Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!husc6!cmcl2!rutgers!att!cbnews!howard@cos.com
From: howard@cos.com (Howard C. Berkowitz)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: Rearward firing weapons
Message-ID: <3340@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Date: 21 Jan 89 02:09:32 GMT
Sender: military@cbnews.ATT.COM
Lines: 26
Approved: military@att.att.com

> > > 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.