A-4 with AAM

[Finn]

I came across this pic:

i've seen A-4s with Sidewinders loaded operationally but never seen one with a bomb load as well.

Jari

[Stefan buysse]

i've seen A-4s with Sidewinders loaded operationally but never seen one with a bomb load as well.

Hi,

New to me too, Jari.

It looks like they're from VA-93. So they are not one of those Skyhawk squadrons that deployed in a fighter role on anti-submarine carriers.

Cheers, Stefan.

[Tailspin Turtle]

Hi,

New to me too, Jari.

It looks like they're from VA-93. So they are not one of those Skyhawk squadrons that deployed in a fighter role on anti-submarine carriers.

Cheers, Stefan.

Sidewinder or TER with another store mounted inboard?

[Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy]

Sidewinder or TER with another store mounted inboard?

...it does look a bit chunky....

[Stefan buysse]

Sidewinder or TER with another store mounted inboard?

Hi, Tommy.

A more elaborate version of what I meant is:

The only pictures I'm aware of of US Skyhawks in combat with Sidewinders loaded were of those that deployed in a fighter rôle aboard the anti-submarine carriers.

These Skyhawks came from VA-113 Det Q, VA-153 Det R, VMA-223 Det T and H&MS-15 Det N.

I know that at least some of these Skyhawks dropped quite a few bombs while deployed. But even of these Skyhawks I don't recall seeing pictures of a load-out that included both bombs and Sidewinders.

So, this VA-93 Skyhawk is the first time I see a US Skyhawk launching with bombs and Sidewinders. Kind of doing the "F/A-18 thing" :).

I didn't mention a TER, but indeed, a "TER with another store mounted inboard" is not something I can positively recall seeing.

Cheers, Stefan.

[Scooby]

Is that a picture or a painting? Looks odd.

[Darren Roberts]

Hi, Tommy.

A more elaborate version of what I meant is:

The only pictures I'm aware of of US Skyhawks in combat with Sidewinders loaded were of those that deployed in a fighter rôle aboard the anti-submarine carriers.

These Skyhawks came from VA-113 Det Q, VA-153 Det R, VMA-223 Det T and H&MS-15 Det N.

I know that at least some of these Skyhawks dropped quite a few bombs while deployed. But even of these Skyhawks I don't recall seeing pictures of a load-out that included both bombs and Sidewinders.

So, this VA-93 Skyhawk is the first time I see a US Skyhawk launching with bombs and Sidewinders. Kind of doing the "F/A-18 thing" :)/>.

I didn't mention a TER, but indeed, a "TER with another store mounted inboard" is not something I can positively recall seeing.

Cheers, Stefan.

I think Tommy was suggesting that it's not a Sidewinder, but rather a TER with some kind of ordnance mounted on the inboard section, hence the "fins" of the Sidewinder. In looking at the picture, it's very odd. The rear looks like a Sidewinder, but there seem to be no fins at the front. Also, it appears it is actually hanging on a TER. I can't imagine they would be able to launch a Sidewinder from a TER. Look how chunky everything is around the missile. That's one odd loadout. I'd love to know exactly what it is.

[Pete]

I'm getting confused here. Are we talking about the thing that definitly looks like Sidewinder under the outboard pylon? Or about the inboard pylon with the TER and the two bombs? Because that's what I'm seeing, a TER with two bombs on it, and nothing else. It may appear there's something else on the TER, but that's just the landing gear door.

[Joe Hegedus]

I agree with Pete. Station 1 has an ADU-299 adapter with a LAU-7 (or whatever the Vietnam-era equivalent is) and an AIM-9, probably a -9B I'd guess. Station 2 has a TER with 2 bombs on it. I'd guess that Station 4 has another TER with 2 more bombs. Station 5 could be another ADU/LAU/missile load, but I can't tell through the steam from the cat shot.

[Tailspin Turtle]

I was speculating about the outboard pylon, but if Joe says it's a Sidewinder, then it's a Sidewinder. (Not to mention it didn't make much sense to hang a TER out there anyway, it was only good for 500 lbs).

[Tailspin Turtle]

For more on A-4s with Sidewinders, see http://thanlont.blogspot.com/2014/04/cvs-carrier-self-defense.html

[Darren Roberts]

I know it's not, but it looks like the main gear (or wheel) is crooked. :o/>

Edited December 7, 2015 by Darren Roberts

[sundowner]

Could this be the AGM-87 Focus , a development of the AIM-9B??

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AGM-87_Focus

Edited December 8, 2015 by sundowner

[11bee]

Could this be the AGM-87 Focus , a development of the AIM-9B??

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AGM-87_Focus

Interesting. Never heard of such a thing, especially since it apparently was used operationally.

[Darren Roberts]

Wow! Good find. That's very interesting.

[Joe Hegedus]

Could this be the AGM-87 Focus , a development of the AIM-9B??

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AGM-87_Focus

Could be; I don't know how one would tell the difference from the angle of the picture (or, just by looking, if one COULD tell the difference at all). I've never seen an AGM-87 but the description has it pretty much looking like an AIM-9B.