There were three different A-6 wings as distinguished by the wing-fold mechanization (there were some other detail differences among the bomber wings that I might get around to illustrating sometime):
Original - A-6A/B/C/D, A-6E Metal Wing, and EA-6A
A-6E Composite Wing
The original wing fold was characterized by vertically oriented lugs to hold the outer wing panel in place when it was extended; a small fairing on the lower surface of the wing that covered the upper outboard surface of the pylon; and a small, narrow fairing on the upper surface of the wing over the fold joint.
(Cropped from a picture by Norm Filer)For a better picture of this wing-fold arrangement, particularly the lugs, see Howard Mason's pictures here; http://www.primeportal.net/hangar/howard_mason/a-6e/
For a closeup picture of the fairing over the A-6 metal-wing fold joint other than the EA-6B's, see http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2014/01/grumman-6-wing-fold-differences-part-2.html
The EA-6B used the same wing-fold actuation arrangement as the basic A-6 wing (an idler driven by two actuators, one in the inboard wing section and one in the outboard wing panel) but the wing-lock lugs were now horizontally oriented. I don't know the reason for the change, but it must have been compelling. Note that the wing-lock actuators are now oriented vertically, which required the addition of a large fairing on the outboard pylon (it covers the aft-most wing-lock actuator).
The fairing on the upper surface of the wing was much wider on the EA-6B than on the original wing.
The A-6E composite wing fold had horizontally oriented wing-lock lugs like the EA-6Bs but they were slightly different in configuration; the major change was the substitution of a rotary actuator for the two linear actuators and idler link of the A-6 metal wings. There was a large fairing on the outboard pylon like the EA-6B's but there was no gap in it.
You should also explore Graeme's web site: http://www.grubby-fingers-aircraft-illustration.com/
The fairing over the fold joint on the upper surface of the wing was very similar to the EA-6B's but not identical. See Part 2, http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2014/01/grumman-6-wing-fold-differences-part-2.html.
If anyone has better pictures of any of these wing-fold areas, I'd be happy to substitute them.
Wow, great article! Thanks for posting!ReplyDelete