B43 Nuclear weapon colour

[cherisy]

1 hour ago, 71chally said:

@cherisy were you involved with nukes on Tornado at all?

If you disappear from the face of the forum I'll take that as a yes!

Nope sorry. I was a humble Rock ape😂 we were the resident Rapier unit across the road

[cherisy]

1 hour ago, canberra kid said:

The relevant section has been deleted from the updated Phantom illustrated parts catalogue I have as it is an August 1989 amendment, but cross referencing with the F.4B T.O. it looks like this is the right bit of kit, but I bow to those with first hand knowledge.

John

  

That's great thanks John

[xvtonker]

1 hour ago, cherisy said:

Nope sorry. I was a humble Rock ape😂 we were the resident Rapier unit across the road

I was on 31 Sqn Phantoms 1975-76, 31 & 14 Sqn Jaguars 1980-83 at RAF Brüggen and XV Squadron Tornado's at RAF Laarbruch 1989-92, and as an aircraft electrician we maintained and tested the electrical elements of the special weapons systems onboard both types of aircraft.

 

Every year each Squadron would be assessed during practice loading and the various trades involved evaluated on their following the correct procedures. This was carried out by an independent UK based team, and was always a very stressful time as individuals could have their approvals cancelled if they failed any of the procedures.

 

XVTonker  

[71chally]

I'm probably spreading the topic a bit now, I think the Tornado was cleared to carry both the B57 and WE177, but in reality what did it carry on excercises?

If so what dictated the load?

[Phone Phixer]

1 hour ago, 71chally said:

I'm probably spreading the topic a bit now, I think the Tornado was cleared to carry both the B57 and WE177, but in reality what did it carry on excercises?

If so what dictated the load?

There were only ever WE177 weapons at Honington. We only loaded training shapes there, the live stuff never came out to play. That was for both Buccaneers and Tornado.

[Finn]

Flying with a live weapon was very rare, if ever on fighter type a/c, but lots of practice shapes were dropped, tossed, lofted and laydown. Here is a report about the CF-104 in Europe in 1965 at a range in Holland:

 

The BDU-8B bomb repair program in Holland has completed the following repairs:

16 tail sections

83 Centre sections and

98 parachutes have been repaired but none have been repacked due to an unsatisfactory condition of the deployment Bag. MCHQ has been requested to procure new stocks of deployment bags.

 

The BDU-8/B was a practice version of the B43, at least 98 were dropped since they repaired 98 chutes.

 

Jari

[cherisy]

9 hours ago, xvtonker said:

I was on 31 Sqn Phantoms 1975-76, 31 & 14 Sqn Jaguars 1980-83 at RAF Brüggen and XV Squadron Tornado's at RAF Laarbruch 1989-92, and as an aircraft electrician we maintained and tested the electrical elements of the special weapons systems onboard both types of aircraft.

 

Every year each Squadron would be assessed during practice loading and the various trades involved evaluated on their following the correct procedures. This was carried out by an independent UK based team, and was always a very stressful time as individuals could have their approvals cancelled if they failed any of the procedures.

 

XVTonker  

I remember  the tacevals well as we would either deploy our kits on a war footing which was hard work to say the least or on occasion we would deploy as " enemy " attacking and generally making a nuisance our ourselves on site. Our yearly deployment  to Stanley was almost a relief. We would also get assessed  much the same as yourselves on " catboard" I was at bruggen from 84 to 86

[xvtonker]

9 hours ago, 71chally said:

I'm probably spreading the topic a bit now, I think the Tornado was cleared to carry both the B57 and WE177, but in reality what did it carry on excercises?

If so what dictated the load?

WE177

 

XVTonker

[xvtonker]

12 hours ago, cherisy said:

Great Gen and a brilliant story Thanks XVTonker.  With all that Im good to go now.

Talking of zapping the shape, during my days as Bruggen many years after yours and shortly after the first Tornados arrived ( 31 sqn I think) during the work up taceval our sqn WO had a wager with his opporsite number on 31 that we couldnt get into one of his HAS which were accross from our compound, and zap one of the Tonkas ( although we werent calling them that at the time) suffice to say it was duly done and we even kidnapped a couple of JTs . Said WO was asked to come and collect his blokes who were sat as guests our sqn bar. Cost him a few crates.

One small change to the HAS layout. The aircraft weren't chocked on the mainwheels, they had two wooden chicks fore & aft of the nose wheels with the ropes deployed out over the white 'No-Go' line.

 

Also, all associated ground equipment and the No-Go line were on the left hand side of the aircraft and the GE positioned beyond the lh wingtip.

 

XVTonker

[71chally]

Thanks for the info, it's my favourite era of Cold-War RAF, olive drab and lots of barbed wire, probably not much fun if you were involved though.

 

It sounds like on a practical level that the American tactical nukes went out from the RAF with the Phantom.

 

I've never ascertained whether the Navy had such weapons at all.

 

Edited December 20, 2019 by 71chally

[Dave Fleming]

7 hours ago, Finn said:

Flying with a live weapon was very rare, if ever on fighter type a/c, but lots of practice shapes were dropped, tossed, lofted and laydown. H

 

General opinion of the RAF people I've spoken to is that, other than the nuclear test flights, no RAF aircraft ever flew with a live nuke.

[Selwyn]

12 hours ago, 71chally said:

I'm probably spreading the topic a bit now, I think the Tornado was cleared to carry both the B57 and WE177, but in reality what did it carry on excercises?

If so what dictated the load?

The RAF Tornado  only carried WE177.  Other Nations Tornado's carried US weapons.

 

Selwyn

[canberra kid]

It looks like all the special weapon stuff disappeared from the RAF Phantom AP's when the role changed to ADV all I can find is reference to a higher classified AP, very much like the American practise with the T.O.'s. 

What I do have is from the Buccaneer AP's which I assume will read across to a grater or lesser degree to the RAF Phantom? All you ex plumbers will know.

     

John

 

[Finn]

Not a B43 or F-4 but a short clip showing Mk28RE being loaded on a CF-104:

 

 

Jari

[Anatol Pigwa]

On 17/12/2019 at 17:36, Murph said:

Would this by chance be a B-43 or B-28 loaded onto an Super Sabre?

[Finn]

It's a B43, you can tell by the configuration of the tail fins. Here is a MK28RE about to be loaded onto a Hun:

 

 

Jari