Puma, was the pK of the Sparrow, and even Aim9, greatly affected by the ROE during LBJ and pre Nixon and Linebacker2/etc? I also read recently that the F4U had some of the first NCTR capabilities of the USAF, and could detect the Mig21s IFF and other leaking signals and determine if it was an enemy aircraft or not - long before the whole counting of turbine blades and other Star Trek like NCTR stuff. One of the military dailies I read recently did this article - http://www.wearethemighty.com/articles/what-made-the-f-4-phantom-ii-the-deadliest-fighter-to-fly-over-vietnam
I read all of Mark Berents books a few times growing up, and as much other F4 Phantom stuff I could find, I can't believe that this week is the first time I've ever heard about the no-ailerons deal with high AoA and using just rudder to roll. How frequently would you be in such a high AoA position and do this, and at what point could you begin to use the aileron again?
Did you ever use the "pistol" centerline gun pod, even with the E model? Just would like to know how much more accurate the internal gun was to that thing.
Regarding the Mig21 vs F4 deal, much of what I've read, even from xSoviet pilots who supposedly flew vs the Phantom in the 21, was that in the vertical and E fighting at certain altitudes, the F4 had a pretty large advantage vs the Mig21, so it wasn't all Mig21 all the time, both had advantages and disadvantages IMO. Also the F4 had another set of eyes and another brain on board, that's a huge plus. The Mig21 also was pretty limited compared to the F4 in terms of range, payload, a2g capability, radar, and many other things. The Mig21 was and still is a great fighter for its cost and purpose though, some of the newer ones that have been upgraded by the Israelis are still pretty potent little fighters, with the newer Archer missiles and HMS, better radar, systems, etc.
Puma = one thing about the F106 I always wanted to ask, is how to you decide which side of the front cockpit to look out of, with the strut being right through 12 oclock in your front view? Is it dominant eye, or are there avionics or a HUD set up for one side or the other being optimal?
Great questions and discussion, Gman.
One of the huge problems during my active duty time was ROE. We had some pretty decent BVR missiles but, in order to prevent fratricide, we were restrained to make a VID before shooting, which would often force a turning fight, thus preventing the use of the Sparrow. This, in turn, would require use of a heater. The ones we had at the time were constrained to an aft shot. Follow on versions greatly expanded the lethal envelope. So, with all of this in mind, a gun was the answer and sometimes the only real option once we got in the phone booth with a better turning opponent.
Using the rudder was essential in the hard wing jets or else, as described earlier. When I got into the E in Korea, it took some time to unlearn the no aileron mantra and take advantage of it during trips into the phone booth. I grew up in flying using rudders all the time. In those high AOA arenas, I tended to use a lot of rudder to get it started and use aileron to sweeten the turn as necessary. Pretty much a balancing act. Hard to say exactly when to and not to use it. It was more of a seat of the pants thing once I got somewhat proficient in the jet.
In the F-4 school house I flew the D model. On some of the range rides I got to strafe with the centerline pod. It had to be boresighted perfectly to be effective. To the best of my knowledge, it wasn't used on the E model. Now, would I have liked to have the centerline gun on the E? You betcha! Talk about a gun fighter! Somewhere, I saw a picture of a D with three gun pods mounted. Arrrggghhhh, what a beast that would be.
During our deployment to Cairo West AB, we flew a sortie against the Egyptian Mig-21s. In the hazy sand filled skies, the Migs where virtually impossible to see when they were pointed straight at us. All of the Vietnam vets I was privileged to fly with and against, said not to get in a turning fight with the Mig-21. The desirable tactic was to keep the airspeed up, maintain energy, and shoot at long range.....outside the phone booth.
In the Six, the strut was really a non player. It was not wide enough to be noticeable since it was on the centerline of the pilot's field of view. From the exterior side view there is a black panel in the windscreen forward of the pilot. This was a thin plate that prevented light glare from reflecting between the two slanted windscreens and creating a distraction, especially at night. This was also a non issue since it was also directly on the centerline. Below, the black splitter plate is visible in front of the pilot. "026" was my assigned jet when station with the 5th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Minot AFB, ND. Shown here at Davis Monthan AFB, AZ during a visit to our Air Defense Alert Detachment.
Here's a different view of the "splitter".
