Supercarrier: S-3B Recovery Tanker Operations

[Bowie]

Supercarrier: S-3B Recovery Tanker Operations

S-3B:

- Allows for a division of A/C/flight (4).

- Operates in Recovery Tanker mode.

- Launches/Recovers, and is then parked, some in the hanger (origami).

Problem:

- Will only load as "Takeoff from Runway," on the initial CAT load/launch.

- Will only service from #1 A/C in flight, the rest of the flight, w/ unique Tacan/Radio, fly formation dormant.

Please advise

EDIT:

2(Recovery Tanker).trk

- A/C also appear to want to stay w/ the tanker after tanking, instead of proceeding on their route.

 

Bowie

Edited July 13 by Bowie

[Micr0]

Not that it helps solve the issue, but recovery tankers are always single aircraft flights. Way too much traffic in a small area otherwise.  A realistic setup is a separate tanker separated by 5000ft. Ex: one at 2000ft, one at 7000ft.

[Nealius]

Typically there would be one tanker at 6,000ft. The CASE I stack would look like:

2,000ft - 1xx Modex squadron
3,000ft - 2xx Modex squadron
4,000ft - 3xx Modex squadron
5,000ft - 4xx Modex squadron

Not sure where the Prowlers/Growlers would be as 5xx. They wouldn't have the same number of aircraft up as the other squadrons would, so I wouldn't be surprised if they were across the circle in the same stack as the tanker.

CASE III situations I don't know. There's also "trick-or-treating" which I assume is the tanker coming down to meet the aircraft that needs fuel, but I've never seen a clear description of that.

Edited July 14 by Nealius

[Micr0]

Hey, Nealius. Yeah, Case 1, you're correct and there is typically only one tanker airborne for those recoveries because its anticipated that there shouldn't be a need for more than one.

During case 3, if CAG or the Skipper deem it necessary for whatever reason to put multiple tankers in the air, they are stacked over head the ship at 5000ft increments. Granted, my experience is from 25+ years ago.

 

Trick or treating is just a slang term for tanking in any capacity. But if someone is really in rough shape,  the tanker will join up about a mile behind and to the right of that airplane. The tanker will then follow that plane as they do their approach, but the tanker will stay at 1000ft as the low fuel jet starts down glideslope. The tanker will pass just to the right of the ship at 1000ft as the other jet tries to trap. Then, if the problem airplane bolters, the tanker will end up just ahead and to the right of them as they climb away from the ship. Quick gas.

Edited July 14 by Micr0