Chad Irby wrote:
In article ,
"Don Harstad" wrote:

Sorry if this has been covered before, but if so, I missed it.

Why do the underwing stores of the F/A-18E and F toe outward? Is it
a clearance problem, or a separation problem, or...?

They don't, at least in the photos I've seen.

Maybe you saw a couple of shots taken with a wide-angle lens?


There are plenty of reports that the pylons are angled very slightly (just
four degrees) to align them with the local airflow around the wing and
alleviate some separation problems they had with stores striking the
aircraft on release.

See page 7 of this testimony by then Director OT&E Phillip Coyle, for
example:

http://www.senate.gov/~armed_service...9/990317pc.pdf

"b. Pylon Post Loads. The 4 degree outward cant of the pylons, required for
weapons separation, results in higher-than-expected air loads on the inboard
wing pylons with certain external stores."

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