howard@cos.com (Howard C. Berkowitz) (01/19/89)
> > Perhaps because the missle would have to contend with a considerable > velocity in the other direction? > > I seem to recall, many years ago, a Navy jet that could launch a torpedo > to the rear. The torpedo tube exit was between the two engine exhausts, > which in itself would make for some interesting engineering problems. > Does anyone remember any more details about this plane? > This reminds me of another story, from the WW II Luftwaffe, of German experiments with rearward-firing cannon on fighters. I believe Galland discussed this in _The Last and the First_. An experimental Me-109 (I think -- could have been a Fw-190) was equipped with a rearward-firing cannon, with the intention of luring Allied aircraft to get on the German "six" and then be blown away. That was the theory; air combat training had not, however, taught German fighter drivers to assist anyone in getting on their tail. Eventually, the assignment was given to a top service test pilot, who flew away muttering about being assigned a weapon equivalent to certain bodily processes associated with excessive bean consumption. After several flights, he eventually shot down a British observation plane, to the mutual amazement of both pilots (the bizarre maneuvers he had taken _to get Allied planes on his tail_ caused Allied pilots to keep their distance from an apparently deranged Nazi pilot). The report sent to Luftwaffe headquarters managed to end the project. howard@cos.com OR {uunet, decuac, sun!sundc, hadron, hqda-ai}!cos!howard (703) 883-2812 [W] (703) 998-5017 [H] DISCLAIMER: Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Corporation for Open Systems, its members, or any standards body.
msf@prandtl.nas.nasa.gov (Michael S. Fischbein) (01/20/89)
In article <3241@cbnews.ATT.COM> howard@cos.com (Howard C. Berkowitz) writes: >This reminds me of another story, from the WW II Luftwaffe, of German >experiments with rearward-firing cannon on fighters. > >An experimental Me-109 (I think -- could have been a Fw-190) was equipped >with a rearward-firing cannon, with the intention of luring Allied >aircraft to get on the German "six" and then be blown away. I remember reading of a Dakota (ie, DC-3) that was equipped with rear firing .50 cal machine guns after Zeros had shot down too many of the normally unarmed cargo planes flying the China-Burma-India "hump." They were much more maneuverable than the Dakotas and would take all the time they wanted to get on the tail of the normally helpless plane. The one Dakota with the machine guns shot down several Zeros and, as the word got around to the Japanese, the losses dropped as the cargo planes stopped being considered defenseless. mike Michael Fischbein msf@prandtl.nas.nasa.gov ...!seismo!decuac!csmunix!icase!msf These are my opinions and not necessarily official views of any organization.
howard@cos.com (Howard C. Berkowitz) (01/21/89)
> > > I seem to recall, many years ago, a Navy jet that could launch a torpedo > > > to the rear. The torpedo tube exit was between the two engine exhausts, > > > which in itself would make for some interesting engineering problems. > > > Does anyone remember any more details about this plane? > > I believe that was an A-5. Intended to carry nukes, before they Air Force > took them away. It was only used for recon, after that. > > The classical method a fighter-bomber uses to drop a nuke, is a low level > penetration, followed by a pop up, during which the nuke is released, > The nuke would drop slowed by a drogue chute, and detonate barometrically, > or with contact fusing. Maybe someone thought you could aim it better > releasing it backward. My late father-in-law, it happens, was an A-5 Vigilante driver and squadron commander. He was primarily in recon, but was a test pilot for all A-5 types. I never discussed this feature with him, but I do remember that they used toss bombing as well as the retarded delivery mode you mention. In such an approach, the aircraft approaches at low level, climbs into a half loop, and releases the weapon at an appropriate point in the loop -- "tossing" it "over the shoulder" in the direction of the target, from which the aircraft is now retreating. Perhaps the rear exit was for this mode, since the plane presents its rear to the target as fast as is possible.