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Maybe it wasn't rated for M1.0. Looked pretty fast to me, if it was coming out of a dive it could have been close to Mach.

Queso wrote:Maybe it wasn't rated for M1.0. Looked pretty fast to me, if it was coming out of a dive it could have been close to Mach.

Stop drinking that artificially flavored vodka.

Similar incident killed a Tomcat once. There's video of it out there somewhere.

Queso wrote:Maybe it wasn't rated for M1.0. Looked pretty fast to me, if it was coming out of a dive it could have been close to Mach.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think the A-4 is rated for M1.0

Looks like it might have been a G loading thing. He pulled up but the tank didn't come with him. It might scare all of us to think how old that airplane and tank are.

Looking at the video, coming out of a dive or not in level flight the A-4 (especially double bubble) will not go supersonic or close to it. The tank probably failed for other reasons, sway bar fittings were old etc….who knows. Basically an A-4 (J-52-P8) will only go supersonic in a very steep dive, clean wing. At Lemoore they had a TA-4F with engine trimmed and they would get it supersonic once in a while.

Don’t remember any restrictions. I’ve had one up to .96 or so with centerline tanks. The problem is more of an airframe issue. Controls become heavy etc. It was not designed for supersonic flight, does not have a flying tail etc. Once you hang any gear, tanks, racks, ordnance the drag coefficient becomes a killer. Even in a dive at sea level, two tanks, probably 450 maybe 500 kts IAS would be the max on a pass like that.

A dive a sea level sounds sounds most unadvisable.

BaylorAirBear wrote:A dive a sea level sounds sounds most unadvisable.

The guys who I know did it at NLC ( Lemoore) started like at 37,000 pointed that sucker down and went for it. The bird was totally clean…no parent racks. I’m sure others have done it. The Top Gun A-4’s were clean and the Blues A-4’s with the 408’s were even more capable. Like most things, unless you’re somewhere out to sea or in an area cleared for it, it’s probably not worth the risks of a sonic boom. Very few guys (like the F-4’s) go SS, because at least in the navy we almost always had tanks. The F-8 drivers often did at sea as it was a pretty clean bird.
At low level without a “flying tail” pulling out would take a lot longer and take a lot more finesse

Thanks, tail. I've never heard the term flying tail. Can you explain what that means?

BAB

BaylorAirBear wrote:Thanks, tail. I've never heard the term flying tail. Can you explain what that means?

BAB

A flying tail is where the entire horizontal stabilizer is actuated to act a a control surface. It's easiest to see in pictures of modern Navy cat shots.

Seen in action on this F-15:


DSC07694 by Click Click D'oh, on Flickr

See how the whole horizontal stabilizer is deflected to act as the elevator? That's a flying tail

Compare to this A-4:


DSC06111 by Click Click D'oh, on Flickr

Even though it's not deflected, you can clearly see the separation between the horizontal stabilizer and the elevator

BaylorAirBear wrote: Can you explain what that means?

A conventional tail, you have the horizontal stabilizer and the elevator is hinged at the aft end, like on of your ATRs. A flying tail has the entire stabilizer moving, not just providing pitch control but roll control as well, like in an F/A-18.

BaylorAirBear wrote:Thanks, tail. I've never heard the term flying tail. Can you explain what that means?

BAB

The A-4 is like a 172. It has basic elevators…horizontal stab is fixed and elevator tabs move controlling pitch. I believe all the new AC the entire stabilizer moves giving the AC a lot more control and authority. Same with vertical stabs. In old AC they were fixed and the rudder tabs moved, you look at all the AC, like an F-18, the entire twin vertical stabilizers move even in opposite directions. Or something like that. Back to yard work. Miamiair can fill in the techno details and correct me. Over to you Lop’s

Thanks for an explanation, dudes. Now I know exactly what a flying tail is.

BAB