48th TFW F-4D loadouts

[lasermonkey]

Hi all,

          I'm currently building a Fujimi 1/72 F-4D which will be completed as 65-0721 of the 48th TFW. Although I have collected a number of photos of this machine, along with many others from the Liberty Wing, I haven't yet managed to come across any photos of their Phantoms carrying weapons, except for a shot of '721 with a centreline SUU-23. There's another couple with '721 fitted with an AN/ALQ119 pod in the front port Sparrow recess. Other than that, photos show drop tanks, luggage pods or nothing at all.

 

 

 

 

         As I'd like to make the model a little more interesting, I'm currently deciding whether to go with the SUU-23, the AN/ALQ119 or toying with the possibility of fitting both, though I'd ideally like to finish her with an authentic loadout. Anyway, I was wondering if anyone had come across any photos of the 48th's F-4s carrying anything interesting. By the way, anyone know of a source of those luggage pods?

 

Cheers,

Mark.

 

 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

You're second photo of 721 shows the centerline carrying a gunpod. Thats always an option. It looks like a drop tank until you blow up the photo. You can see the flash deflector on the front of the pod. It looks kind of like a duckbill. 

 

Dennis

[bentwaters81tfw]

I have some baggage pods I scrounged off fellow Britmodellers for exactly this purpose. I think they came from some F-16 kits.

 

As for loadouts, the prime task of the 48th like the 81st was nuclear strike, therefore the loadout would be 2 x Fletcher tanks, a single B61 on the centreline and an AN/ALQ 119 on the port inner pylon. They carried no defensive on such missions.

 

[lasermonkey]

10 minutes ago, bentwaters81tfw said:

I have some baggage pods I scrounged off fellow Britmodellers for exactly this purpose. I think they came from some F-16 kits.

 

As for loadouts, the prime task of the 48th like the 81st was nuclear strike, therefore the loadout would be 2 x Fletcher tanks, a single B61 on the centreline and an AN/ALQ 119 on the port inner pylon. They carried no defensive on such missions.

 

Thanks for the info. I'm fairly new to cold war era stuff, but your answer certainly explains why the photos show the lack of armament diversity. I have a few photos of 81st Phantoms which show ordnance such as SUU-23s, Maverick, LGBs and even one that looks like it might have a Sidewinder on the port inner pylon. Some of these photos look like they were taken at air shows, so maybe aren't typical loads. I consider them fair game, though!

 

Cheers,

Mark.

[bentwaters81tfw]

Their secondary role was ground attack and air defence, don't forget the pilots could be rotated to Vietnam, so conventional loadouts would be used for practice in a similar fashion to USN strikes, so 500 pounders, Mavericks, rockets and Sidewinders would be used on the ranges. As for airshow loads, the primary task was never advertised, so you would never see a static a/c toting a special store.

[Murph]

As was mentioned, nuke strike was the primary role.  The preferred station for the weapon was the fuselage centerline, with the inboard wing stations used less frequently.  These aircraft were rarely, if ever, photographed carrying a real weapon, so take a look at where they carried the SUU-21 dispenser; that was used to exercise the appropriate circuits during practice bombing missions.  For the real thing the assumption was that a conventional war would last several days, during which stocks of weapons would be depleted, so the pilots assumed they would have a partial missile load at best in a real world strike mission.  Just as likely was that they would have no missiles fitted because they had all been used and because the strike missions were assumed to be one way trips.

 

Regards,

Murph

[bentwaters81tfw]

SUU dispensers did vary between squadrons on wings. The 91st carried the SUU on the Port wing, the 92nd to Starboard, so again, photos are needed!

[Creepy Pete]

Those white pods on the inboard pylons aren't luggage pods, they are the SUU-21's that are mentioned above. They were pretty standard. I have a few pics of 48th TFW F-4's with AIM-4 Falcon launchers attached to the side of the inboard pylons, and even one with an AN/ALE-38 chaff launcher on the left inboard pylon.

[sloegin57]

Something different ?.  The initial Wing code allocated to the F-4's after delivery was 'LK' but as this conflicted with a Stateside C-130E unit, the 314thTAW, that regularly rotated to nearby Mildenhall, the 48th's code was changed to 'LN'.  Only a few F-4D's carried the 'LK' code and then only for a week or so - 65-0773 was the only one I caught on film :-

HTH

Dennis

[lasermonkey]

Ah, so you're the Dennis W. Robinson! I've been admiring your photos for some time now. The sort of thing that keeps me up until 5am because I can't tear myself away from the monitor!

Many thanks for sharing those photos with us!

 

Cheers,

Mark.

[Julien]

5 hours ago, lasermonkey said:

Ah, so you're the Dennis W. Robinson! I've been admiring your photos for some time now. The sort of thing that keeps me up until 5am because I can't tear myself away from the monitor!

Many thanks for sharing those photos with us!

 

Cheers,

Mark.

He is the one and only, and he has a large collection of very interesting photos.

[lasermonkey]

Just found a source of SUU-21s: the Italeri/ Esci F-104 has one, and I'm building one at the moment. I'll get hold some of that remouldable plastic stuff and have a go at casting some. I think I'll be needing quite a few!

[Finn]

Here is a drawing of a SUU-21:

 

 

Jari

[bentwaters81tfw]

They also hung them on the centreline of the Voodoo for toss bombing practice.

[Finn]

Here is one with a AIM-9 CATM and it looks like an AIM-7 as well, note the blue by the flap under the back of the fuel tank:

 

 

 

with the SUU-21 on the belly:

 

of course you could always have it with a practice nuclear shape as no doubt they dropped a few, the SUU-21 lets them practice several delivery options on a mission but having a 2000lb concrete practice weapon gives a more realistic method of delivery.

 

Jari

 

 

 

[ElectroSoldier]

So a Pave Spike and LGBs wasnt an option?

[72modeler]

As I recall, the baggage pods were made from napalm stores- they were cleaned and a hatch was cut out with a piano hinge welded on. Any weenie cooker kit that has napalm stores  could be robbed to make the pods- just need to scribe the hatch and use some sprue for the piano hinge- paint some liquid cement on the sprue and you're there! I would look at F-100, F-105, F-5, and F-4 kits for the napalm stores. IIRC, they were BLU-27's You might check the Hasegawa weapon sets or the aftermarket for resin ones- I seem to remember some aftermarket purpose-made baggage pods.

Mike

 

http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?/topic/174853-usaf-bagage-pods/

 

http://www.f-16.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10327

 

http://www.f-100.org/images/f-100d_63456-5.jpg

 

 

 

[Richard E]

20 minutes ago, 72modeler said:

As I recall, the baggage pods were made from napalm stores- they were cleaned and a hatch was cut out with a piano hinge welded on. Any weenie cooker kit that has napalm stores  could be robbed to make the pods- just need to scribe the hatch and use some sprue for the piano hinge- paint some liquid cement on the sprue and you're there! I would look at F-100, F-105, F-5, and F-4 kits for the napalm stores. IIRC, they were BLU-27's You might check the Hasegawa weapon sets or the aftermarket for resin ones- I seem to remember some aftermarket purpose-made baggage pods.

Mike

Can I suggest these pods produced by Modern Hobbies from Canada: Modern Hobbies Baggage Pod

[bentwaters81tfw]

The napalm tank was used because of it's size. It had to be able to accommodate golf clubs. (standard going away kit for USAF pilots)

[ElectroSoldier]

I think the hasegawa A-10A kit has a baggage pod in it.

[ivand]

PJ Production sells one too: https://www.pj-production.be/fr/conversions-et-accessoires-1-72/190-721219-bidon-valise.html

 

I have one, but haven't put it next to a Hasegawa napalm cannister yet...

[Murph]

On ‎1‎/‎6‎/‎2019 at 6:23 PM, bentwaters81tfw said:

The napalm tank was used because of it's size. It had to be able to accommodate golf clubs. (standard going away kit for USAF pilots)

That was a huge advantage in the F-15A and C models; our golf clubs and luggage easily fit in Bay 5.  Not to mention coolers of shrimp, lobsters, beer, etc...  The ultimate, though, was the F-106; I know of one pilot who would strap a motorcycle in the weapons bay on cross country flights.

 

Regards,

Murph

Edited January 10, 2019 by Murph

[whiskey]

Now THAT would be an amazing and unique detail for a build! What unit was it if I may ask?

[Murph]

On ‎1‎/‎8‎/‎2019 at 10:30 PM, whiskey said:

Now THAT would be an amazing and unique detail for a build! What unit was it if I may ask?

Atlantic City Guard.

 

Regards,

Murph

[RidgeRunner]

On 1/8/2019 at 1:57 PM, Murph said:

The ultimate, though, was the F-106; I know of one pilot who would strap a motorcycle in the weapons bay on cross country flights.

Was that Randy Hardy?