In order to be effectively deployed the aircraft would be required to fly low and slow directly above the target area. Kind of like WWI when the pilot would fly over the trenches to hand drop a mortar shell from the cockpit. And the opposite of a modern weapon system.

Probably left there by a person who took it for a test drive. Back in the ‘80s a friend of mine took a car for a test drive and it ran out of gas within ten minutes. He walked home and called the dealer. They said put gas in it and bring it back, he said “tough, you should have put gas in it to begin with.” He left it…

I’m guessing the XST would have had a downward ejection seat. No ejecting on the runway when your fuel tank ruptures or the gear collapses on landing and you’re afraid the jet is going to flip.

Because the other planes on the flight line would laugh at them.

It’s been 30 years, so per diem is probably the wrong word. We were paid for the conditions we faced. Long, hot hours picking up aircraft parts and all due respect to the family, body parts as well. We had a Dr. onsite to decide if the small parts were animal or human.

I helped pick up pieces of that plane as well as other things. Hot and dusty, lots of rattlesnakes and the highest per diem the military had to offer for 10 days.

So that’s a Matador!

The main gear is down. Was the jet hit while it was coming in for a landing?

Jets with four engines are twice as likely to be grounded for engine troubles as a twin engine jet.

APU’s are used on the ground (usually) and can provide electrical and hydraulic power for maintenance as well as bleed air to start the engines. You “throw out the RAT” (old F-105 reference) when your’ engine is spinning the wrong way.

Isn’t the harbormaster responsible for maneuvering the ship in tight quarters and not the captain?

Lakenheath

I believe that’s a TER, not a MER. And not all planes can carry a Multiple Ejector Rack, the A-10 was limited to the Triple Ejector Rack when I worked on them years ago.

Operation Praying Mantis II