Jump to content

So they never do mainenance on armed AC?


Recommended Posts

Where did you hear that? I've seen plenty of pics of armed aircraft with open access panels, just like the shot above.

What I haven't seen are armed aircraft undergoing heavy maint, with engines being pulled, etc.

I'm sure someone will be along shortly to prove me wrong on this..,,,

Link to post
Share on other sites

Technically speaking the a/c are loaded, not armed. Here is one with getting an engine change with some bombs still loaded on it:

z.jpg

as for the pic above the bombs are configured as mines as in Mk-36 Destructors.

Jari

Link to post
Share on other sites

I once had to open a camera access 504L (RF-4C) in front of the cockpit (left side) to replace a broken camera while the crew was in and engines running. We had to account for every fastener in the panel and have the line chief sign it off so they could taxi out for the mission.

But then that was during the Viet Nam war too!

Edited by Sgt Shultz II
Link to post
Share on other sites

Where did you hear that? I've seen plenty of pics of armed aircraft with open access panels, just like the shot above.

What I haven't seen are armed aircraft undergoing heavy maint, with engines being pulled, etc.

I'm sure someone will be along shortly to prove me wrong on this..,,,

I think OP might be referring to the arguments over John Vojtech's F-15 years ago:

https://www.umm-usa.com/mygallery/galleryf15c.html

This was the runner up for the best aircraft (or best of show?) at the Nationals. In addition to all the dicussions about the decision (supposedly not sanding off the ejection pin marks inside the intakes before using it as a base for adding details to it), some people claimed at the time the F-15 was not realistic because it was loaded with open panels. Anyway, not saying right or wrong, but I thought the OP is referring to this. Well, maybe not.

Link to post
Share on other sites

IIRC, SAC used to insist that refueling, loading ordnance and anything but the most minor maintenance all be done as separate operations. During Giant Thrust II, 1978, Andersen AFB, Guam, they experimented doing all three at the same time. It worked out well.

Link to post
Share on other sites

We had the CO's radar go down once when he was engines turning and loaded with missiles on the flight deck. Key part of that sentence was "CO's". It was a simple fix, they shut down the stbd engine so we could open the radome (port engine still running), extend the radar package and change out the receiver crystals. They were little ceramic cased diodes that isolated the receive circuit from the transmit circuit. We closed up the radar and radome, he started the starboard engine an off he went on his sortie. If it were anyone but the CO and maybe AMO, we probably wouldn't have done it and they'd have launched the spare.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I think OP might be referring to the arguments over John Vojtech's F-15 years ago:

This was the runner up for the best aircraft (or best of show?) at the Nationals. In addition to all the dicussions about the decision (supposedly not sanding off the ejection pin marks inside the intakes before using it as a base for adding details to it), some people claimed at the time the F-15 was not realistic because it was loaded with open panels. Anyway, not saying right or wrong, but I thought the OP is referring to this. Well, maybe not.

Of course the ironic part of that controversy was the model wasn't entered in the diorama category.

Link to post
Share on other sites

It looks more like they are loading instead of doing a check. My question is are the impulse cartridges installed in the MERs while external power is applied and doing an avionics check. That was a big no-no in the Air Force when I was in weapons loading. Different service, different era. YMMV...

Vern

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...