Newbie,

[MountaineerTom]

Since you brought up loading some bombs in another post, here's a few pics for you.  The ones taken in the hanger are trainers, so they are not live.  But the last 4 are live munitions.

 

AGM-65's.  Used for tanks, bunkers, buildings, ships, air defenses, etc.

 

AGM-88 High-Speed Anti Radiation Missile (HARM).  Used to destroy enemy radar-equipped air defense systems.

 

MK-84's.  (Pronounced Mark-84)  2000 pounds each.  Low Drag on the left, High Drag on the right.

 

GBU-31 Joint Direct Attack Muition (JDAM).  2000+ pounds.  The tail section contains a inertial navigational system and a global positioning system guidance control unit, JDAM improves the accuracy of unguided, general purpose bombs in any weather condition.

 

AGM-154 Joint Stand-Off Weapon (JSOW).  Guided by GPS.

 

AIM-9 Sidewinder heat seeking missile (Top).  AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) radar guided missile (Bottom).  Both are for air-to-air combat.

 

MK-82's.  500 pound versions of the MK-84.

 

Cluster bombs.

 

During Desert Storm, 1991.  (That's me and my ride with a MK-84 High Drag on it.  BTW, i had drawn a Bowtie emblem on it with a red grease pencil.   )

 

Loading a live HARM.  (Me in the black t-shirt.  Taken in the Middle East, 1998)

 

Sliding a HARM onto a launcher.

 

Loading a live AIM-9.

[Shaners]

Cool pics Tom....  I didn't realize you were in "Desert Storm".

 

I had a cousin that died in that war...  He was a chopper pilot in the Marines.  Maybe you remember about 2 choppers flying at night low level across the Gulf.  For some unknown reason (at least they aren't telling us) both chopers followed each other into the surf.  I believe they were flying with the "night vision goggles".  I think there were about 20 marines in the 2 choppers that died.  I maybe wrong about the number though, because I try to block out these tragic things...

[colosilverado]

Cool pics!

Shaners, sorry to hear about that, man.

 

I am still partial to the A-10. Even though I am not a military guy, or a pilot, I love those ugly things!

 

Are the AGM-65's nicknamed Maverick? I was thinking that the A-10 usually carries a few for snuffing out tanks when they don't use the GAU.

[MountaineerTom]

That sounds familiar Shane.  Sorry to hear that.

 

Coolsilverado, yes they are called Maverick's.  A-10's are pretty cool.  They are like a flying tank.  

 

In the pic of me leaning on the bomb lift truck, we were only 90 miles from where the pilot were bombing the Iraqi's.  We had a few scuds hit near of base.  The didn't cause any damage to equipment or injure anyone, but they were close enough to shake the ground pretty good.  Not a fun thing to be awaken by in the middle of the night.  ???

 

We left here on 11 Aug, 1990 and returned on 13 March, 1991.  I had about a 12 hour notice before we left to get all my stuff together.  Missed my 2nd wedding anniversary, wasn't able to receive mail or talk to my wife or family for a little over a month after I left.  It was definately an experience.  One of the things I'm most proud of.  

[RyanbabZ71]

Wow everyday i (and i am sure everyone else) learns a little more about everyone

 

Thanks for sharing

[Shaners]

Hey, thanks for the sympathy...  

 

I guess I got sidetracked a little, and what I really meant to say was those are some really cool pics!!!!

 

I really love the "military hardware"!!!  It's not everyday we get to see pics like that!!!

[sincityZ71]

Great pictures there Tom.  What unit are you with?  I see you get to load up my favorite plane the F-16.  And seeing that you where loading up some HARMs I figure that those are the CJ "Wild Weasel" models with the HTS.  And since I remember you saying you are at Shaw AFB, you are with the 20th Fighter Wing.  Sorry, I am a military aircraft buff.  My life goal was always to be a fighter pilot (but I would need a medical wavier to do it unfortunately, it could happen, but not a great chance), I still may try though.  Anyways, glad to see you enjoy your job and thanks for being out there everyday helping to protect America.

[General Lee 01]

Cool pics Tom.

 

Are those bombs "Drop-proof", or will they go off if accidentally dropped while loading?

[MountaineerTom]

SincityZ71,

Currently I help train the load crews here at Shaw AFB (20th Fighter Wing) as the Weapons Academics Instructor.  I've actually been stationed here my whole career so far.  I;ve been in the 17th Aircraft Maintnence Unit (AMU), 19th AMU, 78th Fighter Squadron, and two different times working at Weapons Standardization Section, where I work now.  All we do in WSS is train load crews.  Our F-16's are CJ's and they fill the roll of the old F-4 Wild Weasel's, but we don't actually call ours Wild Weasel's.

 

Jeremy,

They are actually pretty safe to work with.  Several chains of actions have to take place to detonate them, but we still have to be careful with them so nothing gets broken.

 

Thanks everyone.  

 

I may post a few more later.  I have tons of pics like these.

[NewbieZ71]

Mk-82's are just plain UGLY....my favorite?  Sidewinder..air to air and they just look fast......I love the pic of you hugging the bomb.....I mean, what ELSE would one do?!?!?!  Thanks for being there!  I grew up an Air Force brat...moved everywhere....most of my family was military of some flavor...most WWII pilots... me?  Beyond my time in the US Secret Service the closest I've come is........SUPREME COMMANDER OF THE LIGHTER SIDE OF TRUCKS!.

 

I SHALL RETURN!

[gandolphxx]

Great shots [pardon the pun] - hope you don't have to kill all of us that looked.

[Stepside Z]

Great shots Tom. Thanks for the pics.