I'll Drop The Bomb on You, Baby!

I did not mean to indicate that these particular training bombs would be
filled with water and sand with a smoke charge!
I was trying to educate those interested that this particular type of
ORDNANCE was used in the distant pass.
As you being an old Naval Aviator I would guess even before your time. I
was a CWO Gunner (Aviation Ordnance) for 27 years and all tail hook
squadrons,
A4, A7, F4, & F-18. All combat squadrons. Please note the spelling of
ORDNANCE. A lawyer I'm not!
I once had a helo ride to the Pinecastle range in Florida and saw where
Mk-76's repeatedly penetrated through both sides of M113A1 Armored Personnel
Carriers.

Check-six,
Dick


"John" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 24 Jun 2007 02:42:54 -0400, "Richard Goldsberry"
wrote:

These "bombs" look like the training bombs filled with water and sand to
approx. the weight of the real McCoy.

Actually, they are likely filled with only air. The FAA gets really
upset when you load live ordinance on a non-military (active)
aircarft. Training loads with smoke charges actually fall in the same
category. I doubt if "Aluminum Overcast" ever actually drops anything.
Getting permission to do that would be pretty difficult (there is
always the possibility of inadvertant drops) I would think.

Even for active duty types on a scheduled mission, the paperwork and
opportunities to explain onesself are quite amazing when you drop even
a training round where it wasn't supposed to be. When I was an IP in
the training command in S. Texas, we had a student that, unknowingly,
lost a MK-76 (http://www.ordnance.org/practice.htm) onto a van parked
in a town enroute to the target. The solo student leading the flight
also was impressed by the effect of his taking the flight OVER the
town instead of AROUND it as briefed. Oh, the IP's in the flight had
no time to correct the situation as the town was just south of the
field and the student was supposed to delay the departure turn to
target until past it, but turned right after cleanup.

No one saw the bomb leave the aircraft because it was #4 in the
formation. He had a "no spot" during the runs but all aircraft were
clean on joinup for the trip home. It was not until after they got
back were the pieces put together as to what had actually happened.

John Alger USN(ret)
1972-1997 // 1310,1320
TA-4J, A-7E, EC-130Q, P-3B

Neat story. Thanks!

The "bombs" are just shells. As stated, it is now considered an experimental
civilian aircraft, so no live-working armaments of any type are permitted.
Most of the B17s I have had the chance to tour do not even have the motors
for the turrets in them. Only the bubble attached to the fusalage.

One note on the bomb bay doors, however. It seems that all B17s I have
visited still have the bomb bay trap door mechanisms in-tact. This was in
case a bomb were to come lose from the rack, the door would open under the
weight of the bomb, and allow the bomb to fall free of the aircraft. You
would'nt want a bomb rolling around in the plane! It also provided an
emergency exit for many unfortunate crew members whose plane was going down.
We were told on our flight that if we dropped something onto the doors while
in the air, to let it lay there until we landed. If we tried to retrieve it
in the air, we would exit the plane in a hurry.

Russell Underwood