cag_200 Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 (edited) Hello, I would like to know what the most realistic option is for 2x LAU-10 and 2x LAU-3 attached to a TER (F-4J VMFA-232 1967). A) 1x LAU-10 and 1x LAU-3 (inboard) on same TER. B) 2x LAU-10 on right TER and 2x LAU-3 on left TER. Both TER's will have a LAU-33 and a single AIM-9B (outboard portside). Rgds, Duncan Edited September 12, 2018 by cag_200 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Finn Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 Hi Duncan, although the squadron did get the F-4J in 1967, they didn't deploy to Vietnam until 1969 with them, only for a few months before returning in 1972. As for the load, i don't think they would have a mix load on the i/b pylons, the rockets have different delivery methods so the crew have to know which side had which rockets. It is possible to have Zunis on the i/b TERS and TERs on the o/b pylons with the LAU-3s. Also unless you have photographic evidence of AIM-9 and LAU-33 on the same pylon it's best to have the LAU-33 on one side of the a/c and the AIM-9 on the other i/b pylon because in the heat of battle there is a good chance of firing the AIM-9 as i think it automatically steps to the next launcher when one is fired. Meaning when the LAU-33 Zunis are fired the firing sequence switches to the next launcher and if an AIM-9 is on it, it gets launched. Jari Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mizar Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 (edited) Something like this?If you manage to find them Fox One decals had a clear explanation about those loadouts and for what I remember they only carrier a couple of Sparrow in the real wells http://www.veteran.com/files/images/22-VMFA-232 Refuel.jpg Edited April 18, 2017 by Mizar Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Finn Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 The file here: https://www.vietnam.ttu.edu/virtualarchive/items.php?item=1201089021 click on the PDF icon to open it and it gives you the a/c numbers they got when they went to the J. Jari Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Finn Posted April 19, 2017 Share Posted April 19, 2017 There is an interesting load here: https://www.vietnam.ttu.edu/virtualarchive/items.php?item=1201089029 scroll down to the bottom for a photocopied pic of Zunis on LAU-33s, MK-82s (two with fuze extenders) on the i/b pylon TERS and MERS with 2 Rockeyes on the o/b pylons. Jari Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cag_200 Posted April 19, 2017 Author Share Posted April 19, 2017 Thank you Guys! The picture (photocopied pic of Zunis on LAU-33s, MK-82s (two with fuze extenders) on the i/b pylon TERS and MERS with 2 Rockeyes on the o/b pylons) inspires me ;) White radome and shows the red devil on the air intake splitter which decal i have. I will use 3 napalm cannisters (centerline MER). I might use 3 Mk. 82's for the left TER and leave out the AIM-9B. Rgds, Duncan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cag_200 Posted September 10, 2018 Author Share Posted September 10, 2018 (edited) A very small picture of the F-4J I am working on... A couple of questions I have to ask one of you: -When did the F-4J used green tinted windscreen glass? During Vietnam? -I am building VMFA-232, was does WT stand for? Is it a name of a naval (marines) base? ---? The codes are squadron specific? - The mk82 with long fuse, is it used for medium height? What is the purpose of this long fuse? TIA Duncan Edited September 10, 2018 by cag_200 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Darren Roberts Posted September 10, 2018 Share Posted September 10, 2018 I don't know the Marine designations as well as I do the Navy ones, but I'm going to guess that the W designates the squadron as a west coast (Pacific) squadron and the T is the specific squadron, in this case VMF-232. That's different from the Navy where the N prefix designates a west coast (Pacific) squadron and second letter designates the air wing that the squadron is attached to. For example, NE would be CVW-2, and there would be a number of squadron that were part of CVW-2, all having the NE tail code. When a Marine squadron deploys to the boat, they usually take on the CVW's tail code for the cruise. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rex Posted September 10, 2018 Share Posted September 10, 2018 As Darren says, at the time that codes were assigned, WT stood for VMFA-232. During the early years, some squadrons got new codes if they switched coasts. Then the Navy gave up on that, and no matter where a squadron went, the unit kept their codes. Marines deployed with both types of codes when they went on carriers, most of the time they matched the Code of the Navy air wing they were attached to,,,,,but, sometimes they just kept their own codes for the deployment on the ship. (and in at least two cases, they switched codes about halfway through the cruise, from USMC codes to USN CVW codes.) The only "base specific" tail codes were back in the reserve days before the Reserve Air Wings were formed. At that time, the Marines at Glenview used 5V and the Navy used 7V,,,,the V stood for Glenview NAS,,,,,,then the codes got combined no matter if USMC or Navy (or those aircraft shared by both, but assigned to the base) The fuse extenders were so that the bomb would explode above the ground on impact, instead of burying the nose in the ground first,,,,,,,this was to create more shrapnel and was more effective against troops and trucks, etc. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rex Posted September 10, 2018 Share Posted September 10, 2018 Oh and the general rule was not " A on the east coast and N on west" or "C on the east and W for the west for the Marines" It was "A to M" on the east, and "N to Z" on the west, and applied to all USN/USMC squadrons, except for the "7V", "7A", etc type of squadrons, and the Training units (2A, 2B, etc),,,,for those, we had to just know which number and letter was assigned to which airbase/airfield/air station. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cag_200 Posted September 11, 2018 Author Share Posted September 11, 2018 Interesting news, Thank you Guys for writing. Makes more sense to me now. The F-4s WV, WV...east coast. The CVW / aka base specific. But why extended? https://www.quora.com/How-do-impact-fuses-on-bombs-work ;) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Finn Posted September 11, 2018 Share Posted September 11, 2018 As mentioned so the bomb explodes above ground, if a non extended bomb fuze makes contact with the ground, the ground will absorb most of the blast reducing the effect. Of course there are times when they want to make holes in the ground, roadways, runways, etc and once they started coming out with radar fuzes which could be set to explode various heights above ground then fuze extenders went out of favour. Jari Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cag_200 Posted September 12, 2018 Author Share Posted September 12, 2018 (edited) Hi, but why the use of this extended metal tube? I read something about vibrations/pressure which set the fuze to go off in the air (above ground). So, this kind of bomb should be dropped at high-pass speed, low attitude? The Tail Retarding Device will slow it down travelling towards ground target. The metal extended tube....must have effect on the fuze to go off? Internet: Developed for United States military forces in the 1950s, it was first used during the Vietnam War. The bomb consists of a cast steel case with 96 lb (44 kg) of Composition H6, Minol or Tritonal explosive. The power of the Mk 81 was found to be inadequate for U.S. military tactical use, and it was quickly discontinued, although license-built copies or duplicates of this weapon remain in service with various other nations. Mark 81 Snakeye fitted with a Mark 14 TRD (Tail Retarding Device) to increase the bomb's drag after release. The bomb's increased air-time, coupled with its (relatively) forgiving safe drop envelope, allowed for very low-level bombing runs at slower speed. Used commonly in the close air support role in Vietnam (prior to wider availability of GBU-series precision ordnance). Nicknamed "snake", as in the typical Vietnam support loadout of "snake and nape" (250-lb. Mk-81 Snakeye bombs and 500-lb. M-47 napalm canisters). hmm...why the purpose?? - internet: steel casing with a unitary "cast ductile iron" warhead and reconfigured burst height The BLU-82 produces an overpressure of 1,000 pounds per square inch (psi) (7 MPa or 70 kg/cm²) near ground zero, tapering off as distance increases. It is detonated just above ground by a 38-inch (970 mm) fuze extender. This results in a maximum destruction at ground level without digging a crater. Edited September 12, 2018 by cag_200 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cag_200 Posted September 12, 2018 Author Share Posted September 12, 2018 (edited) Is this pylon (top one) from an F-4 or F-105? I came across an old spare part... I want to use the Eduard Brassin MER, for a 1/72 F-4J LATE Vietnam era. If not, how does a center pylon looks like used on a F-4J? Edited September 12, 2018 by cag_200 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cag_200 Posted September 12, 2018 Author Share Posted September 12, 2018 WT 18 loadout is: 2 x AIM-7s, 4x LAU-10, 2x twin shot zuni, 2 fuel tanks, one centerline MER with 3x snake eye mk15 extended fuse bombs. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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