ESzczesniak Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 I was wondering if anyone could point me to some photos of VFA-151 F/A-18C's aboard the Conny for OIF. I'm building my Kinetic F/A-18C in VFA-151 low viz markings and was trying to find some pictures for combat loadouts and weathering. I'm finding a lot of photos of their E super hornets, older photo's in the 90's, or shore based. But I am not finding much on Google search from their combat deployment. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 Found a couple on the Navy site ... >>> Clicky 1 <<< >>> Clicky 2 <<< HTHs ... -Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ESzczesniak Posted April 22, 2019 Author Share Posted April 22, 2019 Thank you! I have a hard time finding specific time periods on navy.mil. Search engine seems to work well for airframes and squadrons, but hard to pick a set time. Looks like I definitely get justification to make them dirty. Now I just need to find some a good mud moving loadout. More my sort of business compared to the air-to-air loaded up with AMRAAMs. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted April 23, 2019 Share Posted April 23, 2019 I wish I found more for you but there seemed to be a lack of photos from that particular cruise. There are a few more photos of VFA-137 though. I went into the "Aircraft" album, selected the "First Page" and worked my way forward selecting "Previous". -Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Finn Posted April 23, 2019 Share Posted April 23, 2019 (edited) Try looking here: https://www.navysite.de/cruisebooks/cv64-02/index.html One pic shows a Rockeye on Stn 8 and another a Maverick being loaded. The Rockeye looks like it has propaganda leaflets in it as it only has one yellow stripe: Jari Edited April 23, 2019 by Finn Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ESzczesniak Posted April 24, 2019 Author Share Posted April 24, 2019 Thank you all for the replies. Would anyone care to hazard an interpretation as to what is on the starboard middle pylon in this picture? Left wing is a Maverick, but can't tell the right. Looks like just a single drop tank on the right inboard. I think I see an ATFLIR hanging on the intact pylon, but again, cloudy angle. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BN7149 Posted April 24, 2019 Share Posted April 24, 2019 2 hours ago, ESzczesniak said: Thank you all for the replies. Would anyone care to hazard an interpretation as to what is on the starboard middle pylon in this picture? Left wing is a Maverick, but can't tell the right. Looks like just a single drop tank on the right inboard. I think I see an ATFLIR hanging on the intact pylon, but again, cloudy angle. Kind of looks like another Maverick. It's comparable in size to the one on the left wing, and though it's distorted quite a bit by the exhaust, it seems like the fins are sticking out at similar angles. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Collin Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 Most likely a GBU-12 on the parent rack behind the heat plum. https://www.gettyimages.com/photos/uss-constellation Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GW8345 Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 Agree with Collin, AGM-65 and GBU-12 with goofy gas and an ATFLIR pod was the standard load back then. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GW8345 Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 On 4/22/2019 at 9:59 PM, Finn said: These are PDU-5/B Leaflet Bombs, introduced winter of 2002/03. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ESzczesniak Posted April 25, 2019 Author Share Posted April 25, 2019 (edited) Thank Collin and GW8345. The photo GW linked has the centerline fuel tank on, but the link of navy.mil for the VFA-151 bird off the cat seems to have an empty centerline station. Is this possible/reasonable? It's not a great camera angle admittedly to determine that. I thought they almost always loaded goofy double fuel tank, not just a single starboard tank. Edited April 25, 2019 by ESzczesniak Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Collin Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, ESzczesniak said: Thank Collin and GW8345. The photo GW linked has the centerline fuel tank on, but the link of navy.mil for the VFA-151 bird off the cat seems to have an empty centerline station. Is this possible/reasonable? It's not a great camera angle admittedly to determine that. I thought they almost always loaded goofy double fuel tank, not just a single starboard tank. I never ever saw in my airwing a Hornet without two or more tanks. Slick Hornets for airshows, but ANY Ops off the boat had two tanks minimum. Cheers Collin Edited April 26, 2019 by Collin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ESzczesniak Posted April 25, 2019 Author Share Posted April 25, 2019 13 minutes ago, Collin said: I never ever saw in my airwing a Hornet without two or more tanks. Slick Hornets for airshiws, but ANY Ops off the boat had two tanks minimum. Cheers Collin Thank you! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Collin Posted April 26, 2019 Share Posted April 26, 2019 (edited) https://nara.getarchive.net/media/a-us-navy-fa-18c-hornet-receives-fuel-from-an-aerial-tanker-via-drogue-at-dusk-f1f2ad http://www.airfighters.com/photo/10512/M/USA-Navy/McDonnell-Douglas-F-A-18C-Hornet/164675/ https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/97/US_Navy_050327-N-6694B-001_An_F-A-18C_Hornet_rolls_into_a_turn_while_flying_a_combat_mission_over_Iraq.jpg i love this early war loadout: https://nara.getarchive.net/media/a-us-navy-usn-fa-18c-hornet-aircraft-assigned-to-strike-fighter-squadron-one-afea19 Edited April 26, 2019 by Collin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ESzczesniak Posted April 26, 2019 Author Share Posted April 26, 2019 2 hours ago, Collin said: https://nara.getarchive.net/media/a-us-navy-fa-18c-hornet-receives-fuel-from-an-aerial-tanker-via-drogue-at-dusk-f1f2ad http://www.airfighters.com/photo/10512/M/USA-Navy/McDonnell-Douglas-F-A-18C-Hornet/164675/ https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/97/US_Navy_050327-N-6694B-001_An_F-A-18C_Hornet_rolls_into_a_turn_while_flying_a_combat_mission_over_Iraq.jpg i love this early war loadout: https://nara.getarchive.net/media/a-us-navy-usn-fa-18c-hornet-aircraft-assigned-to-strike-fighter-squadron-one-afea19 Thank you again! Think I'll be doing the goofy tanks, ATFLIR, GBU-12, and likely AGM-65 (but I've liked the couple with the GBU-38 instead). Any sense as to weather or not Hornets of this time frame would have the dual chaff dispensors on the intake? I think that's the last option I need to pick out on the Kinetic Hornet. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GW8345 Posted April 26, 2019 Share Posted April 26, 2019 25 minutes ago, ESzczesniak said: Thank you again! Think I'll be doing the goofy tanks, ATFLIR, GBU-12, and likely AGM-65 (but I've liked the couple with the GBU-38 instead). Any sense as to weather or not Hornets of this time frame would have the dual chaff dispensors on the intake? I think that's the last option I need to pick out on the Kinetic Hornet. Depending on time frame you are doing would depend on GBU-38's being loaded, they did not get cleared on the F-18C/D until some time between 2005 and 2007. (they are not in the 2005 TACMAN but are in the first NATIP edition published in 2007) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ESzczesniak Posted April 26, 2019 Author Share Posted April 26, 2019 15 minutes ago, GW8345 said: Depending on time frame you are doing would depend on GBU-38's being loaded, they did not get cleared on the F-18C/D until some time between 2005 and 2007. (they are not in the 2005 TACMAN but are in the first NATIP edition published in 2007) Understood, no GBU-38 then (2002-2003 time frame with VFA-151 for me). Now I just need to figure out the single vs double chaff/flare dispensers on the intake. Otherwise she’s just about ready for paint. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Collin Posted April 26, 2019 Share Posted April 26, 2019 6 hours ago, ESzczesniak said: Thank you again! Think I'll be doing the goofy tanks, ATFLIR, GBU-12, and likely AGM-65 (but I've liked the couple with the GBU-38 instead). Any sense as to weather or not Hornets of this time frame would have the dual chaff dispensors on the intake? I think that's the last option I need to pick out on the Kinetic Hornet. GBU-12/AGM-65E and two tanks was your typical loadout that still allowed fuel for recovery. Make sure your Maverick is a laser variant. Clear nose, “LASER” wording on the nose. https://images.app.goo.gl/p9X843rN6PNxRQbdA How was the Kinetic Hornet to build? I have heard the nose can be a challenge. Cheers Collin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GW8345 Posted April 26, 2019 Share Posted April 26, 2019 6 hours ago, ESzczesniak said: Understood, no GBU-38 then (2002-2003 time frame with VFA-151 for me). Now I just need to figure out the single vs double chaff/flare dispensers on the intake. Otherwise she’s just about ready for paint. Single chaff dispenser. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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