F-111

[speedy]

I'm just doing the Hobbyboss F-111 D/E which I'm building a Lakenheath F. I've got some photo's of a pod which is on some of the aircraft under the wing, but no detailed ones. The kit provides various weapons with a "guidance pod" included. Can anybody shed some light on what it actually does and also some photo's..............

Edited December 12, 2010 by speedy

[c.smith10]

I'm just doing the Hobbyboss F-111 D/E which I'm building a Lakenheath F. I've got some photo's of a pod which is on some of the aircraft under the wing, but no detailed ones. The kit provides various weapons with a "guidance pod" included. Can anybody shed some light on what it actually does and also some photo's..............

i think its this

i have the same kit in the stash which im gong to build as an operation el dorado canyon bird, if you look further down the link it gives you the weapons load outs for various operations the F-111 under took

were you aware the engine exhausts need to be changed to make it an F?

Edited December 11, 2010 by c.smith10

[speedy]

I found that link this morning, but the kit items have you glue filter like attachments; which is what's throwing me? as the site's photo's don't have anything?

[c.smith10]

Im still pretty sure its the same thing, if you read the discription of what that pod is used for and what hobby boss have named it then there isn't anything else it could be.

[Bandwagon 106]

Hi all Vark fans (should that be vans?!!)

The pods in the HB varks are legit. For an F, or a C, two types of pod are carried. The main one is the PAVE TACK. This one goes over the weapons bay. This would be standard for all F's at Lakenheath and Cannon. Additionally, the Varks of the 493rd carried a data link pod-AWQ-14 (off hand) that went on the aft fuselage station. This was for for GBU-15 that only they carried-the 493rd have a yellow tail stripe. It was aircraft from this squadron that pulled of the raid to stop the pump station leaking oil into the gulf during Desert Storm. C's carry a similar pod for their use of the AGM-142 Have Nap missile, maybe they can carry it on the wings, I don't know. The data link pod is the large cylinder.

HTH, I might be alone, but I really like the HobbyBoss Aardvarks

Joel

[speedy]

Finally I've found a picture on the internerd.

This jet is carrying 4 of the pods and the profile of these are completely different to the one in the kit. In my reference book you see most(?) carrying one of these pods...........

[c.smith10]

Finally I've found a picture on the internerd.

This jet is carrying 4 of the pods and the profile of these are completely different to the one in the kit. In my reference book you see most(?) carrying one of these pods...........

Its possible they are MXU-648 baggage pods, it wouldnt make sense to carry 4 targeting pods on one aircraft

[Jens]

Its possible they are MXU-648 baggage pods, it wouldnt make sense to carry 4 targeting pods on one aircraft

They are more likely to be practice bomb dispenser. I am certain they are not AWQ-14 data link pods.

Jens

[darson]

They are more likely to be practice bomb dispenser. I am certain they are not AWQ-14 data link pods.

Jens

I am pretty sure Jens is right, those pods look like SUU-21/A practice bomb dispensers.

[speedy]

I thought the practice bomb dispenser had a hollow bottom and 4 rocket tubes (2 on each side)?, I originally did think they were baggage pods, but they seem to be carried a lot..........

[Jens]

I thought the practice bomb dispenser had a hollow bottom and 4 rocket tubes (2 on each side)?, I originally did think they were baggage pods, but they seem to be carried a lot..........

That would be the SUU-20. They are included in the Hasegawa weapons sets, but the SUU-21 is not.

Jens

[Bandwagon 106]

Data link pods were carried on the aft fuselage station, between the engines. Most Aardvarks carried an ECM pod of some kind here, but the 493rd jets would have this on placed on top of the PAVE TACK pod if they were carrying GBU-15s and AWQ-14. The pods in that picture are either luggage pods or practice bomb dispensers. Vark fact-The maximum speed of the F-111 was never actually determined, it would keep accelerating until the canopy gave way! If you have the WAPJ issue from 1993, there is a good account of the top end performance of these machines.

HTH Joel

[speedy]

That would be the SUU-20. They are included in the Hasegawa weapons sets, but the SUU-21 is not.

Jens

Weapons site

Thanks Jens, just googled it and there's loads of photo's and info

Edited December 12, 2010 by speedy

[the MDman]

Here is a picture of a pod I took back in 1985. This is just a stores container.

[Shaun]

I thought the practice bomb dispenser had a hollow bottom and 4 rocket tubes (2 on each side)?, I originally did think they were baggage pods, but they seem to be carried a lot..........

The F-111 practice bomb dispensors (SUU-21) had doors which opened when the aircraft was on the range, this was a safety feature to prevent loose/hung bombs dropping off the pod.

Shaun.

Edited December 12, 2010 by Shaun

[c.smith10]

To the original question, i dont believe hobby boss are trying to depicting a bomb or luggage pod, firstly the call it a guide pod and secondly they only have you attach it to the aft fuse pylon or station 5 so i still stand by original post, it just a shame i cant find a better picture of the AWQ-14 . personally i would decide on which campaign your looking to model then see if you need it or not!

[Bandwagon 106]

It would be relevant for both El Dorado Canyon and Desert Storm, or anywhere in between for that matter, but only the yellow tailled 493rd TFS used the GBU-15/data link pod. Whether they continued to use it when they were with the 27th FW before they retired, I'm not sure. You would only need it if you wantede to use the GBU-15s.

Joel

Edited December 12, 2010 by Bandwagon 106

[c.smith10]

It would be relevant for both El Dorado Canyon and Desert Storm, or anywhere in between for that matter, but only the yellow tailled 493rd TFS used the GBU-15/data link pod. Whether they continued to use it when they were with the 27th FW before they retired, I'm not sure. You would only need it if you wantede to use the GBU-15s.

Joel

From what i understand GBU-15s were not used by lakenheath F-111's during el dorado canyons, all the material i have found indicates GBU-10s were used in conjuction with the pave tack pod and ALQ-131 ecm pod

[hatchet]

Mr. Smith, I assume you're talking about the pod in the lower left corner of this pic:

That's the guidance pod for the Popeye, called AN/ASW-55 in the U.S. It's different from the AN/AXQ-14 / AN/ZSW-1 used for the GBU-15 / AGM-130.

The filter-like thing you're referring to (Part WC14 on the pic above I assume) is a cooling grill. I can't recall ever seeing pictures of it with the grill facing down, only to the side

Edited December 12, 2010 by hatchet

[c.smith10]

Mr. Smith, I assume you're talking about the pod in the lower left corner of this pic:

That's the guidance pod for the Popeye, called AN/ASW-55 in the U.S. It's different from the AN/AXQ-14 / AN/ZSW-1 used for the GBU-15 / AGM-130.

The filter-like thing you're referring to (Part WC14 on the pic above I assume) is a cooling grill. I can't recall ever seeing pictures of it with the grill facing down, only to the side

Yes i think you have it, i just googled asw-55 and that looks exactly like the pod, 2 things though, were they used on US F-111's. 2 its not me asking about it, its the original poster, speedy

[hatchet]

Yes i think you have it, i just googled asw-55 and that looks exactly like the pod, 2 things though, were they used on US F-111's. 2 its not me asking about it, its the original poster, speedy

Sorry, couldn't quite keep up with who was asking what!

AFAIK the USAF only use the Popeye on the B-52 (3 missiles and 1 pod), it was only the Aussies who used them on their pigs.