tension and doing the stick wipe out, the nozzles would be closed.

 

During the wipe out the final checker would be looking for; launch bar in shuttle properly, spoilers pop, stabs rotate, rudders move in unison , nozzles puckered, no leaks, nothing has fallen off, thumbs up and hang on to the padeye.

 

As usual GW does a better job explaining this stuff. It's been 30 odd years since I last worked the roof, and between the passage of time and a Tomcat related injury, my memory is not what it once was. 😉

 

I'll add one small thing - the above sequence is 100% correct for the B/D...when final checking the A, if everything in GWs post happened correctly, that was one thumb up to the shooter. Once the shooter saw that (from both final checkers, one on each side of the jet) he would signal the pilot to stage up to Zone 5 (full burner). As this happened the engine nozzles would open up. Once both engines reached zone 5, the final checkers would give a second thumbs up to the shooter. Once the shooter touched the deck it was time for the final checkers to grab a padeye and hunker down for the jet wash. Yeah it got a little warm. 😛

 

As an aside, it's pretty exciting the first time you are final checking and the bird has an afterburner blowout, haha. In VF-33 we had a bird that was so prone to that she was known as "chitty-chitty bang-bang". That bird started and ended the longest continuous sortie completion rate in the Tomcat community. We went 895 sorties before chitty-chitty bang-bang ended the streak on Cat 3 of the late great USS America. Funny how well I remember that silliness.

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27 minutes ago, CJ Martin said:

 

As usual GW does a better job explaining this stuff. It's been 30 odd years since I last worked the roof, and between the passage of time and a Tomcat related injury, my memory is not what it once was. 😉

 

I'll add one small thing - the above sequence is 100% correct for the B/D...when final checking the A, if everything in GWs post happened correctly, that was one thumb up to the shooter. Once the shooter saw that (from both final checkers, one on each side of the jet) he would signal the pilot to stage up to Zone 5 (full burner). As this happened the engine nozzles would open up. Once both engines reached zone 5, the final checkers would give a second thumbs up to the shooter. Once the shooter touched the deck it was time for the final checkers to grab a padeye and hunker down for the jet wash. Yeah it got a little warm. 😛

 

As an aside, it's pretty exciting the first time you are final checking and the bird has an afterburner blowout, haha. In VF-33 we had a bird that was so prone to that she was known as "chitty-chitty bang-bang". That bird started and ended the longest continuous sortie completion rate in the Tomcat community. We went 895 sorties before chitty-chitty bang-bang ended the streak on Cat 3 of the late great USS America. Funny how well I remember that silliness.


Comments like this makes this thread worth following!

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1 hour ago, CJ Martin said:

 

As usual GW does a better job explaining this stuff. It's been 30 odd years since I last worked the roof, and between the passage of time and a Tomcat related injury, my memory is not what it once was. 😉

 

I'll add one small thing - the above sequence is 100% correct for the B/D...when final checking the A, if everything in GWs post happened correctly, that was one thumb up to the shooter. Once the shooter saw that (from both final checkers, one on each side of the jet) he would signal the pilot to stage up to Zone 5 (full burner). As this happened the engine nozzles would open up. Once both engines reached zone 5, the final checkers would give a second thumbs up to the shooter. Once the shooter touched the deck it was time for the final checkers to grab a padeye and hunker down for the jet wash. Yeah it got a little warm. 😛

 

As an aside, it's pretty exciting the first time you are final checking and the bird has an afterburner blowout, haha. In VF-33 we had a bird that was so prone to that she was known as "chitty-chitty bang-bang". That bird started and ended the longest continuous sortie completion rate in the Tomcat community. We went 895 sorties before chitty-chitty bang-bang ended the streak on Cat 3 of the late great USS America. Funny how well I remember that silliness.

Thanks for posting information like this! While at the bench  I often play YouTube videos of Hornets and other aircraft being launched from the deck and marvel at how choreographed the process is. Most often I have no idea what the various signals are as the crew flash them so fast. Again thank you!

 

One of my favorite YouTuber's...the guy with the GoPro on his helmet runs the channel (sorry no Tomcat but cool videos nonetheless):

 

 

Regards,

Don

 

EDIT: I notice the Shooter doesn't touch the deck anymore in his videos before pointing/flashing the thumbs up...new practice?

Edited by Don
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