F-106A Special Weapon Ejection System Rack; TP-SM-46270-1-102C-WS

Washington DC: United States Air Force, c1961. Presumed First Edition, First printing thus. Single sheet, printed on both sides. Good. The format is approximately 17 inches by 11 inches, folded in half to make four pages. Marked CONFIDENTIAL, Text is on one side and graphic is on the two middle pages, and the back page is blank other than for the classification markings. This is a rare surviving copy of USAF training on the F-106A Special Weapon Ejection System Rack. By Executive Order 13526 due to age (this was included with information dated 1961) this document is no longer classified National Security Information. This worksheet has no student markings. The objective of the worksheet was to familiarize the student with the locations and components of the special weapon ejection system rack. This worksheet referenced T. O. 1F-106A-2-12. The students were given the following Special Directions: observe all production line safety precautions; locate the adjustment points, lubrication points, and components of the MB-1 ejection System; complete WS-102B as per verbal instructions. The students were also to answer the following questions: What check can be made by the insertion of the safety pin? How are the cartridges fired? What lubrication is sued on the Cartridges/ Why; What is the purpose of the auxiliary piston?; and How is the gas venter after firing? The Hughes AIM-4 Falcon was the first operational guided air-to-air missile of the United States Air Force. Development began in 1946; the weapon was first tested in 1949. The missile entered service with the USAF in 1956. Produced in both heat-seeking and radar-guided versions, the missile served during the Vietnam War with USAF McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II units. Designed to shoot down slow bombers with limited maneuverability, it was ineffective against maneuverable fighters over Vietnam. Lacking proximity fusing, the missile would detonate only if a direct hit was scored. Only five kills were recorded. With the AIM-4's poor kill record rendering the F-4 ineffective at air-to-air combat, the fighters were modified to carry the USN-designed AIM-9 Sidewinder missile instead, which was already carried on USN and USMC F-4 Phantom II and F-8 Crusader jet fighters. The Sidewinder was much more effective and improved versions continue to serve the armed forces of the United States and numerous allied nations to this day. The GAR-4 represented an IR-guided counterpart to the GAR-3. The GAR-4 mated the improved airframe of the GAR-3 with an IR seeker similar to that of the GAR-2. Hughes produced the GAR-4 in very small quantities. Although it remained in service as late as 1966, it did not enjoy widespread use in the F-106 community. Development of the improved GAR-3A and GAR-4A missiles began in 1954. These weapons represented substantial improvements over the GAR-3 and GAR-4 variants. Apart from enhancements to the guidance systems, the GAR-3A and GAR-4A introduced a new Thiokol M46 motor with an increased duration sustainer and featured further changes to the Super Falcon's aerodynamic platform in the form of wing root extensions reminiscent of those found on the 1953 GAR-1A configuration. These extensions underwent various changes over the course of the test program as Hughes continued to improve the missile's performance. A weatherproof sleeve also enclosed the forward fuselage of the GAR-3A and GAR-4A, protecting the sensitive avionics components.