wrote:

#Yes, I saw a Mirage 3 close by. Unlike other planes I saw close
#by (A4, F4, F15), it did not have a hook.)

Fred J. McCall wrote in message . ..

Many people mistake the 'short field hook' on some USAF tactical
aircraft for a 'tailhook'. They are nowhere close to the same thing
and the typical USAF fighter attempting an arrested trap is going to
blow its gear, rip its 'hook' off, and become so much flaming rubbish
falling off the deck.


The IAF had several cables near the end of the runways. Since the
runways were much longer than an aircraft carrier runway, the hooks
were rarely used. But I saw an A4 after it used its hook, and
it looked just fine. (The F4 hook was strong enough to hold the
plane while two engines were running with afterburn on.)

I don't know much about the USAF use of the hooks, so I x-post to
rec.aviation.military to hear the opinions of people who know better.

Well, given that the A-4 was designed as a naval plane, naturally it had
a proper tailhook.

I don't recall if Israel got ex-Navy F-4s. Probably. They'd have proper
tailhooks as well.

The F-15s, on the other hand, would have "short field" hooks.

--
Marc Reeve
Some guy at a desk somewhere ^reverse^ for email