[muesingman]

Just to reduce all the confusion a bit now: My GBU-24´s are under the inner pylons now. The removal of the fuel tanks was quite not easy, but it went good in the end. Perhaps now the expert for the Superbug can tell us what would be realistic now to do with the remaining pylons?

I never hat expectedt that this matter is that complicated - but thanky You for whate You are researching here for me, David!

[David Hingtgen]

If the GBU-24's are already on the inner pylons, then I would leave the middle pylons empty, and put HARM's on the outer pylons. That would match (I think, hard to tell from the angle of the pic) a VX-23 plane load.

Have a look: Navy NewsStand - Eye on the Fleet

[muesingman]

Originally Posted by David Hingtgen

If the GBU-24's are already on the inner pylons, then I would leave the middle pylons empty, and put HARM's on the outer pylons. That would match (I think, hard to tell from the angle of the pic) a VX-23 plane load.

Have a look: Navy NewsStand - Eye on the Fleet

Thank You David,

but indeed, it is very hard to tell. I just have viewed my model from the same angle and I would tend to say that You are right. I just hope now that someone from the Navy can tell me wether it is really correct (I have just used the "contact us" link). Let´s see what happens.

[David Hingtgen]

FYI, the Kestrels have already changed their CAG scheme:



Nothing changes faster than Super Hornet schemes. VFA-2 and 14 are the only ones still in their original colors.

PS---31 mins after your last post I got a reply, and he said that pic does in fact have the GBU-24's on the middle pylons, with drop tanks inboard. So HARMs apparently CAN go next to a GBU-24. The lack of fit on the model has to be due to inaccurate scale, etc. (Weapons are always overscale--ever tried putting a Sparrow on a Dragon Hornet fuselage? Won't happen)

[muesingman]

Originally Posted by David Hingtgen

FYI, the Kestrels have already changed their CAG scheme:



Nothing changes faster than Super Hornet schemes. VFA-2 and 14 are the only ones still in their original colors.

PS---31 mins after your last post I got a reply, and he said that pic does in fact have the GBU-24's on the middle pylons, with drop tanks inboard. So HARMs apparently CAN go next to a GBU-24. The lack of fit on the model has to be due to inaccurate scale, etc. (Weapons are always overscale--ever tried putting a Sparrow on a Dragon Hornet fuselage? Won't happen)

Ok... so, If I had followed my original plan, it would have been ready now.

My next question then: if a HARM CAN go next to a GBU-24, why shouldn´t a HARPOON go between a GBU-24 and a HARM? I think this would be the best to accomplish the payload.

[David Hingtgen]

Harpoon's a lot bigger, and you're approaching weight/range limits. Fully loaded with heavy weapons with a lot of drag, and only 1 drop trank. It's not going to go far.

Also, that'd bring up the "what mission" issue. If you have a GBU-24/Harpoon/HARM load, you have an anti-ship, SEAD, massive/hardened target load. Of course, there's always the "airshow load" option---doesn't have to be useful, just physically possible.

The basic problem is again, the GBU-24. It's just not used on the Super Hornet that often. As in, never operationally. It's been cleared and tested, but no one's actually used it yet. Which is why it's so hard to find pics/info on what it is and isn't allowed with.

Also, the Harpoon is just as rare if not more so. I've found one pic ever on a Super Hornet. Along with only 2 pics ever on a Legacy Hornet. Harpoons are mainly launched from ships, not planes.

It is difficult to make a realistic load using rare weapons that are never seen together. If Dragon or Witty would simply give us COMMON bombs like the Mk82 or Mk84, it'd be easy to load up planes. Or the rails/adapters needed for common missiles like the AMRAAM and Maverick.

PS--all this is why my Witty Super Hornet is almost empty. It's the most common thing you see, actually. IMHO both Witty and Dragon messed up their Super Hornet weapons too much to bother fixing. All my other planes are loaded up as best I can, but my Super Hornet will just be "coming back from a mission" with most weapons gone. I'm slowly fixing up my HM A-10, but it still only be half-loaded. (but it will be correctly loaded)

PPS--where'd you get Harpoons?

[muesingman]

Originally Posted by David Hingtgen

PPS--where'd you get Harpoons?

From a plastic model kit, I don´t know from which one yet - but this will be the least problem, I think. The much bigger problem now is: what else which is more realistic can I do with the empty middle pylon now? A smaller GBU than 24 perhaps? Which one might keep the weight limits in the configuration my model shows so far? I still have some GBU-12´s.

Anyway, I suppose, another pair of GBU-24 would exceed the weight limits?

On the other hand and BTW: how much does a fully fuelled drop tank weigh / how much drag does it cause? So much less compared to live weapons?

[David Hingtgen]

I've asked a few more questions, will see what answers I can get. Dragon and Witty just don't make smaller bombs. I bet any 500lb weapon would be cleared for the middle pylon in that configuration, but they're not out there.

Actually, I think 4 GBU-24's should be allowed. Got 2 more? Drag would be extreme, but weight should be fine.

Drop tank drag is comparable to a slick bomb---proportionately larger though. Their weight is very high. A full Super Hornet tank is 3,400lbs or so I'd guess. (200?lb tank with 3,200lbs of fuel)

[muesingman]

Originally Posted by David Hingtgen

I've asked a few more questions, will see what answers I can get. Dragon and Witty just don't make smaller bombs. I bet any 500lb weapon would be cleared for the middle pylon in that configuration, but they're not out there.

Actually, I think 4 GBU-24's should be allowed. Got 2 more? Drag would be extreme, but weight should be fine.

Drop tank drag is comparable to a slick bomb---proportionately larger though. Their weight is very high. A full Super Hornet tank is 3,400lbs or so I'd guess. (200?lb tank with 3,200lbs of fuel)

Good! So I´ll have to buy another Dragon Weapons set from somewhere, somehow to get another pair of GBU-24.

I just had the idea to re-install the CVERs and to fill them with pairs of... not sure, but GBU-12s look so small, sure that doesn´t work? Anyway, while searching for answers I found this link:

http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA284119

Pity, I did so far not really understand what this report exactly means - too much of technical English. But perhaps of interest for You. But as far as I have understood, it mainly just refers to the legacy Hornet.

[David Hingtgen]

GBU-12 not cleared for dual carriage on a CVER on a Super Hornet, even though the Legacy Hornet does it ALL THE TIME. Don't know why, but it's true. You can put 2 Mk83's on a CVER, which are twice as big. Very common. (And of course, since it's very common, that means Witty and Dragon don't make it).

Mk83=most common bomb you'll see on a Tomcat or Hornet from about 1990 and later. And not available even in resin to make yourself.