These pods carry more than fuel......

[GTX]

On a different tangent, there were also the Mirage III's (don't think they were used on other platforms, but feel free to correct me) fuel tanks that doubled as bomb carriers:




Regards,

Greg

[dy031101]

On a different tangent, there were also the Mirage III's (don't think they were used on other platforms, but feel free to correct me) fuel tanks that doubled as bomb carriers:

That's just one of the things I intended to mention in the thread head.

Did anyone attempt to put BVRAAMs on those tanks?  Or was the R530 and derivatives simply too large/heavy?

[rickshaw]

Wasn't the Sea Harrier Mk. 2 intended to carry BVR missiles on its drop tanks?

[Weaver]

On a different tangent, there were also the Mirage III's (don't think they were used on other platforms, but feel free to correct me) fuel tanks that doubled as bomb carriers:
Greg

Sure I've seen a pic of an Aussie one carrying a 500lb Paveway on one of those.

The principle reason for adopting any of these non-ideal solutions was lack of pylon space: originally, the Mirage only had ONE pylon, and most production ones only had three highly rated ones, the outboard ones being only rated for Sidewinder/Magic.

Re the SHAR, yes, there was a proposal to carry AMRAAMs on the bottom of the drop tanks. I think it was changed when tests showed that the missile could survive the heat/noise enviroment under the fuselage when mounted in place of the gun packs.

[Scooterman]

Did anyone attempt to put BVRAAMs on those tanks?  Or was the R530 and derivatives simply too large/heavy?

Dunno about the big ones, but I swear I saw a pic of the Mirage 4000 slinging Magics off its wing tanks.........

[Mossie]

Napalm bombs have often been fuel tanks containing the liquid.  Hawker Hunters simply used 100 Gallon tanks.

[Sauragnmon]

I always thought it was a rather interesting concept, on the subject of "Rockets + Stuff" setups, but I had an idea at one point that was basically a rocket pod with a guidance package on it, meant for a rapid barrage of heavy firepower on a target, that would release from the aircraft, guide towards the target, and in flight systematically deliver a hail of rockets on the target subject, potentially rotating the pod to direct the hail into a tighter spread before guiding itself onto the target with a small explosive charge internally as well.  Never really got far on the idea, but it would make an interesting concept with, say, a napalm tank.  Rockets to punch up and soften the target before the main event strikes with an ignition-dispersion charge to scatter the napalm or other burny goodness over the target.

[B777LR]

I've only seen those on Mirage fighters.

[dy031101]

In July and August 1955, a preliminary study was made by Northrop on an Export Interceptor: two seat, two wing-mounted engines, and the ability to carry wingtip pods "containing a combination of rockets and missiles" (American Secret Projects: Fighters & Interceptors 1945-1978, P.88).

Does anyone have info on the wingtip pods?  Like exactly what kinds of ordnances and how many were to have been carried?

Thanks in advance.

[B777LR]

In July and August 1955, a preliminary study was made by Northrop on an Export Interceptor: two seat, two wing-mounted engines, and the ability to carry wingtip pods "containing a combination of rockets and missiles" (American Secret Projects: Fighters & Interceptors 1945-1978, P.88).

Does anyone have info on the wingtip pods?  Like exactly what kinds of ordnances and how many were to have been carried?

Thanks in advance.

Possibly the Northrop F-89? It had some strange missile-rocket wingtip pods.

[Sauragnmon]

Couldn't help but wonder - would larger versions of the rocket-tank pods be feasable on, say, an F-16?  A few more rockets in the pod, and more fuel in the tank, it might not be a bad weapon for the F-16, which does get a little light on the payload when you start stretching the range with all the tanks.  Or, alternately, a version of the Drop Tank/Bomb Racks used with the Mirage...

[Weaver]

Another combined tank concept: in 1956, the Swiss produced 24 Venom FB.1Rs which had recce cameras in the nose of two underwing fuel tanks:

[Mossie]

Nice pics of the Swiss Venoms Weave.  I'm sure I've pics of other aircraft with similar converted drop tanks, carrying cameras for weapons trials.

In July and August 1955, a preliminary study was made by Northrop on an Export Interceptor: two seat, two wing-mounted engines, and the ability to carry wingtip pods "containing a combination of rockets and missiles" (American Secret Projects: Fighters & Interceptors 1945-1978, P.88).

Does anyone have info on the wingtip pods?  Like exactly what kinds of ordnances and how many were to have been carried?

Thanks in advance.

Don't know about this study, but the Lockheed F-94C had rockets in leading edge launchers.  The Starfire carried purely unguided rockets at a time when it was thought they would be useful in the air to air role, these launchers gave a total of 24 to the earlier models 12 which were housed in flip out panels in the nose.

Pic of nose racks on Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:F-94_rockets.jpg


The Sea Vixen would sometimes carry old Sea Hawk drop tanks.  These were converted into storage canisters, usually stuffed with the crews gear for long stay overs.