Modern Cockpit Radiation

[Dame]

I took a class from Col Dan "Animal" Javorsek, PhD, a few years back. Extremely intelligent individual with a heart of gold. Just found out he is the President of Aces & Eights Foundation, a non-profit trying to spread the word about the higher than average cancer rates among pilots. This is something that could be reference material for pilot VA claims. Keeping emissions from escaping the modern platforms means higher levels inside. It's taking a toll.
acesand8s.org

 

[AWP]

I'd never given it any thought, but I'm not surpised.

The EA-6B's gold coating was allegedly to keep radiation out, what with their jammers and all, but you have to wonder much it trapped.

 

[Gunz]

A late buddy of mine was a nav/bomb on an A-6A. He died in his 40s. Cancer. The A-6 didn't have the EA-6's EW package, but now I wonder. Did the A-6 have the gold coating?

 

[Devildoc]

A late buddy of mine was a nav/bomb on an A-6A. He died in his 40s. Cancer. The A-6 didn't have the EA-6's EW package, but now I wonder. Did the A-6 have the gold coating?

No, the gold coating was restricted to the EA-6B due to it's EW mission. But....the BN's face is plastered to a radar hood almost the entire time, so....

It's getting so just by being in the military you have a higher probability of getting cancer...

 

[Dame]

A late buddy of mine was a nav/bomb on an A-6A. He died in his 40s. Cancer. The A-6 didn't have the EA-6's EW package, but now I wonder. Did the A-6 have the gold coating?

Found this one the EA-6As. Although limited, they did exist.

Electronic Warfare Versions

An electronic warfare/ECM version of the Grumman A-6 Intruder was developed early in the aircraft's life for the USMC, which needed a new ECM platform to replace its elderly Douglas F3D-2Q Skyknights. An EW version of the Grumman Intruder, initially designated A2F-1Q and subsequently redesignated EA-6A, first flew on 26 April 1963. It had a Bunker-Ramo AN/ALQ-86 ECM suite, with most electronics contained on the walnut-shaped pod atop the vertical fin. They were theoretically capable of firing the AGM-45 Shrike anti-radiation missile, although they were apparently not used in that role.

Only 28 Grumman EA-6A's were built (two prototypes, 15 new-build, and 11 conversions from Grumman A-6A Intruders), serving with Marine Corps squadrons in Vietnam. It was phased out of front-line service in the mid-1970s, remaining in use in reserve units with the USMC and then the US Navy primarily for training purposes. The last had been retired completely by 1993.​

ETA:

 

[Devildoc]

Found this one the EA-6As. Although limited, they did exist.

ETA: View attachment 42716

Thank you for sharing. I am aircraft aficionado, I had no idea about the EA-6A. It looks like they did not stick around for a long time before the -B model with the 4-man crew came out.

I fondly remember the EA-6Bs at Cherry Point MCAS (as well as the A-6Es). Great aircraft.

 

[AWP]

Thank you for sharing. I am aircraft aficionado, I had no idea about the EA-6A. It looks like they did not stick around for a long time before the -B model with the 4-man crew came out.

I fondly remember the EA-6Bs at Cherry Point MCAS (as well as the A-6Es). Great aircraft.

Here's some nerd stuff for you.

Dame's post made me think of the A-6B, a specialized version to kill SAMs (SEAD), one also built in limited numbers. Knowing the DoD's love of changing version numbers around, I thought the B's might have been redesignated EA-6A because the specialized nature of the EW versions due to the SEAD mission.

Nope, different aircraft, but an easy mistake to make.

 

[policemedic]

So, because I am a nerd I took my issued personal radiation detector/dosimeter on a flight to Vegas en route to SHOT.

On the ground in Chicago, nothing…not even background radiation. At 34000 AGL, well…significantly more. For a roughly 3,5 hour flight, it’s the equivalent of 100 chest x-rays.

 

[policemedic]

Oh yeah…people get really curious and nervous when you start taking these measurements on board an aircraft in flight….

 

[Devildoc]

There's radiation, then there's radiation.

 

[Ranger Psych]

There's radiation, then there's radiation.

Oh hush glowworm. Get healthy.

 

[Kraut783]

my wife is an AA FA and does mainly international flights to Europe, been doing it for the past 35 years. There is a substantial amount of cancer victims in the flight crews....