BAe Hawker Siddeley Hawk T.1 target winch

[Smudge]

Does anyone have a couple of pictures or  line drawings of the target towing winch used by the Hawk T.1. Apparently fitted to the rear fuselage?

 

I believe these were/are used by Tactical Weapons training Units for air to air gunnery and the such like. Also by Royal Navy Hawks flown by FRADU against ships. 

 

I have never seen one of these fitted to a Hawk, or even any pictures, but it is mentioned as being fitted in an old ModelArt decal sheet. I have tried a bit of Internet searching, but nothing seems to come up. Any help appreciated.

 

Thank you.

[Sky dancer]

Hi there,

 

Don't know too many specifics, but i think this was more of a pod with a sleeve target in it rather than a winch.

 

IIRC, in the RAF only 100 Squadron carried them, and it appears to have been only in their early days of using the Hawk.

 

Here is a link to one on the web - it's the 5th photo down, XX177:-

 

http://www.drivearchive.co.uk/xplanes/hawks.htm

 

Not many photos out there, but I'm pretty sure I saw a close up photo somewhere with the pod marked in 100 Sqns blue/yellow checkers.

 

Can't help with the Royal Navy ones at all I'm afraid...

 

 

[Phone Phixer]

I've no knowledge of the targets used by the Navy. I did however do one det to Akrotiri with 100 Sqn while they were based at Finningley, where they were towing air to air target banners for the Tornado F3 OEU to fire at.

The banner cable was attached to an EMRU on the lower port side of the tail cone, this was in line with the airbrake strake. There was no pod for the target, the banner and cable were run out on the edge of the runway. The towing Hawk taxied to the runway and a member of the "banner party" locked the end of the cable into the EMRU. The Hawk then took off dragging the banner along the runway until airborne.

When the Hawk returned, it flew along and to the side of the runway, then jettisoned the banner and cable to be recovered by the "banner party".

EMRU - Electro Magnetic Release Unit.

 

You can just see the EMRU in this photo. It's the small metal rectangle if you follow a line rearwards from the airbrake strake.

https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/5909395

 

The pod that Sky dancer refers to in the photos, was a radar reflecting pod. In the Tornado F3's early days, the radar had a difficult job locking onto a Hawk. So when 100 Sqn went up in their aggressor role, to give the F3's a fighting chance, the Hawks carried those pods to increase their radar signature and allow radar intercepts to be carried out.

 

Rob.

[Sky dancer]

Rob,

 

Just read the first para of your reply, then remembered 'Luneberg Lens'. Thank you for clearing that up and giving the correct answer!

 

[Smudge]

Thank you, Guys. Interesting, and fits in with some of the info I have.

 

I am leaning towards finishing my Airfix Hawk as a FRADU aircraft. I think they did/do fly with the radar reflector pod, in addition to the target towing gear.

 

I would like to add these details to the model for a bit of interest.

 

Cheers.

[kiwitrogg]

Me again...........I used to do banner party while at VASS (Visiting Aircraft Servicing Section) at Brawdy. The procedure was pretty much as Phone Phixer explained with the cable being laid out in a very big 's' along the edge of the runway. I've never seen anything accelerate as fast as that banner did when the slack in the cable was taken up !!! I think we had maybe 4 or 5 aircraft fitted with the targer tow release unit modification.  Pretty sure XX222 and XX188 were 2 of them, we used to watch for the tail numbers as they taxied up to the threshold.  I've got a build somewhere in the RFI section vaults of XX188 with the release unit on it.  

The release unit is quite simple, I had a picture somewhere but can't find it now.  It's not much more than a box with an aerodynamic fairing fitted at the front. I'll keep looking.

Cheers 

Gaz

 

Here's a couple of pics of the back end here.
XX335

 

Edited January 24, 2019 by kiwitrogg
added link

[Smudge]

Hi @kiwitrogg . Just got an alert for this topic and going back to it I reallised I omitted to thank you for the info and great photo links.

Thank you they're great, very helpful.

Cheers. 

[Troffa]

Mr Phone Phixer states "The pod that Sky dancer refers to in the photos, was a radar reflecting pod. In the Tornado F3's early days, the radar had a difficult job locking onto a Hawk. So when 100 Sqn went up in their aggressor role, to give the F3's a fighting chance, the Hawks carried those pods to increase their radar signature and allow radar intercepts to be carried out."

 

Not quite, the AI24 on the Tornado would quite happily lock on to a Hawk in order to smash it in the face with a Skyflash at around 20 miles, (and without a RWR he wouldn't know what hit him) but the Hawk's in question were  playing the role of the F-3's intended target, formations of Rooskie bombers. The large size of which would allow a detection at much further ranges than the single engine fighter. In order to properly practice tactics to be used against Backfires and Blinders picked up at 60+ Miles the Hawk's Radar return was enhanced. 

 

The F3 was a very capable interceptor. You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone.