Like the west coast VF-124 F-14 instructor pilots flying VF-126 A-4’s as adversary vs. RAG students, VF-101, in the early eighties, had, at any given time, about four F-14 ACM instructors also qualified in VF-43’s A-4’s as RAG bogey drivers on the east coast. Since VF-43 was so busy with the new FARP program (“Fleet ACM Readiness Program” -- in getting fleet squadrons up to speed between cruise turn-around), they were glad to have the F-14 RAG pilots fly their A-4’s for the ultra-specifics of the F-14’s student syllabus in their ACM program (which the RAG pilots were intimately familiar with).
IOW, they didn’t have to worry about knowing the RAG syllabus with the demands of FARP.
It was a GREAT deal for those RAG instructor pilots, because you mostly flew nothing but ACM -- often times a couple of hops, or more, a day -- in the A-4.
Also, you still got to fly the F-14 a few times a month also!
Snort was (of course!!) one of those pilots when I got to VF-101 in the summer of 1980 along with Wheatly, Dirty Harry, Saint, Buddy, Zoom, Bowser, and others (as pilots transitioned back to fleet squadrons -- or airlines(!) -- and others replaced them in the A-4 bogey role).
I was fortunate enough to drive those VF-43 A-4’s as a VF-101 F-14 instructor circa 80-82 (also, A-4’s again, as VFC-12 adversary circa 86-89 and then at VT-22 Kingsville training command 89-91).
All that great extra A-4 flying came about because, at the Miramar O’club, Snort was in town on a X-country.
After my first east coast, Oceana, fleet sea-duty tour with VF-143, I was sent back west to VF-124 to instruct/LSO in 1979.
Basically, Snort talked me into making another coast to coast move (within ten months!) from Miramar back to Oceana to help with a looming VF-101 RAG LSO shortage, by using this fun VF-101 bogey-driver possibility as a carrot.
As awesome as flying the F-14 was, flying the A-4 was also incredible -- in a different way.
It was quick, easy, and ultra-simple to man up and get airborne, and then get to the engagement arena.
There were no computers, no radar, and no autopilot (that worked, anyway!) on those stripped down bogey A-4’s -- just a TACAN (sometimes!), radio, and transponder.
You did not “get into” the A-4... you strapped it on.
Especially the single seat A4-E’s and A4-F’s.
Your shoulders rubbed against the canopy rail, and knees (on taller guys like me) barely fit through the cutouts on the narrow instrument panel to the rudders.
Your helmet was just a couple of inches from either side and from the top in hitting the canopy glass.
The visibility in the single seat A4-E/F’s between the 5-7 o’clock regimes was non-existent, so you had to get the tail around to see the “former” 6 o’clock area.
The A-4 probably had the fastest roll rate (760 degrees per second) of any fighter.
The A4-F (“Super-Fox”) was close to one-to-one thrust to weight with its J-52 P-408 engine once you had burned down to a “one more quick engagement” fuel state (around 1600 lbs) before bingo fuel.
The A-4E had a “lighter” nose (due to smaller J-52 P-8 engine and its associated thrust/CG factors), so it was even more preferred by some bogey-drivers than the Super-Fox -- especially in a tight, rolling fight.
There was a real “art” to fighting the A-4.
In a slow speed rolling scissors, it was literally a “ballet” -- not only with feet and stick, but also with the thumb (stick coolie hat trim control).
Slower speed pitch trimming technique was constant, and essential, since the electric motor trim-able stab surface area was MUCH larger than the attached elevator (which was controlled by only stick movement).
Throttle position was also essential in generating more nose pitch (pulling power) during a slow speed fight.
Depending on the slat adjustments on any given airplane, getting the slats out uniformly and easily was one of the most difficult parts of fighting the jet.
They basically “fall” out mechanically (i.e. via “g” or gravity) as a function of Angle of Attack (AOA).
Asymmetric slat extension meant a real bronco ride at higher “g” AOA extensions!
It was real work to get them out symmetrically at times.
Finally, raising and lowering flaps between 1/4 to 1/2 and back up at the appropriate times in a roller (by reaching your left hand down to the handle after the throttle was set back or full forward) was the other major factor in this "ballet."
This small 50’s vintage jet embarrassed many a “modern fighter” driver in both the Navy and USAF.
Not that it “shouldn’t” be spanked in the end, but, if those new state-of-the-art fighters were not flown smartly and patiently, (IOW, if pure performance “greed” took over the pilot too early), then that little A-4 could suddenly be all over those modern fighters like a cheap suit!
GREAT little jet.
Magic |
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发表于 2009-12-23 03:53:42
楼主
发表于 2009-12-23 09:13:10
发表于 2009-12-23 10:38:21
发表于 2009-12-23 11:35:53
