How Real Men Load Bombs

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Wed Jan 20, 2010 9:16 pm

First ya start with a real bomber :idea:

Then load Mk-84s on it the old fashioned way ie hernia bar

SPANNERmkV · **Posted:** Thu Jan 21, 2010 10:36 pm

Sweet Dawg...SWEET!

In the grand scheme of things, when do those red fuse tags come out?
Before the plane gets positioned on the Cat?

Happy New Year Jack

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Thu Jan 21, 2010 10:44 pm

The pins get pulled before taxi. Ashore there is a arm/dearm area well clear of the ramp.
The pins for the MERS or whatever the loadout were pulled along with the
centerline are pulled and displayed to the pilot who gives you a thumps up and then placed in
the well for the left boarding ladder which is then closed. Also you have to arm the MAK-79s on
the MER. God I loved that sh*t!!!
as six stores attached to the ejector units (i.e. BRU-20 Ser. or MAK-79). Each ejector unit has four adjustable sway braces and two mechanically locking suspension hooks spaced 14 inches apart. Bombs are suspended and attached to the Multiple Ejector Rack by two suspension lugs 14 inches apart [except the Mk 84 which had lugs 30 inches apart]. Release was achieved by firing a charge that actuated a piston that forced the bomb off the MER. Each ejector unit is equipped with a safety stop lever located on the rear sway brace assembly which, when rotated to the locked position, prevents accidental stores release.

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Fri Jan 22, 2010 7:42 am

Jack you are starting to sound like the BN on Flight of the Intruder. "You see, Iron hand's my thing"-Commander Cole Virgil Cole.

Cool shots man. I still want to get a copy of that one with the A-6 landing and you have your hands in your pocket signed for my gameroom.

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Fri Jan 22, 2010 12:38 pm

Being in squadron made you feel like you really were part of the team.
On the boat you really didn't even make a blip on the scope. Except if you screwed up.
It was cool having the pilot doing his walk around just ask you if you gave him ''good bombs''
and then shake your hand before he climbs up the boarding ladder8)
I'll see about that photo.

the330thbg · **Joined:** Wed Nov 14, 2007 3:06 pm **Posts:** 2713

just try doing this with your hands in your pockets!!!!

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Fri Jan 22, 2010 1:27 pm

It can be done!

IndyJen · **Posted:** Fri Jan 22, 2010 6:23 pm

That's the Navy way, all right.

I've had to write loading instructions for certain ordnance in the past, and go out to the Fleet for "verification," which is where we have the youngest and least experienced sailors (preferably) do everything the manual tells them to do, as long as it doesn't break the equipment.

I'd write the procedure to use the appropriate hoisting gear (sort of like a chainsaw-motor-driven winch), and invariably, the first time that thing went on the pylon, it would be via the "hernia bar" and whoever could crowd around the item in question (which weighed, generally, more than 700 pounds).

After it was loaded the first time, and the hooks locked, and the electrical harness connected, _then_ we could take it off again, and load it up using the hoist. With visible distaste from our squiddly brethren, who avoid such niceties in normal life.

Those were the days. I just purely loved going out to the fleet. Good folks, good times.

Pat Carry · **Posted:** Fri Jan 22, 2010 6:52 pm

Very kool pics!

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Fri Jan 22, 2010 6:53 pm

The 2 hoists were the aero-14C and the HLU-196 which was powered by a small engine.
We never preloaded weapons onto the MERS and with spaced limitations on the boat we never
used anything but hernia bars for the dumb bombs. They were used for smart bombs like the
Skipper and CBUs. I prefered the bars has it was quicker and with less fuss and muss. Mk-82
had 2 men on each bar, MK-83s had 3 on each and the Mk-84 had 4 on each bar plus 2+ on the
bomb itself. BTW The checklist was GOD! In P-3s we used the 47 loader and the 14-C almost exclusively.

IndyJen · **Posted:** Fri Jan 22, 2010 6:56 pm

Ever load Walleye, Jack?

'Cause Walleye, and the data link pods that went with them, was my baby.

And of course, "hernia bars" didn't enter into it with those items. That was just me, demonstrating that I knew what a "hernia bar" was, above.

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Fri Jan 22, 2010 7:10 pm

No Walleyes but we loaded AIM-9s on the A-6s to get qualed. The pilots
wanted them but it was a waste because they took a whole pylon and the
a/c wasn't set-up for it so it became a point and shoot weapon. I know A-6s
carried the AGM-65 but we never loaded any but we did have SLAMs.
Something about screwing a fuse into a live bomb that made day-to-day trivialities
seem well trivial :idea:

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