Click Here to go to the YellowAirplane Home Page
www.YellowAirplane.com 


Missile Racks for Sidewinders

A-7 Corsair II on the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk, CV63.
1977-1978.
Below the wing, just above and behind the star, you can see the racks
for the sidewinder missiles.

Another name for the A-7 is "SLUF" Short Little Ugly Fellow
A-7 Corsair II belonging to VA-192 the World Famous Golden Dragons

Photo by C. Jeff Dyrek

A-7 Corsair Books     A-7 Corsair Movies     A-7 Corsair Models


Sidewinder Missile Racks on the A-7 Corsair II.

There are several things to look at on this picture. One, look below the canopy. You can see two bright things sticking out of the side of the jet. These are folding steps. Below and to the front of the bottom step is a larger open door. This is where a retractable ladder is stored. The pilot opens the door, pulls down the ladder, then folds down the steps attached to the ladder. The ladder is actually just a single tube with steps attached to each side

Now look at the star on the side of the jet. Just behind the star is another device attached to the side of the fuselage. This is a missile rack where the sidewinder missiles attach. I imagine that many kinds of missiles can be attached here, however I have only seen the Sidewinders heat seeking missile mounted to this rack.0009496ALT="A-7B Corsair II" HSPACE=10 VSPACE=10 BORDER=2 height=178 width=250 align=RIGHT>

Next, look at the pylons hanging below the wing, there are actually three pylons on each wing but we can only see two.  This is where the bombs are mounted. If you look real close you can see small adjusting screws on the bottom of the pylons. If you mount an external fuel tank here, what you see on the plane now is all that you will need. But if you mount bombs you need a couple of things called MER's or TER's.

A MER is a Multiple Ejection Rack. This type of rack will hold six bombs. A TER is a Triple Ejection Rack. This type of rack is made for bigger bombs and will hold only three bombs therefore it is called a Triple Ejection Rack.

You can't see it, but behind the pilots seat, mounted on the rear bulkhead, is a bomb sequencer. Instead of the pilot pressing the button and having all of the bombs drop at once, with the sequencer, when the pilot presses the button, a preset pattern of the bombs drop. For instance, he may drop two bombs at a time each time he presses the button.  Or, he may press the button once, and have two bombs drop, then after two seconds two more bombs drop, and again repeating this pattern until all of the bombs are dropped.

This sequencer must be adjusted by the pilot or weapons loading technician while on the ground before the mission. Because of the sequencers position, it would be very difficult to adjust while in flight. I don't know why it is done this way, but I guess I just don't know everything. 

Again, this is not a TV program. Every mission is very precisely planned even to things like what sequence that these bombs should be dropped. 

And one more thing that pops into my mind, unlike the movie, "Iron Eagle," no kid is going to jump into one of these aircraft and do anything except crash. I don't care how many simulators he has flown.

Jeff,

I just wanted to drop you a note to let you know how much I've enjoyed your web site this morning. I was an AO2 in your sister squadron VA-195 "Dam Busters" deployed on the Kittyhawk for the 1970-`71 Westpac cruise. I have many fond memories of the A7E and the Kittyhawk which have recently been rekindled by my scanning the slides I took during that cruise. I have many photos of CVW 11 aircraft and in particular many of A7E's. Including a series that one of our pilots took for me while on a mission over Viet Nam. If you are interested in seeing any of these please let me know.

Patrick Williams (ex-AO2)
St. George, UT

<<< Previous Photo       Next Photo >>>

Kitty Hawk Home Page

 

Look at these other USS Kitty Hawk Exhibits.

Home Many More Exhibits Here Dan Collier Darren Drake
Jeff Dyrek 77-78 Howard Freeman Brad Jones Morgan
34th Fighter Squadron 413th Fighter Group Famous People Model Ships
Art Books

 USS Kitty Hawk Home

Model Airplanes
    Videos
     Video Games

To the Main Entrance of the Yellow Airplane StoreGo to the Stores Front Door to See Much More.

Survival Equipment - Survival Supplies Real Sports Cars for Sale

To See All Exhibits in the Yellow Airplane Museum, Click Here.
 

Yellow Airplane Home BaseFly to the airplane models departmentAirplane Books   *  Airplane Movies   *    *  Airplane Models  *  Camaros for SaleAircraft Calendars  * Jet Fighter ModelsFlight Manuals Fly to the airplane models departmentExhibits  * Museums * RC Boats  * Ship Models  *   Sailing ShipsFly to the airplane models department Tanks  *  Military Vehicles   *    *  Action Figures   *  Train Sets * Railroad Books  *  Real Sports Cars for Sale   *    ;  Real Sports Cars for Sale   *   Adventures   *  Survival Equipment     More Aviation Art    *    More Models    *   

 


Specifications for the A-7E Corsair
Please note that these specs are only for one version of this aircraft. Other versions probably have different engines and other specifications
Manufacturer LTV Vought
Length 46'
Height 16'
Span 38'9"
Area 375 sq. ft.
Empty Weight 19,490 lbs..
Max. Weight 42,000 lbs..
Engines 1
Powerplant Allison TF41-A-2
Thrust 15000 lbs.. 
Range  2280
Max. Speed 602 kts.

Click Here for a list of WW2 Fighter Groups

Listing of Bomb Groups

Click Here to go to the YellowAirplane Online Museum

Look at these exhibits and tell me what these men really fought for.
the 34th fighter Squadron USS Kitty Hawk

About the Webmaster, Why God Send Me to the North Pole


Click her to see how I have to live and what it looks like to be a disabled Vet.

 


Avitop.com Aviation banner exchange - Join now!

  Write to the Webmaster 

 

  AVIATION TOP 100 - www.avitop.com Avitop.com        Best Aviation Sites Airplane Web Sites  

      

/pics/CV63_A7_4.htm|6773"

 

 

 

 

  .