F-4 flying with wings folded???

[MX304]

Does anyone know the story behind this photo? That is of course assuming it is real.

http://www.aafo.com/hangartalk/attachme ... entid=4294

[Stoney]

Years ago i heard a story of two F-8s doing in VN on a night T/O

[spookyboss]

I am sure Everyone has heard of the Skyraider that took off with the wings folded !!!

[JBoyle]

I am sure Everyone has heard of the Skyraider that took off with the wings folded !!!

I don't know about a Skyraider (frankly I doubt it...too much of the wings fold...it would be like saying a Dauntless flew with folded wings) but there is a photo of an F8U Crusader flying with wings folded...like the Phantom, just the outer 1/3 or so fold.

[skymstr02]

Dauntless wings don't fold.

[JBoyle]

Dauntless wings don't fold.

Make that an Avenger.

[RickH]

Jboyle the wingfold on the Skyraider is similar to the Corsair, they have a pretty good sized stub. The Avenger wing rotates flat along the fuselage just like the other Grumman. You're right NO way an Avenger could fly that way. The Skyraider ? Maybe, I know I've read the account somewhere. The F-4 picture is VERY real.

[tom d. friedman]

i'm no aeronautical engineer, i suppose anything is possible. the pic looks real, but maybe it's flapping it's wings like a bird!!!

[Randy Haskin]

[Jack Cook]

I don't know about a Skyraider (frankly I doubt it...too much of the wings fold

It really happened and the story is told in detail in Capt Zip Rausa's book "Gold Wings-Blue Sea" an excellent read by the way.

[spookyboss]

check out the website for VC-35. www.VC-35andVAAW-35.org it tells the story of a Skyraider taking off with wings folded.

[DazDaMan]

I'd heard of Seafire (47s, I think) being catapulted off the carriers, engines running, and one or two of them actually circling the ships!

[Manonthefence]

As it happens by strange coincedence I was talking to an Vietnam Vet F-4 pilot only last week. He flew F-4D's from Thailand.

He mentioned that the WSO's final job before take off was to check that the markers just inboard of the wing folds were down indicating that the wings were locked just before take off roll. One day the WSO didnt do this and Sods Law states that this was the one time that the wings werent locked. All was well until the aircraft rotated for takeoff, whereupon the wings folded and the aircraft flopped back onto the runway with both crew ejecting.

I'm not sure if an F-4 could sustain flight from a carrier, but with a warload on board it couldnt from dry land.

[RickH]

There are two different systems between the Navy F-4s and the USAF
F-4C/Ds. The Navy system was completely powered, fold and then lock and controlled by the pilot.

The USAF opted to leave off of the power lock feature. We have powered fold but you have to manually screw the winglonks on the bottom of the wings. The "indicator" is a red pin that sticks up when unlocked and then as you use your screwdriver to lock the wings the pin retracts. This pin is pretty big, they are called the " beer cans " and they are red.

The E models were completely manual, no hyd fold just muscles ( and a bunch of them )

[setter]

I think you will find it is being craned and you can't see the cable and hook
Just my thoughts

Regards
John p