UK Paveway 2 tail section question

[bobsyouruncle]

Hi Gents,

I'd seen that UK Paveway 2s came into the thread about Harrier armament during the Falklands war, but didn't wish to hi-jack that thread just for my question, so can I ask if anyone can possibly help me here please?

I'm modelling a pair of UK Paveways at the moment, in 24th scale, to hang beneath my representation of Harrier GR3 XZ997 in the Falklands (as seen fitted on the deck of Hermes in IWM photos).

I'm just having a bit of trouble seeing what the details are at points "A" in this shot. I realise these are Enhanced Paveways with the extra conduit down the side, etc, which were way after the Falklands, but believe that the tail section should be the same or similar as the ones in 1982?

 

I've searched the net for a clear side view close-up of this area but without much luck (I've got views that show what looks like a couple of 'slots' in a rectangular frame, with two cylindrical 'pins' above and below, but it looks like there's something in there else 'sticking out' from it? Often the view's obscured by a 'Remove Before Flight' pin and banner).

I've also checked the walkaround section here, but would ideally like a close view of this back end if possible?

Does anyone know if there's one sitting around in a museum that I'd be able to get close to if ever released from lockdown?(I can

move back to the main aircraft model in the meantime) or any books with good photo references in?

 

Also, when hanging under the pylon, can I ask if any of the arming lead on the top of the bomb would be visible? 

 

Thanks very much for any pointers or help.

Bob.

 

 

 

[Selwyn]

2 hours ago, bobsyouruncle said:

Hi Gents,

I'd seen that UK Paveway 2s came into the thread about Harrier armament during the Falklands war, but didn't wish to hi-jack that thread just for my question, so can I ask if anyone can possibly help me here please?

I'm modelling a pair of UK Paveways at the moment, in 24th scale, to hang beneath my representation of Harrier GR3 XZ997 in the Falklands (as seen fitted on the deck of Hermes in IWM photos).

I'm just having a bit of trouble seeing what the details are at points "A" in this shot. I realise these are Enhanced Paveways with the extra conduit down the side, etc, which were way after the Falklands, but believe that the tail section should be the same or similar as the ones in 1982?

 

I've searched the net for a clear side view close-up of this area but without much luck (I've got views that show what looks like a couple of 'slots' in a rectangular frame, with two cylindrical 'pins' above and below, but it looks like there's something in there else 'sticking out' from it? Often the view's obscured by a 'Remove Before Flight' pin and banner).

I've also checked the walkaround section here, but would ideally like a close view of this back end if possible?

Does anyone know if there's one sitting around in a museum that I'd be able to get close to if ever released from lockdown?(I can

move back to the main aircraft model in the meantime) or any books with good photo references in?

 

Also, when hanging under the pylon, can I ask if any of the arming lead on the top of the bomb would be visible? 

 

Thanks very much for any pointers or help.

Bob.

 

 

 

This is the latch for the tail folding wings. On release a wire attached to the  release unit strongpoint pops the catch and the fins spring out, you can just see the wire coming down on an angle  in front of the latch, it goes to a ferrule in front of the Latch which turns it so it feeds into the latch. see here  seventh and ninth pictures down  give  good detail. after operation of the pop out wings the wire shears. You can see the built in shear point on the pictures (a black segment on the cable)

Paveway II and EPWII would have a small fuze arming shearwire  attached to the arming unit at the bomb tail joint on  the top of the bomb, (you can see it on  the seventh picture looks like a elongated wire loop on the dark green segment of the tail unit) and A Lead Electrical Fuze Arming (LEFA)  (see black wire near the red cover 4th picture down)at the same place, both were tucked between the bomb and Pylon base plate and difficult to see.

On the ground  a safety pin is fitted with a safety flag so that the wings are not deployed by accident on the ground.

 

The Paveway II (UK) tail unit was a modified GBU 10 tail unit. If you refer at the seventh picture, the Light Green (Actually the original US olive green colour) section is the original US tail.  The GBU 10 tail was used as it was the closest available diameter to the UK 1000lb bomb (the Mk84 bomb is 18" the UK 1000lb 16") The GBU 10 tail was modified by fitting a cone shaped section at the front that adapted down from 18" to 16" that contained the arming mechanism from a British 114 tail unit so UK fuzes could be used, and an arming vane was fitted at the back of the tail (clearly seen in the images above) These added ons bits were painted UK Deep bronze green which explains the two colour scheme. The Canard fins fitted on the guidance were unmodified  GBU10 items and marked as such.

 

Selwyn

[Slater]

Always wondered why these things had a two-tone color scheme.

Edited February 13, 2021 by Slater

[bobsyouruncle]

Thanks very much for that, Selwyn, it's much appreciated.

So if I'm reading it right, there has to be a wire going down to this 'ferrule' and then to the 'latch' mechanism, whilst the bomb is on the pylon?

(which then pulls on the latch to release the fins after which the wire snaps?).

All new interesting information to me. Thank you.

 

 

[Selwyn]

1 hour ago, bobsyouruncle said:

Thanks very much for that, Selwyn, it's much appreciated.

So if I'm reading it right, there has to be a wire going down to this 'ferrule' and then to the 'latch' mechanism, whilst the bomb is on the pylon?

(which then pulls on the latch to release the fins after which the wire snaps?).

All new interesting information to me. Thank you.

 

 

Yes. You can clearly see the wire on the images I linked to.

The pictures are from the Typhoon installation, the strongpoint in this case is on the release unit. The location of the pylon strongpoints varies on each aircraft type. The Harrier strongpoint was on the pylon baseplate aft of the release unit IIRC. (its a long long time ago since I fitted a bomb to a Harrier GR3!)

 

Selwyn

[bobsyouruncle]

Thanks again for that Selwyn.

After you'd mentioned GBU10 and the term 'latch', using those words I managed to come across this drawing online, which hopefully confirms what you said.

https://www.tpub.com/aviord321/142.htm

 

This seems to show in the top drawing, (17NP0348 within the circle), this latch mechanism, a bit better than I could make out in the photos if it's the same thing?

So now I can see the 'slot' I'd mentioned in my initial post (like a letter box sort of thing) and the 'something else sticking out from it' I'd mentioned I thought I could see, would be this 'latch release lever' - which is what you'd said (which looks like a slim rectangular block, or arm).

Is that the mechanism releasing wire that's coming out of the arm, just above the safety pin, in this drawing? 

I see that on the american aircraft, the way they hang their bombs, this mechanism is on the port side whereas the RAF have it on the right?

Thanks again, Bob.

 

[Selwyn]

1 hour ago, bobsyouruncle said:

Thanks again for that Selwyn.

After you'd mentioned GBU10 and the term 'latch', using those words I managed to come across this drawing online, which hopefully confirms what you said.

https://www.tpub.com/aviord321/142.htm

 

This seems to show in the top drawing, (17NP0348 within the circle), this latch mechanism, a bit better than I could make out in the photos if it's the same thing?

So now I can see the 'slot' I'd mentioned in my initial post (like a letter box sort of thing) and the 'something else sticking out from it' I'd mentioned I thought I could see, would be this 'latch release lever' - which is what you'd said (which looks like a slim rectangular block, or arm).

Is that the mechanism releasing wire that's coming out of the arm, just above the safety pin, in this drawing? 

I see that on the american aircraft, the way they hang their bombs, this mechanism is on the port side whereas the RAF have it on the right?

Thanks again, Bob.

 

Not quite. 

Referring to the picture17NP0348 within the circle. the wire you see (quite poorly represented) would be actually attached to the safety pin and warning flag.

The operating wire comes complete with a pre formed loop and a shear point as mentioned earlier.  The loop attaches to the pylon strongpoint, the wire is routed down to the ferrule just in front of the latch (beside the "R" of the RBF flag in the first tail drawing) and into the latch release lever.

If you look at the arm of the latch release lever in picture17NP0348, there is a big hole in the end of the latch release lever (Arrow points at it) and on the side of the lever there are three holes shown. The operating wire is thread through the large hole in the end and then is threaded (sewn)  in and out of the three holes and pulled tight,  this secures the wire to the  latch release lever. it is then trimmed to length. if you look at the L/H bomb image in your first post you can see the trimmed up wire sticking up out of the latch release lever.

As for the orientation of the latch it can vary between aircraft types.

 

Selwyn

 

Selwyn

 

[bobsyouruncle]

That's brilliant. Thanks very much for explaining it all.

Just started on building it now.

Much appreciated. Cheers, Bob.