« previous next »
Pages: [1] 2 3 4   Go Down

Author Topic: F-4 Rear Canopy  (Read 5435 times)

Offline curry1

  • Gold Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2321
F-4 Rear Canopy
« on: April 03, 2014, 10:21:27 PM »
Does anyone know what that is on the rear canopy of the Phantom?  I've never seen it before and would be interested if anyone had any knowledge on what it might be.



Logged
Curry1-Since Tour 101

Offline Widewing

  • Plutonium Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 8802
Re: F-4 Rear Canopy
« Reply #1 on: April 03, 2014, 11:39:03 PM »
Quote from: curry1 on April 03, 2014, 10:21:27 PM
Does anyone know what that is on the rear canopy of the Phantom?  I've never seen it before and would be interested if anyone had any knowledge on what it might be.



(Image removed from quote.)

Explosive cord to shatter the canopy upon ejection initiation?

« Last Edit: April 03, 2014, 11:41:58 PM by Widewing »
Logged
My regards,

Widewing

YGBSM. Retired Member of Aces High Trainer Corps, Past President of the DFC, retired from flying as Tredlite.

Offline eeyore

  • Copper Member
  • **
  • Posts: 255
Re: F-4 Rear Canopy
« Reply #2 on: April 03, 2014, 11:48:19 PM »
That's what is, explosive to break the canopy, otherwise you would seriously injure the pilot and REO (and I doubt their helmets would be able to break the canopy, likely they would break their cervical spines and end up dead).
Logged



"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past." - F. Scott Fitzgerald

Offline eeyore

  • Copper Member
  • **
  • Posts: 255
Re: F-4 Rear Canopy
« Reply #3 on: April 03, 2014, 11:52:33 PM »
Quote from: Widewing on April 03, 2014, 11:39:03 PM
Explosive cord to shatter the canopy upon ejection initiation?

(Image removed from quote.)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ejection_seat Aircraft designed for low-level use sometimes have ejection seats which fire through the canopy, as waiting for the canopy to be ejected is too slow. Many aircraft types (e.g., the BAE Hawk and the Harrier line of aircraft) use Canopy Destruct systems, which have an explosive cord (MDC - Miniature Detonation Cord or FLSC - Flexible Linear Shaped Charge) embedded within the acrylic plastic of the canopy. The MDC is initiated when the eject handle is pulled, and shatters the canopy over the seat a few milliseconds before the seat is launched. This system was developed for the Hawker Siddeley Harrier family of VTOL aircraft as ejection may be necessary while the aircraft was in the hover, and jettisoning the canopy might result in the pilot and seat striking it. This system is also used in the T-6 Texan II.
Logged



"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past." - F. Scott Fitzgerald

Offline curry1

  • Gold Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2321
Re: F-4 Rear Canopy
« Reply #4 on: April 04, 2014, 12:35:23 AM »
I've never seen an F-4 with that det cord system and can't find another pic with it on an F-4.  Not to mention it isn't on the pilot's canopy.   Also it seems to be tinted inside the area.  I don't think it is what it is even though it was at first my original thought as well.
Logged
Curry1-Since Tour 101

Offline danny76

  • Gold Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2583
Re: F-4 Rear Canopy
« Reply #5 on: April 04, 2014, 01:21:20 AM »
Quote from: eeyore on April 03, 2014, 11:48:19 PM
That's what is, explosive to break the canopy, otherwise you would seriously injure the pilot and REO (and I doubt their helmets would be able to break the canopy, likely they would break their cervical spines and end up dead).


GOOOOOOSSSSEEEE!!!!! :uhoh
Logged
"You kill 'em all, I'll eat the BATCO!"
The GFC

"Not within a thousand years will man ever fly" - Wilbur Wright

Offline danny76

  • Gold Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2583
Re: F-4 Rear Canopy
« Reply #6 on: April 04, 2014, 02:29:21 AM »
I've had a good look and cannot find another picture of this in a rear canopy, except in other Thunderbirds F4's.

I was wondering whether it was some for of sun screen or maybe a form of visual reference for use in formation flying :headscratch:
Logged
"You kill 'em all, I'll eat the BATCO!"
The GFC

"Not within a thousand years will man ever fly" - Wilbur Wright

Offline curry1

  • Gold Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2321
Re: F-4 Rear Canopy
« Reply #7 on: April 04, 2014, 08:13:03 AM »
Quote from: danny76 on April 04, 2014, 02:29:21 AM
I've had a good look and cannot find another picture of this in a rear canopy, except in other Thunderbirds F4's.

I was wondering whether it was some for of sun screen or maybe a form of visual reference for use in formation flying :headscratch:

I had the same experience trying to look for info on it as well.
Logged
Curry1-Since Tour 101

Offline curry1

  • Gold Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2321
Re: F-4 Rear Canopy
« Reply #8 on: April 04, 2014, 08:20:13 AM »
Actually just found out what it was from a Facebook group apparently it is an ADF antenna used for getting music and radio on long cross country flights.  The Blue Angels had them installed on their Phantoms as well.
Logged
Curry1-Since Tour 101

Offline pangea

  • Copper Member
  • **
  • Posts: 164
Re: F-4 Rear Canopy
« Reply #9 on: April 04, 2014, 08:23:35 AM »
Would've loved to have seen the Blue Angels or Thunderbirds when they flew F-4's.
Logged

Offline curry1

  • Gold Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2321
Re: F-4 Rear Canopy
« Reply #10 on: April 04, 2014, 08:47:43 AM »
Quote from: pangea on April 04, 2014, 08:23:35 AM
Would've loved to have seen the Blue Angels or Thunderbirds when they flew F-4's.

Or even better the Thud.

Logged
Curry1-Since Tour 101

Offline Oldman731

  • Plutonium Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 9504
Re: F-4 Rear Canopy
« Reply #11 on: April 04, 2014, 11:10:28 AM »
Quote from: curry1 on April 04, 2014, 08:47:43 AM
Or even better the Thud.


I was fortunate to see them flying the 105s, back in my ute.

It was impressive.

- oldman
Logged

Offline Rich46yo

  • Platinum Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 7358
Re: F-4 Rear Canopy
« Reply #12 on: April 04, 2014, 11:53:01 AM »
I saw, and heard, F4s till I was almost sick of seeing them. They were still the primary Jabo in USAF/NATO in my day. Tho we were getting F15s I never saw one in my service. The Turks flew a lot of F-104s around, now that was a cool airplane.
Logged
"flying the aircraft of the Red Star"

Offline Widewing

  • Plutonium Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 8802
Re: F-4 Rear Canopy
« Reply #13 on: April 04, 2014, 01:02:46 PM »
Quote from: curry1 on April 04, 2014, 08:47:43 AM
Or even better the Thud.

(Image removed from quote.)

I do love the Thud.... I spent years flying off of carriers and land bases. No jet engine I ever heard came close to the J-75 in the F-105. Sounded much less impressive in the F-106. Beats me as to why...

Watch and listen for yourselves....

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=756207857737358&set=o.57289657667&type=2&theater
Logged
My regards,

Widewing

YGBSM. Retired Member of Aces High Trainer Corps, Past President of the DFC, retired from flying as Tredlite.

Offline pangea

  • Copper Member
  • **
  • Posts: 164
Re: F-4 Rear Canopy
« Reply #14 on: April 04, 2014, 03:21:48 PM »
I saw and heard a lot of F-4's in my day as well.  Serviced, launched, recovered and turned a lot of wrenches on them too, so I have a bit of a soft spot for the Phantom.  I was a jet engine mechanic and we would do ground maintenance engine runs pretty regularly.  Will never ever forget having to get up close and personal to leak check something on the engine with the afterburner engaged.  Loud is not the word and the ground literally shakes.  Was lucky enough to get to do the engine runs too. 

Never had the pleasure of seeing or hearing a 105, but I was stationed on a base that had a squadron of 106's.  Beautiful airplane.
Logged
Pages: [1] 2 3 4   Go Up
« previous next »