TC-4C Academe

[Old Viper Tester]

Don't see many models of this guy. Had the opportunity to evaluate the systems on the "Tick 4" thirty-six years ago as part of the systems curriculum at Test Pilot School at Edwards AFB. VA-128 brought out one of their Tick 4s for us to play with for a few days April 1982.

 

The Academe (I don't think anyone called it that) was an airborne training platform for Intruder Bomb-Nav crewmen. The Grumman Gulfstream I airframe was modified with an A-6 Intruder nose and sensor suite and a couple of Bomb-Nav stations in the passenger compartment. Got to operate the ground attack radar and the TRAM (Target Recognition Attack Multi-sensor) turret. My recollection of the analog attack display is a lot of horizontal lines and 'cow plops' marching up the the screen representing the aircraft progress over the terrain. Radar performance itself was pretty good, as was the video sensor.

 

BuNo 155730 Modex NJ852

 

 

A sister ship visiting Nellis AFB in November 1980. I think this one is now on display at the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola.

 

TC-4C mystery ship, 155729, on the Nellis Transient ramp in August 1980. With the curtains in the windows, I assume it's being used as a transport rather than a BN trainer.

 

 

And one from the damaged slides box. 155725 of VMAT-202 at Wright-Patterson in 1979

 

Thanks for looking,

Sven

[Sabrejet]

Nice shots: for some reason the TC-4C sticks in the memory from those mid-60's Observer's Books. Don't think I ever saw one however. Do any survive?

[RidgeRunner]

Very nice, Sven

[Pinback]

Thanks for sharing Sven - I always have to take a second glance as the Dart nacelle is so similar to the HS 748

[Red Dot]

hi Sven,

 

there is definitely one of these at Pensacola in the museum restoration yard round the back of the buildings.

 

When you said cow plops, are you sure you weren't flying low over a cow field at the time? 🙂

 

Andy

[RidgeRunner]

I always liked the Gulfstream One. Shame about the wart ;(.