Author Topic: Aircraft Weapons Systems (Gun Pods, Rockets, etc.)  (Read 43867 times)

Offline Jeffry Fontaine

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Aircraft Weapons Systems (Gun Pods, Rockets, etc.)
« on: January 09, 2012, 12:42:14 PM »
Something that you might not see very often would be an A-7D Corsair II armed with a 20mm gun pod. 

In this case the A-7D Corsair II was assigned to the 354th TFW at Korat RTAB, Thailand sometime in 1973 and is armed with at least one SUU-23 20mm gun pod.  The other side may have the same or could be carrying a fuel tank.  Without additional images of the aircraft it is only speculation at this point.  Anyway, something out of the ordinary and something to consider for arming your next modeling project. 


(image source: ikar01)

The image was found in this discussion on ARC: Can A Vietnam A-7D Corsair Carry Gun Pods?

The original location of the image is in this discussion on Fine Scale Modeler: A-1 Skyraider ordnance question

A quartet of SUU-23 gun pods on an A-7 would be sweet.  Welcome to "Club Shred!"
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Offline Cliffy B

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Re: Aircraft Weapons Systems (Gun Pods, Rockets, etc.)
« Reply #1 on: January 09, 2012, 01:14:05 PM »
Well that's pretty darn cool!  Odd as well considering they carried an internal 20mm Vulcan.  Mmmmmmm 5 20mm Vulcans.... :icon_twisted:   Reminds me of those shots of the USMC Phantoms carrying 3 SUU-23s during Vietnam.  Club Shred indeed!
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Offline Jeffry Fontaine

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Re: Aircraft Weapons Systems (Gun Pods, Rockets, etc.)
« Reply #2 on: January 09, 2012, 03:35:47 PM »
Some on-line references for aircraft gun systems:

Wikipedia - U.S. helicopter armament subsystems

Wikipedia - U.S. aircraft gun pods

Weapon Systems Net (weaponsystems.net


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Well that's pretty darn cool!  Odd as well considering they carried an internal 20mm Vulcan.  Mmmmmmm 5 20mm Vulcans.... :icon_twisted:   Reminds me of those shots of the USMC Phantoms carrying 3 SUU-23s during Vietnam.  Club Shred indeed!


Odds are that any aircraft so equipped with a quantity of gun pods such as the SUU-23 or similar would not be firing all pods in one pass.  That would be a bit much and a definite waste of resources.  The more likely scenario would see the aircraft firing the guns in pairs and probably expending the gun pod ammunition and using the on-board gun for any follow up on the target if it were not already obliterated.  I have wanted to do an A-10 armed with the GPU-5 30mm Gun Pod or the SUU-23 in quantities of four.  Not sure about how well the aircraft would handle with hot gun gas being introduced directly in front of the engines but it would look intimidating. 

==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

More for "Club Shred"

A-4A Skyhawk BuNo 137818 armed with three Mk-4 HIPEG gun pods at Naval Ordnance Test Station (NOTS) China Lake, California (19640124)

(image source: A Photographic History of NAF and VX-5 at NOTS China Lake)

Quote
(From Wikipedia - Gun Pods)

Mk 4 Mod 0

Developed by the US Navy, this pod is fitted with the Mk 11 Mod 5 20 mm cannon, along with 750 rounds of ammunition.  This pod is said to have been used on a variety of US Navy and Marine Corps aircraft including the A-4 Skyhawk, F-4 Phantom II, A-7 Corsair II,and OV-10 Bronco.  Approximately 1200 Mk 4 Gun Pods were manufactured by Hughes Tool Company, later Hughes Helicopter, in Culver City, California. While the system was tested and certified for use on the A-4, the A-6, the A-7, the F-4, and the OV-10, it only saw extended use on the A-4, the F-4, and the OV-10. In the case of the OV-10, the unit was used by VAL-4, a Navy squadron assigned to Binh Thuy, Vietnam, and was used extensively for close air support missions.


Attached is a second image of the A-4 Skyhawk posted above during a firing run with one of the three gun pods spewing destruction.  What is amazing is the shower of spent cartridges and links that fill the air as the gun pod is firing. 
« Last Edit: January 09, 2012, 04:07:17 PM by jeffryfontaine »
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Offline Logan Hartke

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Re: Aircraft Weapons Systems (Gun Pods, Rockets, etc.)
« Reply #3 on: January 09, 2012, 11:39:01 PM »
If one is good, more is better!

Cheers,

Logan

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Re: Aircraft Weapons Systems (Gun Pods, Rockets, etc.)
« Reply #4 on: January 10, 2012, 02:27:26 AM »
Lets see some GEPOD 30s...



More

F-16 GPU-5/A 30mm Gun Pod (GEPOD 30)

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Offline elmayerle

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Re: Aircraft Weapons Systems (Gun Pods, Rockets, etc.)
« Reply #5 on: January 10, 2012, 09:17:59 AM »
I've already got a planned "upgunned" A-10 with two 30-mm Gepods in addition to the main gun.  The project name is "Gunslinger" and that name will be part of the nose art.

Offline deathjester

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Re: Aircraft Weapons Systems (Gun Pods, Rockets, etc.)
« Reply #6 on: January 10, 2012, 09:40:46 AM »
Just occurred to me: what would be the largest feasible calibre gunpod - could there, for instance, be something like a 105mm Gun Pod!?!

Offline elmayerle

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Re: Aircraft Weapons Systems (Gun Pods, Rockets, etc.)
« Reply #7 on: January 10, 2012, 10:36:22 AM »
Just occurred to me: what would be the largest feasible calibre gunpod - could there, for instance, be something like a 105mm Gun Pod!?!
Only if carried on a B-52 or C-5.  ;)

Offline deathjester

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Re: Aircraft Weapons Systems (Gun Pods, Rockets, etc.)
« Reply #8 on: January 10, 2012, 05:25:08 PM »
Hmm... the Heavy Aerial Sniper Pod....Hmm.....

Well, they hang everything else off of B-52's, so why not that!!  :o

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Re: Aircraft Weapons Systems (Gun Pods, Rockets, etc.)
« Reply #9 on: June 01, 2014, 05:45:22 AM »
GEPOD on F-16:

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Offline Rickshaw

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Re: Aircraft Weapons Systems (Gun Pods, Rockets, etc.)
« Reply #10 on: June 01, 2014, 12:13:38 PM »
Just occurred to me: what would be the largest feasible calibre gunpod - could there, for instance, be something like a 105mm Gun Pod!?!

Wing-tip 106mm RCL on Cavalier Mustang count?

Offline Scooterman

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Re: Aircraft Weapons Systems (Gun Pods, Rockets, etc.)
« Reply #11 on: June 06, 2014, 12:08:05 AM »
Want to model this someday.  Second bird in.  GEPOD and Mavs?  Sign me up!

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Re: Aircraft Weapons Systems (Gun Pods, Rockets, etc.)
« Reply #12 on: June 06, 2014, 03:03:45 AM »
These were part of the A-16 / F/A-16 plans - a dedicated CAS bird.  More details here.

Here are some more/bigger photos:





Would love to see a model done some day.
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Offline kitnut617

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Re: Aircraft Weapons Systems (Gun Pods, Rockets, etc.)
« Reply #13 on: June 06, 2014, 05:09:23 AM »

Would love to see a model done some day.

Not quite, but I did build this years ago when I first saw those A-16 pics.  This is the old Airfix 1/72 F-16A/B kit
« Last Edit: June 06, 2014, 05:16:33 AM by kitnut617 »

Offline jcf

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Re: Aircraft Weapons Systems (Gun Pods, Rockets, etc.)
« Reply #14 on: June 06, 2014, 07:37:16 AM »
Built one years ago for my nephew with five gunpods in Canuck F-104-stylie all-green cammo.  ;D
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Re: Aircraft Weapons Systems (Gun Pods, Rockets, etc.)
« Reply #15 on: June 06, 2014, 07:50:36 AM »
Built one years ago for my nephew with five gunpods in Canuck F-104-stylie all-green cammo.  ;D


 ;D. I don't suppose you have any photos?

Sounds like a modern version of this:

« Last Edit: June 07, 2014, 03:35:09 AM by GTX_Admin »
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Re: Aircraft Weapons Systems (Gun Pods, Rockets, etc.)
« Reply #16 on: June 06, 2014, 09:20:32 AM »
Sweet -16, Kitnut!  :) Any idea what you're going to do in terms of decals?

Since Euro 1 looks that good on the Viper, I suppose SEA wrap-around wouldn't look half-bad either....
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Offline Rickshaw

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Re: Aircraft Weapons Systems (Gun Pods, Rockets, etc.)
« Reply #17 on: June 06, 2014, 10:20:48 AM »



While I suspect its the problem with colour reproduction, that what I assume is actually dark grey looks almost blue.  Makes an interesting alternative camouflage colour...

Offline kitnut617

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Re: Aircraft Weapons Systems (Gun Pods, Rockets, etc.)
« Reply #18 on: June 06, 2014, 08:57:37 PM »
Sweet -16, Kitnut!  :) Any idea what you're going to do in terms of decals?

I had thought of using some F-4 decals, but not found any.  Anyone got a suggestion for a decal sheet I could use ? 1/72 of course ---

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Re: Aircraft Weapons Systems (Gun Pods, Rockets, etc.)
« Reply #19 on: June 07, 2014, 05:14:11 AM »
Sweet -16, Kitnut!  :) Any idea what you're going to do in terms of decals?

Since Euro 1 looks that good on the Viper, I suppose SEA wrap-around wouldn't look half-bad either....
I had thought of using some F-4 decals, but not found any.  Anyone got a suggestion for a decal sheet I could use ? 1/72 of course ---

That particular variant of the F-16 never appealed to me as I considered it a waste of a limited resource.  However with that being said, it did spur the development and fielding of the GE 30mm gun pod so that was nice as it then became a scale model in the Hasegawa weapons sets and showed up in the Revell 1:32nd scale F-15E kit.  So it did prove useful for modelers :)  I know ESCI did offer a 1:72nd scale model with the appropriate decals for the A-16/F-16 in the European One Camouflage Scheme.  If you happen to find that old and out of production kit you would have at the very least a reference to the markings and painting.  I may have seen that kit on the shelf recently at the Skyway Model Shop
« Last Edit: June 07, 2014, 05:17:33 AM by Jeffry Fontaine »
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Offline Weaver

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Re: Aircraft Weapons Systems (Gun Pods, Rockets, etc.)
« Reply #20 on: June 07, 2014, 09:09:48 AM »
30mm ADEN gun pods. The only one I know of is the Swedish one that was used on AJ-37 Viggens.

Were there any others?

(n.b. I mean generic pods that are hung on a pylon, not the aircraft-specific conformal pods mounted on Harriers and Hawks)
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Offline kitnut617

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Re: Aircraft Weapons Systems (Gun Pods, Rockets, etc.)
« Reply #21 on: June 07, 2014, 09:02:32 PM »
That particular variant of the F-16 never appealed to me as I considered it a waste of a limited resource.  However with that being said, it did spur the development and fielding of the GE 30mm gun pod so that was nice as it then became a scale model in the Hasegawa weapons sets and showed up in the Revell 1:32nd scale F-15E kit.  So it did prove useful for modelers :)  I know ESCI did offer a 1:72nd scale model with the appropriate decals for the A-16/F-16 in the European One Camouflage Scheme.  If you happen to find that old and out of production kit you would have at the very least a reference to the markings and painting.  I may have seen that kit on the shelf recently at the Skyway Model Shop.


Both the Monogram and Italeri 1/72 F-15E kits have the 30mm gun pod included and I have a couple of the Hasegawa weapons sets which have the pod too --

I could 'upgrade' my F/A-16 with one of them   ;)

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Re: Aircraft Weapons Systems (Gun Pods, Rockets, etc.)
« Reply #22 on: June 08, 2014, 04:15:57 AM »
30mm ADEN gun pods. The only one I know of is the Swedish one that was used on AJ-37 Viggens.

Were there any others?

(n.b. I mean generic pods that are hung on a pylon, not the aircraft-specific conformal pods mounted on Harriers and Hawks)


I can't think of any - it could be interesting to do something like the DEFA 30mm pod used on the MB339s though - perhaps on a Hawk?





Or perhaps like the PLAMEN PL-20 20mm twin barrel pod on the L-159:



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Re: Aircraft Weapons Systems (Gun Pods, Rockets, etc.)
« Reply #23 on: June 08, 2014, 04:37:51 AM »
Speaking of gun pods, this has to be one of the coolest looking:  The GUV-8700 Gun Pod has 2x GshG 7.62mm & 1x Yak-B 12.7mm:



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Re: Aircraft Weapons Systems (Gun Pods, Rockets, etc.)
« Reply #24 on: June 08, 2014, 04:44:15 AM »
And then there are the ones like the SPPU-22 with depressible guns:



Note that one can actually buy kits of these:

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