Loft attack

[typerated]

I was wondering if Loft attacks and its various offshoots are still practiced these days?

In fact are any dumb bomb delivery profiles still practiced these days - I have never seen a photo of a Typhoon with a dumb bomb and not one on a Tornado for a long time.

[Wensleydale]

I've not heard of any insurgents hiding in attics these days, but in case they do.....

[Just This Once...]

Tornado can still do LOFT (well actually it is actually a TOSS attack, but they didn't write that on the buttons).

I've seen a KFF attached to a Typhoon a while back and it was not there when he came back. I've no idea what delivery modes they have cleared now.

[Just This Once...]

Typhoon with a brace of blue bombs:

[Just This Once...]

Back in the day when 12 dumb bombs ruled and the enemy was just a quick dash next door:

[Just This Once...]

Or for really dumb weapons where you may wish to exit at really high speed:

[AutoBit]

Used to be fairly SOP to Loft PWIV on the GR9. 4 wpns per jet in a 4 ship gave you 16 DPI's (8 if you doubled up).

[Lightning Mate]

Nothing dumb about the WE177.

Great for a suntan.

[Just This Once...]

But you had to point your mirrors away before release; never easy for an ex-Lightning mate.

[Capt Scribble]

Didn't you keep the eye patch from the Jag go-pack?

[zero1]

Hi the Tornado above was either prototype P-03 or P-15, the orange pods on the outbound pylons are FTI high speed camera pods to record the bomb release footage. And as you can also see the bombs are carried on twin store carriers fitted to the inboard and shoulder pylons.

The photo may have been taken either taking off from Warton or Boscomb in the mid 80's...

LOFT attach was used for both iron bombs and special weapon release profiles either low or medium release.

[Postman Plod]

I'm pretty sure that was the fit on the 1:72 Airfix Tornado GR1 - a fit I'd never actually seen in reality or in any photos until now! Only the weapons fit colour scheme was different, and I'm fairly sure the camera pods were fuel tanks of the same shape on the model.

I'll get my coat.

[Bob Viking]

Toss/Loft (call it what you will) is still very relevant. Just not with dumb munitions any more. It is the low level delivery method of choice at TW nowadays simulating PW4 attacks.
How times have changed.
BV

[AR1]

I would have thought that it was the ONLY LL delivery method for an LGB!

[Bob Viking]

Alright smart arse. Read my post properly and you'll realise that's not what I implied.
BV

[5 Forward 6 Back]

AR1, you could do low altitude level releases with PW3... some bombs are smart enough to sort it out!

[xenolith]

The Puma was quite adept at the Loft Attack, ISTR a puma loadpole was firmly embedded in someones loft in Guildford circa '78/'79.

[Moi/]

The first rule of fight club, is that you don't talk about fight club..

[AR1]

Bob to get called a smart arse in this company is a badge I'll wear with pride.

[Easy Street]

Paveway IV can be released from level, loft or toss profiles at low level. All currently practised by the Tornado force.

I recall days when a 4-ship might be tasked to deliver 32 bombs against one aiming point. Now it might be 20 bombs against 20 aiming points!