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Old 26th Nov 2012, 19:57
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DBTW
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
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Cut down Hunter tanks on Harriers

I believe the 190 was the cut down Hunter 230 gallon tank and we wore them everywhere from the mid 80s. The only snag with the 190 tanks was that the jettison trials showed it should not be done because damage was highly likely.

We never did asymmetric tanks intentionally, and after a loss where the aeroplane had a sidewinder on one side with a clean pylon on the other, we always wore symmetric launchers (although not always symmetric missiles)

The asymmetric load crash off the ski-jump at Yeovs in 1982 was the Ferry Tank trial. In my memory it was with 1 full and 1 empty, and a test pilot at the wheel. The ferry tank fit was rare and the tanks were huge (for a SHAR). 330 gallons capacity is my faded memory. The lesson being that when partially jet-borne and partially wing-borne it was best to be loaded symmetrically. A wing drop off the ski-jump could be life ruining, and other than that ferry tank trial, I don't think it happened again.
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