A hard landing from an F-4E aircraft followed by drogue chute deployment (I love this aircraft)

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Redcloak12@reddit

I was a 7 level crew chief on that bird after 6 years. I knew it inside and out. I loved every day!

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Atalkingstranger@reddit

Question for you, how often did you guys do cartridge starts? Was that a normal procedure or is it only rarely used in training?

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OMG! I only did one during an alert event and while in full MOP gear. I had a #2 torch!! I was an E5 on the left wing tip. The E4 out font took off running for the woods. No comms, we were in gas masks. Pilots were looking at me on the wing tip, they had huge eyes. Everything worked out fine. I heard the pilots talking later, "The airman on the wing was cool". I really thought I was going to die right there.

To answer your question, almost never.

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Correct_Inspection25@reddit

Was performing the start part of the alert SOP?

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Redcloak12@reddit

Yes, basically no ground equipment. No dash 60 for power or air. No cabling. Full MOP gear. Wartime seniro.

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Correct_Inspection25@reddit

Thank you! MOP seems like it would be extremely challenging in a scramble, and i couldn't imagine it in a hot environment.

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CannonAFB_unofficial@reddit

Dude you still talk like you’re active. As a very recent AF retire, I love that your slang and terminology don’t drop off.

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Redcloak12@reddit

No, I got out after my 6 years in about 1982. But was a fun time.

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Redcloak12@reddit

Now ask me about running engines in dual afterburners, tied down and no hush house. In Germany on a Sunday morning. :-) Again, I was on the left wing tip!

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Severe_Lavishness@reddit

As a contractor I’ve been within a few hundred feet of an F-22 on the test stand at full afterburner with no hush house. That was incredibly loud, I can’t imagine being on the wing for something like that

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Redcloak12@reddit

I tossed a large can of flammable hydraulic fluid into the #1 AB flame. There was just a small "spark" when it hit. My hart was beating at the same speed as the ABs. speed.

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Dank_Strategist420@reddit

When I was a kid, these were all over our skies. We have a large national guard here. The smoke and noise from these beasts was unreal.

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TheOzarkWizard@reddit

Was it louder than an f35?

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Dank_Strategist420@reddit

I’ve never heard the f35

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TheOzarkWizard@reddit

According to Google, opinions are mixed. The f4 is louder but the 35 has more of a high pitched screech that can make it sound harsher. I find it hard to imagine anything louder than a 35 on afterburner.

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