SCOUT712 Posted October 21, 2005 Share Posted October 21, 2005 Hi ! I am looking for someone, who can provide me some info or pictures about the so called " special weapon " adapter the 3rd TFW F-4 E's from Clark AFB used to carry underneath the inboard pylons in the late 80's, early 90's. TER's or bombs where attached to these adapters, so they were clear of the Sidewinders. Would be cool if somebody could give me some info. If somebody has some pics, please email to: F4PHANATIC@freenet.de Link to post Share on other sites
spike7451 Posted October 21, 2005 Share Posted October 21, 2005 I doubt wheather someone would be able to give you any info,especially photographs of 'special weapon' ERU's as these are, being related to Nuclear Weapons, classified bit's of kit. If this is'nt what you were referring to,apologies but 'special weapons' refers to nukes. (well,it does in the RAF!) Merv Link to post Share on other sites
SCOUT712 Posted October 21, 2005 Author Share Posted October 21, 2005 I know, that the nukes are the special weapons, but this adapter was used in the gulf war of '91 by 4 F-4 E's to suspend a single cbu-87 beneath it. Somebody told me, that the these adapters where looking almost like the AGM-78 launch rail, but I think that is way too big for a single cbu. :o Link to post Share on other sites
mungo1974 Posted October 21, 2005 Share Posted October 21, 2005 on a kinda related note if anyone has close up pics of Clark F-4E's fitted with PaveTack pods i'd love to see them Link to post Share on other sites
steamjet58 Posted October 21, 2005 Share Posted October 21, 2005 (edited) Yes the rail looks like a AGM-45 rail( http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/agm-45-2.jpg ) and may infact be one and the same .. I may have a piucture here somewhere .. I had my friends photo's from that deployment to Incirlik ( He Was a AC in the 3rd ) for some time but brought them back to him when I visited at Seymour Johnson a few years ago . They were CBU-87/B's and they were loaded by ground crew from the 20th TFW that were also deployed for Storm. The 3rd flew AAA suppression in support of the F-16's and 111's .. Pave Tack was loaded on the last day of the war. Supposed to have flown a Buddy Lasing mission to destroy some Iraqi Air Buses but the war ended before they launced. Also post Storm before returning to the states the 3rd also flew some Armed Recce missions with GBU-12's .. Some 90th TFS crew's also deployed to Shiek Isa and flew missions with the 3552nd TFS(P)... RJ PS: There is also a article in an older issue of Smoke Trails about this deployment. Edited October 21, 2005 by steamjet58 Link to post Share on other sites
SCOUT712 Posted October 22, 2005 Author Share Posted October 22, 2005 Nice ! Finally somebody who could help me. I didn't know about the recce missions. Maybe you know, if the crew's names on the canopy rails where painted over for the desert storm missions, since I was told that they where removed, due to the air force regulations in war time. But I only know about the F-4 G's of the 35th TFW, who actually complied with that order. ( I am in the process of building a modell and the AEROMASTER decal sheet "PHANTOM COLLECTION PART 1 doesn't provide the WSO's names ) Finally another question: Where any mission marks appilied to the jets for the 3 SAM suppression missions they have flown ? Thanks Link to post Share on other sites
SCOUT712 Posted October 22, 2005 Author Share Posted October 22, 2005 Just another question for streamjet58 : On the armed recce missions, did the F-4's carry 2 or 4 GBU-12 and in what configuration ? Were they carried on TER'S as slant 4 or only single GBU-12 beneath the inboard pylon, with or without the special weapon adapter ? Were winders loaded ? I know on the desert storm missions the launch rails were installed, but no AIM-9 carried. Link to post Share on other sites
siesta3 Posted October 22, 2005 Share Posted October 22, 2005 During Operation Desert Storm/Proven Force I had manage flight follow the handful of 3TFW F-4Es from Clark to Incirlik. The F-4s flew from Clark to Hickam and had some maintenance problems at Hickam and stayed over before heading to George AFB, CA. From George the crews were swapped out by pilots/wso from the NJ Air National Guard and flown to New Jersey and the Clark crews flew them to Incirlik and spares went to Spangdelham. The F-4Es were going to budy lase for the F-111Es from Upper Heyford. I also knew a WSO "Hummer" Hume who flew 6 or so missions before the war ended. The Phantom Story by Anthony M. Thornborough chronicles the handful of missions that the 3TFS flew. 90TFS F-4G crews flew from the outset of the war with the 81TFS out of Sheika Isa, Bahrain after their jets were flown to the boneyard. Link to post Share on other sites
steamjet58 Posted October 22, 2005 Share Posted October 22, 2005 (edited) Scout ... That would be TER's with 2 12's each of the shoulder stations ... Will have to check my notes and see if I have anything about the Aim-9's and if they were carried as well ... The jet's did retain there names on the cockpits the ones that had them to start with.. As well as the Gunsmoke 89 markings on 1086 ... RJ Edited October 22, 2005 by steamjet58 Link to post Share on other sites
SCOUT712 Posted October 22, 2005 Author Share Posted October 22, 2005 Streamjet58... Thank you for your help so far. I thought the slant 4 config is on bomb on the shoulder of the TER and one on the bottom of the TER ?!? And the TER's where carried under the inboard pylon, without the speacial weaon adapter ? 'Cause I have on picture with an empty TER mounted on the Adapter , as peace time load out. I guess the Pave Tack Pod was carried as well ... Do you have the WSO's name of AC-1086 by any chance ? Link to post Share on other sites
steamjet58 Posted October 22, 2005 Share Posted October 22, 2005 Yes one on the side of the TER and one on the Bottom ... Will check on the other info for you .. I have a day by day diary kept by Ltc Lightfoot during the deployment ... 1086 had a rear conopy change at Incirlick and I will check and see but believe that the name might have not been on there .. Also have some slides of the jet's arriving fresh at DM ... RJ Link to post Share on other sites
SCOUT712 Posted October 22, 2005 Author Share Posted October 22, 2005 Streamjet58... Wow I REALLY appreciate your help, I am very curious about all the info you could give me about the jet. Since it is almost done, waiting to be painted. If you ever need some Info or pics of german F-4's let me know. I am a WSO myself and happy to pay something back. Cheers Link to post Share on other sites
steamjet58 Posted October 22, 2005 Share Posted October 22, 2005 (edited) Scout ... You are building 1086 ? That is the jet my friend took to Gunsmoke 89 and had his name on it ... The name on the rear canopy before it was replaced I believe should have been Capt Mark Houtzer. I believe there may have been a problem with the camnopy seal or something like that requiring it to be replaced. This jet also flew a combat mission in the PI during the Coup Attempt in Dec 89 .... RJ PS: What JG are you in currently ? Edited October 22, 2005 by steamjet58 Link to post Share on other sites
SCOUT712 Posted October 23, 2005 Author Share Posted October 23, 2005 RJ.. 2. Staffel JG 71 " RICHTHOFEN " Link to post Share on other sites
siesta3 Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 During the coup attempt in December 89 the Clark F-4Es had flown over downtown Manila and other areas and were only armed with their 20mm. I was flying backend E-3 AWACS at the time and we also had fully armed F-15Cs from Kadena as backup. Link to post Share on other sites
steamjet58 Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 Your 2 F-4's look good Siesta ... Nice job ! RJ ;) Link to post Share on other sites
F4DPhan Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 The 3rd TFW F-4E's are a favorite of mine, especially those that went to DS. Personal correspondence with Col. Lightfoot shortly after the conflict detailed items for aircraft -1199 1. Front left canopy rail: Capt 'Shep' Sheppard 2. Rear left canopy rail: Maj 'Lightly' Lightfoot 3. Front right canopy rail: CC-SMSGT Lind 4. Rear rigth canopy rail: Asst CC- SSgt Paquett He also confirms most of what has also been stated about the ordnance; sorry, no additional info on the 'special' adapter. Jim 'Mr. Ordnance' Rotramel, where are you? Col Lightfoot confirmed: - ALQ-131(v)14 in left front well - AIM-7 in both rear wells - CBU-87 CEM, one each on inboard pylon; except, as previously noted, on the last day of the war, when 2000 lb GBU's were mounted on each inboard, but not used - and, as a bonus, the armament panel on the left intake read as: 20mm HEI AIM7F GBU23 -don't know about the last notation, but that's what he said in his letter to me! Note, of course, these are ARN-101 jets, and you can now get a resin 1/48th Pave Tack pod from Flightpath! It looks great! It is designed for the F-111 kits, but with a little work (nose cone and pylon-adapter) should work great for the F-4! HTH. Mike Link to post Share on other sites
Keith Diamond Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 As a side note, when I showed my dad the Aeromaster sheet, he mentioned that 1086 or 1099 had a lot of maintenance problems back in the 80s. I forgot which one he pointed out. He was in aircraft maintenance back when we lived there from 84-88. Link to post Share on other sites
SCOUT712 Posted October 28, 2005 Author Share Posted October 28, 2005 HI ! Nice to get so much response for my question, keep it up, I am interested in about anything concerning the CLARK F-4's, they were in my opinion the smartest US looking PHANTOM's ever flown ! Link to post Share on other sites
steamjet58 Posted October 28, 2005 Share Posted October 28, 2005 Scout ... I have a picture now that I can send you showing the weapons pylon on one of the deployed 3rd jet's prior to a Combat mission ... WIll scan it and send it to your e mail .. RJ Link to post Share on other sites
SCOUT712 Posted October 28, 2005 Author Share Posted October 28, 2005 Thanks RJ, looking forward to see it !!!!! F4DPHAN.. the Aeromaster sheet states that 1199 hat the general's name on the forward canopy rail, so, did this AC lose it's Flagship markings with the other names you provided ? Link to post Share on other sites
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