Dropping droptanks

On Sat, 02 Apr 2005 14:31:29 +0200, Max Richter
wrote:

Hallo,
i wonder how common is it, to really drop your droptanks in an combat
situation.
And if you do it, will somebody be upset that you lost these "valuable
peaces of equipment"?


In the USAF F-4 operations in SEA during Linebacker we jettisoned the
C/L tank on virtually all missions into Route Pack VI.

Aircraft doing MiGCAP, escort and Hunter/Killer missions were usually
configured with C/L tanks, inboard ordinance (CBU for H/K and AIM-9s
for A/A sorties) and outboard tanks. The C/L always was dumped when
empty.

We seldom jettisoned the outboard tanks, however on long duration
Hunter/Killer missions when we had to spend 45 minutes in the target
area supporting the bomb-droppers, we would also dump the 370 O/B
tanks.

The F-105G Weasels always jettisoned the C/L during Route Pack VI
missions and the lead Weasel who had an assymetric load of AGM-78
Standard ARM on one inboard station would also jettison the lone 450
after firing the Standard.

Single-seat F-105D operations during Rolling Thunder usually retained
the tanks except in emergency situations or MiG engagements. But, I
still got to blow a few of those as well.

I recount the tale in "When Thunder Rolled" of screwing up on my third
F-105 combat mission and inadvertently jettisoning the C/L tank and
inboard "special weapons" pylons in the target area. When I landed the
maintenance supervisor handed me a clipboard with a "hand receipt" for
the two pylons and the tank--$6000 for the pylons and $800 for the
tank. I thought they were going to bill me, but it was strictly a
records keeping exercise.



Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
www.thunderchief.org
www.thundertales.blogspot.com