Page 90 - Combat Aircraft (January 2020)

GLORY DAYS // QF-4 MISSILE OPS

T WAS LESS than a stellar day on to depart from San Nicolas Island and San Nicolas. Due to the reserved range
the weather front back in March would ideally be recovered back there distance o shore, we would need to go
1998. There were three layers of to serve as prey for another day, unless to a tanker and top up our tanks as well.
gloomy clouds spread across the it got thwacked by the Tomcats. A QF-4S At Point Mugu, the VX-9 ight line and
skies and robust winds combined stablemate was positioned as a target arming areas were bustling with activity
Iwith a ‘marine layer’ just above the observer and inspection bird, with me in and missile-laden trailers. Even the all-
ocean surface. Still, we had a mission the back to document the entire event. black F-14D ‘Vandy 1’ was on hand for
to do: a live- ring VX-9 ‘Vampires’ F-14 At the helm of our S-model ‘Rhino’ was the extravaganza, and AIM-9 Sidewinder,
Tomcat feeding frenzy, clawing at a the renowned F-4 aviator LCDR Chip AIM-7 Sparrow, and AIM-54 Phoenix air- Above: The QF-4
sole unmanned QF-4N Phantom II o ‘Shantini’ Shanle. to-air missiles were strapped to the ‘Cats’, was unique in its
the coast of Point Mugu, California, The plan was to have the target but with their warheads removed. Aside ability to carry
and fi re the
within the expansive Whiskey 291 Phantom just out of reach of the from that, they were the real deal with AQM-37C drone.
range complex. Tomcat’s missile range, and the telemetry the latest upgrades.
The unmanned QF-4N Phantom II was would be monitored to validate proper Naval Weapons Test Squadron Point Below: A close-up
of the QF-4N as
being own remotely by a pilot back tracking and accuracy. We would inspect Mugu (NWTSPM) was the ‘go-to’ it limped back
at the base, Rich ‘Mink’ Bryant, as this the QF-4N before and after the shoot, specialist for US Navy aerial targets, and to San Nicolas
was a NOLO (no on-board live operator) ensuring target integrity before the the ‘Bloodhounds’ were happy to provide Island, having
shrugged off the
sortie. The target aircraft was planned return ight and NOLO landing back at the assets for this very important test. pack of Tomcats.

90 January 2020 // www.Key.Aero

21/11/2019 20:54
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88-93 QF-4 C.indd 90 21/11/2019 20:54