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From: msf@prandtl.nas.nasa.gov (Michael S. Fischbein)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Vigilante (was Re: Another 2 Libyan jets)
Message-ID: <3244@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Date: 18 Jan 89 22:35:09 GMT
References: <3210@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Sender: military@cbnews.ATT.COM
Organization: NASA Langley Research Center
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In article <3210@cbnews.ATT.COM> smb@ulysses (Steve Bellovin) writes:
>
>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?
>

Sure.  You're thinking of the first plane designed to be a carrier based
nuclear bomber, the A-5.  Turned out the rear exit resulted in the bomb
(not torpedo) being carried behind the aircraft in its turbulence for an
indeterminate amount of time.  In addition to the obvious Cep (accuracy)
problems this caused, it tended to upset the aircrews when they were
followed by an armed nuclear weapon.  Or even HE.  Or even an inert
practice bomb.

Anyway, all the A-5's were converted to carrier based recon planes, called
the RA-5 Vigilante.  They are rather large carrier based planes, too.

This is all based on off the cuff remembrances, so others may have more
or more accurate details.

		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.