Exgbuloader Posted December 28, 2018 Share Posted December 28, 2018 Hello everyone, I am building the Revell 1/32 F-4E from Clark AFB circa late 80s to early 90s. Does anyone know if this base had a nuclear commitment and if so, which station was the B-61 cleared for and/or carried on? Thanks everyone. Pat Green, Quote Link to post Share on other sites
11bee Posted December 28, 2018 Share Posted December 28, 2018 15 hours ago, Exgbuloader said: Hello everyone, I am building the Revell 1/32 F-4E from Clark AFB circa late 80s to early 90s. Does anyone know if this base had a nuclear commitment and if so, which station was the B-61 cleared for and/or carried on? Thanks everyone. Pat Green, Thought the only nukes stored in the Pacific (at least on foreign soil) were in S Korea? Only pics I've seen of F-4's with this weapon show them to be on the centerline but that's not to say the two inner pylons weren't wired for nukes, I have no idea. Regardless, not to say that Clark F-4's didn't stand alert at another base. Good luck with your project! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Whiskey Posted December 28, 2018 Share Posted December 28, 2018 Although it does not state (or at least I didn't see it) what kind of nuclear weapons they were, Clark AFB did have 140 nukes from 1974-1976. http://oldsite.nautilus.org/archives/library/security/foia/taiwphil.html Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Exgbuloader Posted December 28, 2018 Author Share Posted December 28, 2018 Thanks for the responses so far guys, I am not sure what their commitment was at home station but I would fathom a guess that they would stand armed watch at other bases. When I was stationed in Spain, we had two squadrons that rotated to Turkey and stood armed with special weapons. I am still, researching the Clark F-4E's complete roll while there. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Murph Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 The preferred station was the fuselage centerline. If that wasn't used then the inboard pylons would carry it, usually the left one. Regards, Murph Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Exgbuloader Posted December 29, 2018 Author Share Posted December 29, 2018 Thanks Murph. I think if I do go with the nuke loadout, I will probably put it on the left inboard and centerline fuel tank as well as outboard fuel tanks with 4XAIM-7s and 2XAIM-9 on the right inboard unless AIM-9s could be used as well with the B-61 under them. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Murph Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 1 hour ago, Exgbuloader said: Thanks Murph. I think if I do go with the nuke loadout, I will probably put it on the left inboard and centerline fuel tank as well as outboard fuel tanks with 4XAIM-7s and 2XAIM-9 on the right inboard unless AIM-9s could be used as well with the B-61 under them. From talking to people that sat "Zulu Alert" in the bad old days of the Cold War, most pilots assumed they would have a reduced air to air missile load, or none at all. The going in assumption was that a conventional conflict would precede resorting to nukes and that stocks of missiles would be severely depleted by that point. Also, as has been pointed out in many a publication, some of the routes were one way trips due to fuel considerations, which was another reason not to load them up for air to air. Regards, Murph Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Exgbuloader Posted December 29, 2018 Author Share Posted December 29, 2018 Murph, Good point, the only reason I was goung with full missile loadout was because I used to work on F-16s and our nuke alert birds were fulky loaded even with an ECM pod and four air yo air missiles. I would love to see a real photo of an F-4E loaded with a B-61. I remember seeinf one from Ramstein but cannot find it again. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Murph Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 24 minutes ago, Exgbuloader said: I would love to see a real photo of an F-4E loaded with a B-61. I remember seeinf one from Ramstein but cannot find it again. Check this previous ARC thread LINK for a training shape loaded on the centerline. Regards, Murph Quote Link to post Share on other sites
avnav Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 A minor point but the correct nomenclature for the nuke is B61, not B-61. The B-61 designation would be for an airplane. For example, a B57 is a small tactical nuke and B-57 is the Martin Canberra bomber. There are a few Victor Alert Phantom photos out there. I saw one photo on Facebook some time ago that has an F-4D with two B28s loaded, one in each inboard pylon. Another I found that has a B61 on the centerline, two 370s and no missiles. I have no idea where or when these were taken, nor who the photographer was. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Exgbuloader Posted January 4, 2019 Author Share Posted January 4, 2019 Thanks AVNAV, yeah I know the designation system, I still use the designation system from weapons loading checklists I used for 22 years. Hard to break old habits on that. I am still trying to find more info on Clark's nuclear comittment but probably going to settle on a nuke on the centerline and call it a day. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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