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Weapons fit on Phantom XT909/M 29 Squadron 1983


David Womby

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I am building this one and am working from this photo (only one of two I could find in 29 Sqdn markings and the other is too small to see details).  FWIW XT909 was a two-stick aircraft. 

 

http://www.aviationphotocompany.com/p934046062/h24ee0a25#h24ee0a25

 

I think I am seeing: drop tanks, twin AIM-9 launch rails (but empty), centreline cannon and blue dummies in forward AIM-7 slots.    I am thinking there would be nothing mounted in the rear AIM-7 slots but am wondering if there might have been a drill round AIM-9 on one of the port launchers.   Anybody know?


David

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17 minutes ago, Terry1954 said:

For some reason that link you posted is not working for me?

 

Terry

Darn it.  Nor me now that I try it!!!!   I am working on it.......


David

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Speaking from personal, if distant, experience- I would not expect a Phantom off to fire the SUU Gun to have the Fletcher tanks fitted, let alone an Acquisition round, so I'm not too sure what is actually going on in that photo, unless the aircraft is deploying somewhere for gun firing and is just carrying the SUU gun.

Maybe a post on PPrune or similar Aircrew forum would elicit an answer. 

I will ask around. 

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8 minutes ago, Terry1954 said:

I can see it now but can't help re your question. To be honest, I'm struggling to see the centreline fit is an SUU gun pod.

 

@Selwyn may be able to help re fit outs?

 

Terry

 

3 minutes ago, Whitewolf said:

I cannot see a centreline gun pod. I believe the port undercarriage door, only partially visible, is the impression of the front end of a gun pod?

I could well be wrong but, to my eyes, there's a sharp horizontal dark area showing aft of the port u/c that is lower than the lower edge of the drop tank that shows ahead of the port u/c.

 

David

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51 minutes ago, stever219 said:

She has got the gun pod on.

 

29 minutes ago, Troffa said:

£3.20 Later and I can confirm that it is a SUU pod.

 

When I said I was struggling to see the SUU gun pod, I meant it all looked so dark there at the front of the pod it was hard for me to tell.  Looking at the outline of the main body now (mostly cylindrical) I can see it has to be and I suspect Troffa has now acquired a decent copy of that picture!

 

Terry

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I can see the centre-line gun pod nose and the vent.  Ordinarily at that angle I think that I would be able to see something of the port side ballast 'Sparrow', so I wonder if the strike camera is fitted instead?

 

Cracking picture though, and great to see a grey FGR.2 with full 29 Sqn colours on it.

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As an ex 29(F) rigger, I think it is a most excellent choice of model. although I am mildly biased! I joined 29 in 86 

Regarding the Fletchers & SUU pod fit, it could be en route to Armament Practice Camp (APC) at Akrotiri, Cyprus, They would have blue "ballast" Sparrows in the front stations & none on the rear, inner wing pylons & LAU's would be fitted but no 'winders fitted, They might have had a baggage pod fitted on one pylon, which was generally LH, as memory serves.

 

Aaahh! Fond memories of ten (YES-TEN!) weeks of really busy work & almost complete destruction of my liver on my first trip away with 29.  The culture shock of leaving grim, grey Lincolnshire in June & returning in August, all tanned & suffering from KEO, coccinelle, panteleimon (pandemonium) & "flip flop's sexy" kebab withdrawal.

 

I hope that helps!

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12 minutes ago, phantomphixxer said:

As an ex 29(F) rigger, I think it is a most excellent choice of model. although I am mildly biased! I joined 29 in 86 

Regarding the Fletchers & SUU pod fit, it could be en route to Armament Practice Camp (APC) at Akrotiri, Cyprus, They would have blue "ballast" Sparrows in the front stations & none on the rear, inner wing pylons & LAU's would be fitted but no 'winders fitted, They might have had a baggage pod fitted on one pylon, which was generally LH, as memory serves.

 

Aaahh! Fond memories of ten (YES-TEN!) weeks of really busy work & almost complete destruction of my liver on my first trip away with 29.  The culture shock of leaving grim, grey Lincolnshire in June & returning in August, all tanned & suffering from KEO, coccinelle, panteleimon (pandemonium) & "flip flop's sexy" kebab withdrawal.

 

I hope that helps!

Helps with the model and certainly entertaining reading.  Thanks


David

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3 hours ago, Terry1954 said:

 

 

When I said I was struggling to see the SUU gun pod, I meant it all looked so dark there at the front of the pod it was hard for me to tell.  Looking at the outline of the main body now (mostly cylindrical) I can see it has to be and I suspect Troffa has now acquired a decent copy of that picture!

 

Terry

Don't worry about it, and I hope I wasn't being a clever dick: it took me 3 goes, at least to confirm that it's there ⁰

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19 hours ago, Terry1954 said:

I can see it now but can't help re your question. To be honest, I'm struggling to see the centreline fit is an SUU gun pod.

 

@Selwyn may be able to help re fit outs?

 

Terry

Can't help on Phantom fits as I never worked on them, all that I can say is that on the very few occasions that I saw a phantom with a gun they  always had Fletchers fitted. In fact, thinking about it I never saw a RAF phantom not fitted with Fletchers!

 I doubt that you would see a aquisition round with a gun. It was standard RAF policy that you never would mix training  equipment with live weapons, as it could cause accidents.

 

Selwyn

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16 hours ago, phantomphixxer said:

 

Aaahh! Fond memories of ten (YES-TEN!) weeks of really busy work & almost complete destruction of my liver on my first trip away with 29.  The culture shock of leaving grim, grey Lincolnshire in June & returning in August, all tanned & suffering from KEO, coccinelle, panteleimon (pandemonium) & "flip flop's sexy" kebab withdrawal.

 

I hope that helps!

Remember the old boy running the small canteen down on the APC line, in the building built onto the hanger, first time we walked in he was shouting 'Sexy orange juice, the sexiest Orange Juice on the whoooooooooole of the ffffing Island'

 

Probably the most sober memory I have from my various Akrotiri trips. 

 

Although pushing a bike with a flat tyre back from Kolossi Castle in the middle of June pretty soon got me sweating.

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3 minutes ago, PLC1966 said:

Remember the old boy running the small canteen down on the APC line, in the building built onto the hanger, first time we walked in he was shouting 'Sexy orange juice, the sexiest Orange Juice on the whoooooooooole of the ffffing Island

Spent many a happy time in the sexy tea bar. when the things were a bit quiet the guy who  ran it would go  to the door and shout at the top of his voice;

 

"The Sexy tea bar is Open!"

 

Selwyn

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