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Post by Mark O on May 12, 2004 12:35:22 GMT 9
Just read this over at modelingmadness.com and had never heard or read this before. The author built a few 1/72 Sixes but admits he made a few errors. Interesting though! Here's the link with the interesting paragraph. www.modelingmadness.com/reviews/korean/mans106.htm"An interesting feature of the F-106 was a fully programmable autopilot system – which could fly an entire mission from takeoff, interception thru to landing – with the pilot acting in a monitoring rather than controlling role. This has always made me wonder if an F-106 could perform a flight with a non-pilot aboard. I’ve recently read (but don’t know if I fully believe) that part of the function of the autopilot was to perform an extreme evasion manoeuvre after launching a Genie Nuclear missile, and return to base with a possibly incapacitated pilot, so that the plane could be used again. Seems the answer to my question could be YES!" Hmmmm, Mark
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Post by Cougar on May 12, 2004 14:44:14 GMT 9
"An interesting feature of the F-106 was a fully programmable autopilot system – which could fly an entire mission from takeoff, interception thru to landing – with the pilot acting in a monitoring rather than controlling role. I believe what you describe is a SAGE flight, but it didn't include take-off or landing to my knowledge. The joke used to be that SAGE would RTB to within 50 feet of the runway; the pilot being on board because it wasn't known if it was going to be 50 feet above, or 50 feet below the runway.
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Post by Mark O on May 13, 2004 15:37:47 GMT 9
Oh yea, I know it's refering to a SAGE flight but I don't think the author knows that. Just thought it was interesting what he "read" about it!
Mark
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Post by LtCol M. Ross Shulmister on Sept 22, 2004 19:55:08 GMT 9
SAGE coupled with the autopilot was an interesting phenomenon. It allowed the pilot to take care of other matters while still running the early part of the intercept.
However, SAGE (coupled with the autopilot) had an inability to start the engine, control the engine, taxi into position (and hold or not), line up on the runway, kick in or shut down the afterburner, raise the gear, perform the actual intercept, adjust the radar, raise the IR detector, visually ID the target (we, unlike the Russians, were not inclined to shoot down passenger airliners - but then, that was long before 9/11-style terrorist hijackers), discriminate between legitimate targets and decoys and countermeasures and friendlies, acquire the target (i.e., lock the radar or IR onto the target), decide which missile to use, launch or fire (live or simulated) the ordnance on board, deal with countermeasures, avoid being shot down by hostiles in the air, avoid spins and other hazardous maneuvers, adjust the IFF (transponder), tune in the ILS, plant the airplane on the ground in one piece, pop the 'chute, apply the brakes, taxi to the chocks, shut down the engine, deal with system failures, and deal with emergencies in flight or on the ground. And they were remarkably inept at flying formation.
I may have missed a few other items, but except for those few details, a pilot was quite superfluous.
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Post by Jim on Sept 23, 2004 0:36:27 GMT 9
I may have missed a few other items, but except for those few details, a pilot was quite superfluous. WOW, NOW I KNOW WHY THIS GUY GOT THE BIG BUCKS --COL ME DARLIN- YE BE A FORGETTIN TO BE A WATCHIN THE "LOW FUEL LIGHT" , AN A GREEN ONE FER YE
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Post by John Bartoszewicz on Oct 8, 2004 1:46:10 GMT 9
The LtCol is totally right. The original poster is confused or has read up on the AVRO ARROW CF-105. Recent articals have mixed the features of the Arrow and the Six. The Arrow was to have full auto flight, attack and landing capability. Since it was the first A/C to have Fly by Wire with artificial feedback, it had a second digital computer beside the MA-1 System Computer. 5 airframes were flown with the J75-P17 engine. None had the MA-1 installed. The Iriquois engine 20,000 lbs static thrust, 6,000 lbs burner was in airframe #6 ready for it's first flt. It never happened. An interesting point is this is the only time an American bomber was ever loaned to a foreign government and flown by a foriegn crew. The Iriquois was mounted in a rack on the tail of a B-47E. After take off the Iriquois was bruoght on line and the B-47 engines were shut down. The Iriquois could push the B-47 to mear mach 1 at just 60% power. After testing was done, the B-47E was returned, but was found to be bent beyond repair and scrapped. Another point was, the first weapons system was the MA-1 with 8 AIM 4's and 2 AIR-2A,s. It was upgraded to the RCA ASTRA Sparrow2 System. The Sparrow2 was already cancelled by the USN. It was a launch and leave missle. Remember this was 1956-57. The AMRAMM was not functional for 25 more years, so it was back to the MA-1, but our MA-1 or the 1958 F-106C/D 40" hydralic ant MA-1 that was cancelled in 1958 the same year the Arrow was cancelled? Interesting research! Bart
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