Recovery on Coral Sea, Tonkin Gulf,1972. I occasionally get comments about planes coming in with unexpended ordnance and centerline tanks, as with the A-7 and these F-4Bs, so a little explanation may be in order. The planes typically came back and recovered in an order consistent with their specific mission. The attack aircraft that did the bombing came back first, and as an Airman in a busy shop, by the time I could get my camera out and get topside, the early-birds were back on deck. The A-7E here appears to have been an Iron Hand plane whos job was to take-out SAM and AAA sites to protect the bombers. When RADAR from the ground was detected, they would respond with 500 lb. bombs, strafing or most-commonly, Shrike anti radiation missiles that homed in on the NV Fan Song RADAR. The operators would have to be switched off and the SAMs would have no guidance. The two F-4Bs were MIGCAP or BARCAP. MIGCAP, or MiG Combat Air Patrol, escorted the attack planes to and from the target and defended against enemy aircraft. BARCAP, or Barrier Air Patrol orbited off the coast to assist in protecting the carriers and the Task Group from any threat coming from the shore. The tanks stayed on unless the plane had to engage in combat. Missiles could be flown back onboard if they had not had to be used. Bombs had to be jettisoned for safety reasons. The last plane recovered in this cycle was Willy Fudd, the E-1 Tracer Electronic Warfare plane, who jammed enemy RADAR and Communications, and was one of the flying pickets for the task group and strike force. Theres a lot more to it than this thumbnail description, but this should give you a rough idea of what was going on on Yankee Station. The whole story could, and in fact does, fill many books!
Posted on: Sat, 08 Nov 2014 17:27:03 +0000
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