Combat Tree

[+strahi 982]

Does anyone know how to integrate this system into a standard cockpit F-4D/E?

[+streakeagle 864]

First, I don't think it was ever declassified. So, you probably won't find any detailed descriptions or photos. But then there was this conversation in a forum:

http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?/topic/199958-looking-for-photos-of-a-combat-tree-f-4-phantom/

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I don't know if it was the same as the "Combat Tree" set, but the F-4Es I worked on had a Soviet IFF interrogator called the APX-81 system. There was a receiver-transmitter, the RT-961, located inside Door 19 behind the rear cockpit, and it shared a control head with the APX-76 IFF/SIF interrogator system, the APX-76 being also located in Door 19 but consisting of the RT-868, SA-1568, and SN-416B. The control head was located in the rear cockpit on the lower part of the rear main panel, just above the WSO's left knee. The control head was labeled "APX-80", which I believe may have just been a sort of average of the designations APX-76 and APX-81. I don't believe there ever actually was an APX-80 system. The APX-81 specific switches were labled something similar to "Type 1" and "Type 2" (can't recall the exact verbage just now), and both switches were three positioned: OFF, PASSIVE, and ACTIVE. Both APX-76 and APX-81 displayed their data on the radar scopes; there wasn't an independent display. Both APX-76 and APX-81 shared the "T" shaped dipole antennas mounted on the radar dish, four on the F-4E and I believe 8 on the F-4D. The APX-81 didn't have a destruct charge when I worked on it, and I was assigned to flightline maintenance so never got to see the inside of the RT-961, so I don't know if there was provisions for a destruct charge inside.

To get to the point, there might not have been any really obvious cockpit differences for a Combat Tree F-4D, I've never seen any cockpit photos or diagrams calling it out as a separate system. My guess is it also used the APX-80 control head, if it wasn't the APX-81 system I worked on.

Scott Wilson

 

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Scott,

You're correct. You couldn't tell a Tree bird from any other Phantom. Slat birds, LORAN Ds, NWDS Es all had obvious bumps & racks. A lot of "magic" stuff just wasn't as obvious to the casual observer. If I tell you any more, I'll have to kill you.

Ken

 

[+streakeagle 864]

If you find a photo showing the rear cockpit with an APX-80 control unit, then you probably have the information you seek. But that should be in every F-4 with IFF rather than just the Combat Tree equipped planes, per the above conversation.

[Stratos 3,166]

I read the book about Iranian birds as well, I think it was away to simulate in SF2, once you lock on a target there's a key combo that showed wich bird you locked, but cannot remember the key combination.

[+strahi 982]

5 hours ago, Stratos said:

I read the book about Iranian birds as well, I think it was away to simulate in SF2, once you lock on a target there's a key combo that showed wich bird you locked, but cannot remember the key combination.

Something like that, avionics from F-14 in F-4