F-4J RIO Cockpit Clarified, a little

[BillS]

I just downloaded an F-4J NATOPS. For non-ex mil guys, NATOPS is the USN/USMC technical manual system. In the USAF we had T.O.s or Technical Orders. In USAF parlance, the pilot's TO was called a "Dash 1". The navy guys I was around referred to their pilot's manual  simply as NATOPS. Anyway, I just downloaded the F-4J NATOPS and researched the RIO's cockpit. Bureau numbers 153071x thru 158354as had the radar control stick mounted on the right and basically had the F-4B style rear main panel "before AFC 506" . BNs 158355at and up had the center mounted controller. The question remains when AFC 506 was accomplished. I'm not sure what AFC means but I think it's equivalent to what the USAF calls a TCTO or Time Change Technical Order, in other words, a modification small or large.  

Edited December 16, 2016 by BillS

[Neeko]

AFC is an "Airframes Change", which is a change of configuration to the aircraft. It could be airframe-related, or it could be the addition of a system or a capability. In this instance, AFC-506 was a change in the Radar that had an effect on where the radar control stick went. AFCs happen retroactively to aircraft, so again in this instance once AFC-506 was performed on F-4B BuNo 153702, it now had the configuration with the relocated radar control stick.

 

I don't want to get too picky here, but the NATOPS manuals are actually the Navy's operator manuals for its aircraft. Navy technical (maintenance) manuals fall under a different authority and are cataloged differently when compared to the NATOPS. 

Edited December 16, 2016 by Neeko

[jpk]

On ‎12‎/‎15‎/‎2016 at 8:10 PM, BillS said:

I just downloaded an F-4J NATOPS. For non-ex mil guys, NATOPS is the USN/USMC technical manual system. In the USAF we had T.O.s or Technical Orders. In USAF parlance, the pilot's TO was called a "Dash 1". The navy guys I was around referred to their pilot's manual  simply as NATOPS. Anyway, I just downloaded the F-4J NATOPS and researched the RIO's cockpit. Bureau numbers 153071x thru 158354as had the radar control stick mounted on the right and basically had the F-4B style rear main panel "before AFC 506" . BNs 158355at and up had the center mounted controller. The question remains when AFC 506 was accomplished. I'm not sure what AFC means but I think it's equivalent to what the USAF calls a TCTO or Time Change Technical Order, in other words, a modification small or large.  

To my knowledge no F-4N's had a center console controller for their radar. It retained the lower right hand location of the B. All F-4N's were updated B's There were no new build N's. The controller moved to the center console with the new build F-4J's. The J's had a completely new radar system. 

[Grey Ghost 531]

15 hours ago, jpk said:

To my knowledge no F-4N's had a center console controller for their radar. It retained the lower right hand location of the B. All F-4N's were updated B's There were no new build N's. The controller moved to the center console with the new build F-4J's. The J's had a completely new radar system. 

The RIO scope was mounted in what we called, "the pedestal". It was just a hollow box that the scope slid into angled about 10 degrees toward the seat. The 'scope was rectangular, about 8x10 inches and maybe 20 inches to 2 feet tall with the actual display flat on the front face so it was angled 10 degrees from horizontal toward the RIO (by the angle of the pedestal). The face of it was just above knee level. The plugs were in the bottom of the 'scope and when you slid it down into the pedestal they'd mate with jacks that were mounted to the cockpit floor inside the pedestal. The radar hand controller was mounted to a base on the lower right side of the instrument panel and would retract upon ejection so it wouldn't take off the RIO's right knee. The J's RIO scope was in a more elaborate pedestal that had room in front of the scope for the hand controller.

 

The F-4N had the same APQ-72/APA-170 radar system that the B had, it was rewired but I don' think it was substantially upgraded. It was almost completely a vacuum tube set. The J had the AWG10 system which was more, but not completely solid state. The F-4S, I think, had the radar upgraded to some degree as they called the system the AWG-10A or "alpha". I didn't work on them so I don't know for sure. I never saw a J or S that didn't have the hand controller on the 'scope pedestal though. My time frame was '77-'82.

 

Another note, the F-4C radar was almost exactly the same as a B/N system. I worked on those in the Hawaii ANG and they were just about identical. Same test equipment too. Ds were almost the same but they had some modifications for better air to ground attack.