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Hi ,

 

I have a question concerning the AIM-54 pallet used for the F-14.

 

I just gazed at someones Tamiya 1/48 build and the wing root assembly fits perfect. It's an impressive model kit.

 

Now I checked the AIM-54 pallet and the real thing shows some sort of cushion or retractable part which holds the missile in place (?).

 

Was this the case of the C-type only?

 

AIM54_pallet_zpsazh9fboj.jpg

 

 

X_zpsrdvga3az.jpg

 

 

 

Duncan

Edited by cag_200
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For the belly stations, the weapons rail is lowered down onto the missile and mechanically latched. Then the rail is cranked back up. The umbilical that connects the missile to the jet is engaged on the side of the rail, that's the only "retractable" part. There isn't any "cushion", not sure why you would think that.

 

FWIW, it was possible to accidentally drop one on deck - happened here at Pax while I was on active duty. It was common back then to load the jets the night before (these were inert/blue tube missiles, not live rounds) and then prior to flight install the Cartridge Actuation Devices (CADs) which were used to blow the stores off in an emergency. Early that next morning an ordnanceman went out to the jet (SD 202 IIRC) to install the CADs. This guy was not a Fleet Tomcat ordie (strike one), went out there solo (strike two) and did not have/use the proper checklist (strike three). He put a speedhandle in the rail and though he was unlocking the rail so he could crank it down installed the CAD. Instead, he unlocked the weapon hooks. The missile released and nearly took off his feet. The radome shattered all over the flight line and the weapon split in two right where the fins connect. As you can imagine, a major shoot show commenced. I had performed and signed off the release and control checks the day before so our Ordie Chief came and grabbed me and together we went out to the jet. The Ordie Chief was a Tomcat guy and knew his stuff. As soon as we got out to the flight line we noticed that power was not applied to the jet, in fact the power cord wasn't even connected. That pretty much ruled out my systems or responsibility. Once the rest of the facts came to light, the ordie that dropped the missile ended up losing a stripe over it.

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Yeah, looking at the pictures closer, I have no idea what those are. Never saw anything like that in the Fleet or when I was at Pax. Might be something after my time as I got out in '91.

 

As far as what is hanging on station 1B in the first picture, that's this:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIM-152_AAAM

 

China Lake bird, prototype missile shape. Probably just for fit check purposes but may have flown captive carry. That would have been a bit unusual as we usually did the captive carries and initial weapon separation work here at Pax, not at China Lake. The aircraft in the picture does not appear to be configured for weapon separation work as there are no photometric marks (those black/white circular symbols seen on some Pax jets) so I suspect this is just ground testing. 

Edited by CJ Martin
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Those aren't cushions, merely shadows on the first one and in the second one you are seeing Station 6R Weapons Rail (Pallet).

 

There was never any cushions between the Phoenix and the Rail, the clearance between the two though was extremely tight, only about an 1/8 of an inch or so.

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