pampa14

Three A-37B Dragonfly of Uruguayan Air Force passed through Florianopolis on the way to Natal AB to participate of the Exercise CRUZEX FLIGHT 2013.

To see full report and photos, please, visit the link:

Aviação em Floripa: Fuerza Aerea Uruguaya: A-37 Dragonfly


Some photos:








Hope you enjoy and I count on your visit!

8hourrule

Guy was selling one a few years ago when the lottery was about $380000000. I thought it was mine for sure.

Dougdrvr

Only thing that doesn't look familiar is that large faired antenna forward of the dorsal fin?

iceman49

Great shots, Thanks

tomgoodman

I think that's the FM antenna for communicating with ground troops.

UAL T38 Phlyer

Not any FM antenna I've worked with...they were always long whips, about 3 ft long.

To me, it looks more like a SATCOM link. I've never seen this fairing on any A-37 before, either, so it makes me think it is "new technology."

For that matter, in picture #3, there is some kind of "wash tub" below the right side of the fuselage on the lead airplane. What is that?

APaulO

Are those all aux tanks?

JamesNoBrakes

Kinda looks like a 3" whip right before the dorsal fin?

Cubdriver

Doesn't the aviator in the top photo look like a (North) American? Thanks for sharing these, great shots.

UAL T38 Phlyer

The normal term would be "drop tanks" or "external tanks."

The tank on each wingtip is permanent; the other three under each wing are jettisonable. History lesson:

The original T-37 had centrifugal-flow J-69 engines with about 1000 lbs thrust each. In the A-37, the engines were replaced with J-85s, the same as a T-38. I'd guess they made 2800-3000 lbs each in the Dragonfly. Unlike the T-38, though, it has no afterburner. I'm not sure if the A-37 used airstart like the T-38, or if it used electric start like a Lear 25 (essentially the same engine).

The J-85 can be a thirsty engine. WITHOUT afterburner, it can easily use 2800 lbs an hour EACH. The original Tweet only carried 1600 lbs, if memory serves.

So, they added tip-tanks. However, the weight and drag of the new tanks required more thrust in flight...which degraded range and endurance.

A vicious cycle...so the other six drop tanks were added.

The really interesting part: normal operating practice was to takeoff with two engines and climb to cruise altitude, then shut one engine down. In the target area, they would re-light the second engine. Post-strike, climb out, shut one down, and re-start it for landing.

Even with all that: note that all of those shown here have air-refueling probes!