Wso/rio

[retired guy]

Everyone knows that when something extraordinary happens on a crew served airplane, that it is the 'pilot" that is responsible. The rest of us, we are just there to help make the pilot look good. We certainly could not share the same accolades as him. While you enjoy your self promoting back slapping, the rest of us will be in the bar laughing at you while remaining comfortable with the fact that as a crew, we accomplished the mission.

How about a gunner on a bomber in WWII? Some had gotten 5+ kills yet remain anonymous.

I believe that if you re-read my post, you will not find any self promoting back slapping on my part. I made a statement of fact and asked a philosophical question.I doubt that you will beat me to the bar either. If you do, it`s because you bummed a ride with someone else. I flew alone.

 

[JimNtexas]

Doh!! F-105F or G models, I meant! Good catch.
And good point about Sijan. "Into the Mouth of the Cat" is a great book, too.

Were not all the F-105G's Weasels? In Weasels the pilot is there to drive the EWO to work.

 

[Huggyu2]

Yeah, but (without researching it) I thought that pilots did some of those duties too, back then. Not sure.

 

[414Flyer]

One of my friends flew the Spark Vark (RIP), and he was an IP in at Mountain Home. In order to teach the new EWOs, the pilots that were also ewo instructors had to know the ewo course there, in order to teach/evaluate in the aircraft. I think he wrote much of the syllabus and tactics that were in use at Mountain Home until the retirement

 

[bagasticks]

Everyone knows that when something extraordinary happens on a crew served airplane, that it is the 'pilot" that is responsible. The rest of us, we are just there to help make the pilot look good. We certainly could not share the same accolades as him. While you enjoy your self promoting back slapping, the rest of us will be in the bar laughing at you while remaining comfortable with the fact that as a crew, we accomplished the mission.

How about a gunner on a bomber in WWII? Some had gotten 5+ kills yet remain anonymous.

Additionally, it's the pilot's ass in the sling when when something extraordinarily BAD happens . . . . .ie. pushing the wrong throttle up in an engine out C5. . .



Those loadmasters remain anonymous too. . .

 

[JimNtexas]

One of my friends flew the Spark Vark (RIP), and he was an IP in at Mountain Home. In order to teach the new EWOs, the pilots that were also ewo instructors had to know the ewo course there, in order to teach/evaluate in the aircraft. I think he wrote much of the syllabus and tactics that were in use at Mountain Home until the retirement

We had a few pilots who were interested enough in the mission to take the time to learn the rudiments of what the ALQ-99 did. A handful actually learned enough electronic warfare to really grock what the airplane was for. Your friend was certainly one of those.

It certainly wasn't required that EF-111 pilots, plain or instructor, really have much understanding of what the airplane actually did.

That's sad, because if there were more pilots who understood the Sparkvark it would have stayed in the inventory another ten years, as it should have done. Certainly it could blow the doors off of any EA-6 when it came to speed or radar jamming capability. To be fair, the EA-6 had HARMs and some other EW tricks we didn't have, but when it came to speed, range, or power there was no comparison.

We had a number of pilots placed into the EF-111 who were sent to us as punishment for various crimes they had comitted in their former assignment. These were some of our best. Give me a good criminal pilot any day.

 

[Bjammin]

Certainly it could blow the doors off of any EA-6 when it came to speed or radar jamming capability.

We could carry 5 pods with you only carrying 2 and we could use the HARM seeker for other wiss/bang stuff. Plus we could divide our duties between 3 ECMOs. Beating EA-6's in radar jamming capibility?

I just want to defend the Navy EA community. :beer:

I'll be interested to see how all forces use the EA-18G. It will be a HUGE asset to the tactical community.

Of course you had the speed and power. I love the -111 and was sorry to see it go.

 

[JimNtexas]

We could carry 5 pods with you only carrying 2 and we could use the HARM seeker for other wiss/bang stuff. Plus we could divide our duties between 3 ECMOs. Beating EA-6's in radar jamming capibility?

We didn't carry pods in the EF-111. We always flew with 10 internal jammers, each of which operated at a significantly higher power level than those in the EA-6 pods. The EA-6 usually flew with only 2 pods (four transmitters) if it wanted to leave the pattern.

We could carry these 10 transmitters with a full fuel load of ~32000 pounds, IIRC.

And of course in range and speed the F-111 is a whole order of magnitude more powerful. You'll note the pointy end of an F-111 faces forward. There are no propellers on an EF-111.

In any kind of package the EA-6 will be the slowest and shortest range airplane unless there are helicopters. The EF-111 was always the fastest and longest range airplane in any strike package except those with F-111F's.

It's true that it takes 3 Navy EWOs to do what I did by myself, but out of modesty I didn't point that out.

I acknowledged the HARM and other cool capabilities of the EA-6, it's a good airplane. Thank goodness we still have it.

But the EF-111 was a far more powerful radar jammer in every parameter that matters.

 

[pkober]

Additionally, it's the pilot's ass in the sling when when something extraordinarily BAD happens . . . . .ie. pushing the wrong throttle up in an engine out C5. . .




Those loadmasters remain anonymous too. . .

Well said. It's a team effort in most respects in a C-130 however there are many times when individual crew members are doing there own thing. I don't take credit when we do a 5 minute turn at Salerno LZ. I don't take credit when the FE removes and pads a generator. I don't take the credit when we hit the DZ within 1 second of our TOT and get a PI, that goes to the Nav (unless he sucked and I had to aviate and navigate :beer.

 

[NavyGuy]

We didn't carry pods in the EF-111. We always flew with 10 internal jammers, each of which operated at a significantly higher power level than those in the EA-6 pods. The EA-6 usually flew with only 2 pods (four transmitters) if it wanted to leave the pattern.

We could carry these 10 transmitters with a full fuel load of ~32000 pounds, IIRC.

And of course in range and speed the F-111 is a whole order of magnitude more powerful. You'll note the pointy end of an F-111 faces forward. There are no propellers on an EF-111.

In any kind of package the EA-6 will be the slowest and shortest range airplane unless there are helicopters. The EF-111 was always the fastest and longest range airplane in any strike package except those with F-111F's.

It's true that it takes 3 Navy EWOs to do what I did by myself, but out of modesty I didn't point that out.

I acknowledged the HARM and other cool capabilities of the EA-6, it's a good airplane. Thank goodness we still have it.

But the EF-111 was a far more powerful radar jammer in every parameter that matters.

You're right. The EF-111 was an awesome platform. No wonder the AF got rid of them 10 years ago.
Just kidding Jim. I loved the -111. I think the AF underutilized them because they were'nt sexy enough and therefore were expendable and sadly retired. As far as tactics and how the aircraft were used to execute the mission I think the EA-6's were thrown a little further into the mix to include escort as well as stand-off jamming which seemed to be your bread and butter. And as you alluded to we could shoot back as well(for the life of me I don't know why they never strapped HARMs on you guys). But as everyone knows when it comes to raw power and beauty the Prowler ain't got nothing on the Spark Vark. And by the way it doesn't actually require three NFO's just two. So I guess that makes you twice the man.