Originally Posted By: DeepFriar
Originally Posted By: Astro14
As far as alpha, bomb delivery (in the old days of dumb bombs) was done in a dive at relatively high speed. The alpha was quite low, regardless of wing position.
Further, the tunnel created some interesting aero effects, and the Tomcat needed a strong ejection charge to get the bomb clear of the tunnel...when we first started carrying bombs again in 1990...we had to go through a lot of testing with our new racks, to ensure that the weapons would clear...
Speaking of dumb bombs but smart tactics - Was the F-14 qualified for CCIP delivery? I ask due to the discussion of the energy, and maybe variable amounts of it, involved in the release mechanism.
Let's define terms. CCIP = Continuously Computed Impact Point. That means that the HUD-displayed WIP (Weapon Impact Point) shows where the bomb will hit if it's released at this instant. So, walk that CCIP up the bomb fall line, and hit the pickle button, and the bomb goes where the WIP is at that moment.
The weapon system computes the CCIP based on dive angle, bank, G, Airspeed and altitude. It's like a rifle sight...only compensated for bomb fall and instantaneous range.
Now, what you're referring to is "Auto" delivery: designating a target, and pulling up with an automatic release. And yes, the F-14 was capable of that kind of delivery. Forward of the throttle was a slew switch. The pilot designated the target by using the slew switch to move a WIP up and down the bomb fall line. Bumping the switch forward designated the desired impact point along that bomb fall line.
The bomb pickle then became a "consent" switch. Hold it down, fly the airplane (including both level flight, and pulling up) up the bomb fall line, and the bomb would be released by the weapon system automatically to impact the designated point. As a practical matter, you got the best hits using CCIP and a stable airplane...just like shooting a gun...Auto mode worked, and the smoother your pull off, the fewer calculations and variables for the weapons system to calculate in real-time, and the better the hits...
Auto bombing allowed you to release a high-drag weapon whose CCIP would be below the HUD field of view...it also allowed a high-altitude delivery of a weapon to keep the airplane out of some threat envelopes.
