Missile ID (Read 1,173 times)

Gonna guess that is a GAR-1A. Scroll down to Chapter 5, then "Super Falcon Genesis." Looks like the 1954 version.

www.ausairpower.net/Falcon-Evolution.html

Sean O'Connor (username "soc") is the resident historian on those. You might want to send him an e-mail.

By the way, where is this display at?

Yea, GAR-1A, GAR-3 = same thing. I just used the original designation.

Thanks for the info on the museum. I've read some stuff on the proposed, almost built Bong AFB that I always thought was interesting. Three days from pouring the concrete for the runway, and they said, "Nah."

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R.I._Bong_Air_Force_Base

Yea, darn the luck for Major Bong. Almost had what became Fairchild AFB named after him, and then when they did find a place, and named it after him -- they never finished the base!

More info here...

www.airfields-freeman.com/WI/Airfields_WI_SE.htm#bong

Yes sir.

Richard I. Bong, Major, USAAF

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Bong

America's Ace of Aces.

I have a little diecast model of his P-38 that comes on a stand with a larger replica of the nose art "Marge" as part of the display. Pretty cool!

(Edit: I just remembered. I crossed that bridge -- twice -- both times in the middle of the night!)

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_I._Bong_Memorial_Bridge

The GAR-3 became the AIM-4E, then upgraded to AIM-4F. Was only in service a couple years at that. There is one on display outside at a Legion Hall in Mt Clemens MI, not far from Selfridge.

Mark,
I don't know if it was ever used, but the six had a Salvo position on Armament Control Panel. That was supposed to launch missile, but not arm it.

OK Mark - here goes!

The ALL selection enabled the fire signal to go to all four missles.  The IR would fire first - then the RADAR would fire.  All controlled by a little miracle box - hidden in the bowels of the armament bay - called the ACRB (Armament Control Relay Box)!!!  Now this only allowed the one time shot for the pilot. 

The Special Weapon had to be selected individually, then before it could be fired the pilot had to select ARM and as well  the UNLOCK switch had to be unlocked.  The unlock caused a motor to retrieve a pin in the MB-1 Rack and would then allow the pressurized gas to shove the locking lugs that held the AIR-2A in place and release it.  Then the main drive piston in the rack would push the AIR-2A out of the bay into the airstream below the aircraft.  There were two pistons to do that job!  Then the lanyard that was attached to the rocket -actually two of them - would allow the internal battery to fire the rocket moter and it was then a very large bottle rocket.  It went in the direction it was pointed - NO guidance to manuver.

OK so far??  The salvo position would send a fire signal to the missle motors and ignite them causing all four to leave the rail.  This was also accomplished with opening the bay doors and extending the rails in sequence - FIRST!.  While the doors were open, the rocket was salvoed as well with NO motor fire.  It just fell! Or rather was ejected  the same as in a live fire but no motor start or arming was processed.

Are ya with me so far?

Now if the pilot so deemed, he could select just IR and the system would fire only the IR missles - no matter if they were loaded on front or back.  BUT missles were ALWAYS loaded in pairs!  The same would happen if the pilot selected RADAR - only the RADAR missles would fire.  But the ALL position took all four everytime!

Lastly - the DOORS button.  That was used when ever a hangfire might occur.  It would complete the door cycle no matter where the selections might be.  It also was one of the things we MA-1 guys used on ground testing.  The problem with the "DOORS" button was that the pilot would not have any idea if the missle had left the rail, or was hanging up.  Consequently the "GUTS" button as it was more commonly called would be a choice the pilot had to make.  He could fly with the doors open and whatever was there would be in the airstream or he could "GUTS" the doors closed and hope they closed and that the missle was actually gone.  IF the missle was somehow hanging from the rail and had not fired properly - the possibility of having a live missle in the bay was all too clear to the pilot.

One more thing - yes there was a possibility of actually loading only one missle but when that was to happen, we had a special plug that we attached to the off rail to let the fire signal go through.  Without the plug this would cause a "Hang Fire" and would cause the rail to stay in the airstream and the doors would not close.

OK - its about enough for now.  If you would like to know more - I'm sipping a Guinness!  See me later!

MArv