OT but is this photo real?

[mailman77327]

found this while surfing...can it be possible?
does anyone know it this actually happened?
chris

[Race5]

Re: OT but is this photo real?

I don't know if it is real or not, but I guess it could happen. As long as the main control surfaces weren't jammed up, it would probably make it back. Look at all the videos of planes returning after midairs with huge chunks missing out of wings, fuselages etc.

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Re: OT but is this photo real?

NO WAY! F-4 hardly flies with the wing unfolded.

[Race5]

Re: OT but is this photo real?

Yeah, but I thought winglets added lift?? Those are just REALLY big winglets

[drmull]

Another "Pholded Phantom" shot

I assume it's a real shot if this is genuine:

[mailman77327]

Re: OT but is this photo real?

thx guys 4 clearing that 4 me.
chris

[Propellerhead]

Re: OT but is this photo real?

I remember reading a similar story about a Skyraider taking off and landing with the wings folded. Struth!

Rob

[Bill@Interstell]

Re: OT but is this photo real?

Isn't there supposed to be a process in place to keep that from happening?

I'm trying to picture how the pilot could show a thumbs up and salute to the guy that then kneels down and points forward so the guy watching in the control room will push the catapult release button without either of the first two noticing the wings are still folded.

You'll note my complete lack of technical jargon here reveals I don't really know what all those different colored guys responsibilities are, just that I know they have some, and I image there was some explaining to do later.

[Race5]

Re: OT but is this photo real?

From what I have been able to find out, it poabably wasn't launched with the wings folded. The wings fold with haydraulics, but must be manually locked down by the ground crew. I'd bet that the wings were down but not locked. It was shot off the boat, then the aerodynamics overcame the hydraulics and they folded up.

[AirDOGGe]

Re: OT but is this photo real?

I have to agree. There's no way a plane can get of a carrier without the launch team noticing that the tips were up.

The photo looks fairly real though. Any chance this was just a test by the NAVY to see if it was physically possible to launch with folded tips, and the photos have been mis-interpreted by whoever distributed it?


NOTE: When I enlarged the first photo, the right tip seems to be folded farther inward than the left and it's angle to forward airflow seen off-kilter, as if the tips were poorly drawn on. Perhaps it's just me but it seems to be a fake in my opinion. Can't say with the second shot.

[Randy Haskin]

Re: OT but is this photo real?

I'll second the opinion that the airplane wasn't launched with the tips up...but they were not locked, and once the airplane became airborne the tips raised.

As someone who flies the pointy-nosed jets, I can tell you from personal experience that 'sh*t happens', even with a lot of people supposedly looking at your airplane.

I took off once in the F-15E with all three of my gear pinned down...nobody noticed it, from the 3 enlisted guys who armed up my jet before taking the runway, to the 6 guys in the three other jets that I pulled into takeoff position with. Nobody saw the three big, red flags hanging from my gear struts.

I also once flew an 8-hour combat mission over Iraq without having my shoulder harness (which is also my connection to the parachute!) buckled.

In a high-tempo, high-pressure environment, people are generally compartmentalized on their own tasks and can miss the glaring errors of others. It's not beyond belief for me that this has happened multiple times (even if the one photo being disuputed is a fake) as there are multiple photos of different events.

[Curt]

Re: OT but is this photo real?

Randy when did you notice that you didnt have yer straps on??


my guess on your reaction in order

1. OHHHH S-it!
2. Crew Chief is off the Xmas Card List
3. This one will be a good one to tell the new troops so they dont have it happen

[Randy Haskin]

Re: OT but is this photo real?

Randy when did you notice that you didnt have yer straps on??

After the mission, after landing, pulling off the active runway. I reached up to unbuckle my straps and.....hey, wait! How'd those things all ready get unfastened?!

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: OT but is this photo real?

I also once flew an 8-hour combat mission over Iraq without having my shoulder harness (which is also my connection to the parachute!) buckled

Awww... shoot... I'm finally relaxing in my "billet" on Nellis after a day of late flights, lots of loopholes and pratfalls....

I'm going to add to this via edit...

A few years ago, a certain... err... unnamed very heavy photographer I formerly worked with was over Stead in the back seat with Mary Dilda in her "Blue", shooting Ron Bucarelli in PM....

This "fellow" wore cameras like Mr. T. wore gold chains...

At some point during the pretty rough air shoot, Mr. Photographer managed to choose the camera that he'd gotten the strap of which, stuck under his belt release at beltup at the beginning of the photo mission..

When he pulled the body up to his face to take the shot, it unlocked the "finger" release and all his several points of safety suddenly were unlocked...

For those of you who have ever flown open cockpit in a T-6 on a photo mission and loosened your belts a bit so you could position yourself, you know the feeling of "getting light in the seat" when you hit bumps..

Magnify that a bit with nothing holding you in and I guess you can imagine the feeling..

Ron later told me that he was doing his best to be photogenic and be in the right place, and the shooter was doing his best to snap off every frame he could when.. "suddenly [he](name unmentioned) got a look of abject terror on his face and dropped his camera"

The shooter later told me that he was quite sure he was going to float right out of the cockpit..

Moral of the story?

Only carry as many cameras as you can shoot at one time and... don't be so overweight that when someone buckles your belts for you, you can't see your damn lap to see that they've locked your strap under the release finger!

Ok... done...

Live from Las Vegas, it's Monday Night!

[440_Magnum]

Re: OT but is this photo real?

NO WAY! F-4 hardly flies with the wing unfolded.

An F-4 doesn't fly. Now, the two J-79s on the other hand, they'll fly even when bolted to an F-4