Todos
← Back to Squawk list
Video: F-106 Tethered to C-141 Takeoff & In-flight Footage
In 1997 and 1998 the Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, California, supported and hosted a Kelly Space & Technology, Inc. project "Eclipse," which sought to demonstrate the feasibility of a reusable tow-launch vehicle concept. (youtu.be) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
Don't suppose my AAA card would work for such a tow.
Yes, that is true. It slid to a stop on snow in a farmers field, engine ran until it was out of fuel. Only damage was the leading edge of a wing which hit a fence post. BUT, it cost big bucks to recover. Had to build a road across a muddy field so a heavy duty crane could hoist it so a sling could be placed under it. A crane helicopter lifted it and carried it to a low boy 18 wheeler. It flew again and was on alert in my detachment at Charleston AFB. I told the story to some visiting ROTC cadets and they looked at me like I was confirming advice they had be given, 'never believe a fighter pilot's war stories.'
I have about 2000 hours, 1965 to 1983 in the "6". The J-75 engine was almost indestructible. After a mission crew chief asked me to look a the leading compressor blade. There was in imprint of a .5"x1.5" bolt in the blade and no debris. Engine ran fine never felt or saw any anomalies. But working the radar at night at low altitude was kinda hair raising. No ground avoidance radar and nothing to tell how far above the ground you were. You trusted the GCI controllers. They never let me down. Thanks guys. Too bad most where chopped up or put on pedestals somewhere. Check in front of the Spruce Goose Hangar in McMinnville, OR.
The museum at Wright Patt has one that was recovered from a farm field. The pilot got it into either a deep stall or spin and punched. The plane recovered and glided at idle power into a snow covered field.
The engine on the F-106 was running to power the hydraulic flight controls and allow the operation of the landing gear, as well as providing a quick recovery should the tow line break. The 106's speed brakes were opened to counter the residual thrust from the idling engine.
The C-141A S/N 61-2775 weighed about 140 Klbs empty, it had no more than 60K of fuel on board for these tow missions, making the total weight 200K or less. The max gross was 326K if I recall. From a performance perspective, 200K of tow plane plus 30K of glider was still below the 141's max gross, though the drag from the tow was higher than an added 30K of payload on the 141.
The weak link on the tow cable was rated at 10 Klbs, if I recall.
Its been a few years.
The C-141A S/N 61-2775 weighed about 140 Klbs empty, it had no more than 60K of fuel on board for these tow missions, making the total weight 200K or less. The max gross was 326K if I recall. From a performance perspective, 200K of tow plane plus 30K of glider was still below the 141's max gross, though the drag from the tow was higher than an added 30K of payload on the 141.
The weak link on the tow cable was rated at 10 Klbs, if I recall.
Its been a few years.
Keep on and you'll tell your age
I worked on the Eclipse project at Edwards. Those planes were older than me, but I was used to that :) I'm 50 for what its worth!
Octal, decimal, or hex?
Base 10