Any thoughts on a realistic load out for a 4450th TG A-7D ? All the photos I’ve seen show them clean. Fuel tanks, Lantrin and 500lb LGBUs?
Maybe a pair of 2000 lb Paveways, along with some sort of laser pod, either Pave Spike or later Lantirn, and a drop tank or two.
Drop tanks for the inboard stations seems to be SOP for SLUFs, in general. Considering the 4450ths cover story and time frame LANTIRN on the mid wing stations (1 pod per side). Would the outboard pylons be rated for 2000lb bombs? ( going off just memory usual load there was a TER and 3X500lb Mk.82s) For “test” or training GBU-12s (2X GBU-12 + TER?) seems reasonable.
I gotta ask, “goat suckers”? 
I know that the USN had a FLIR pod specifically for the A-7E that was usually carried in place of one of the drop tanks on the inboard pylons. The USAF didn’t not accept the first LANTIRN pod until March 31, 1987. At what point did the 4450th get rid of their A-7s? The F-117 was revealed to the public the next year.
Nocturnal birds …
Why a group of birds got named “goat suckers” (Caprimulgus)
https://picclick.com/USAF-Air-Force-Black-Ops-Area-51-4452nd-371482707241.html’
A Nighthawk (bird) belongs to the Caprimulgus group
You’ve seen the air intake on the A-7? Had a reputation for “eating” ground crew who wandered in front of it when running (Only video I’ve seen was a n A-6. Guy survived!) 4450ths cover story was they were doing T&E for low level night systems/tactics for the A-7. Imagine wild & crazy Air Force pilots skimming the ridge tops of the Toiyabe Range/ Great Basin chasing mountain goats… Wish I could find a photo of their patch.
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Google image search
Link to larger image
For sale on Evil Bay
Edit: Found a site with a collection of patches, with some labeled as fakes
https://www.f117sfa.org/a-look-back
https://survivorbb.rapeutation.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=2841&start=40
Used the A-7 from 81-89. (replaced with T-38s)
Awesome! Thanks!
I think this is a commercial / airshow patch. One I remember seeing had a cartoon A-7with a maniacal grin chasing a mountain goat along a ridge line. In the style of this A-7 patch.
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The A-6 video is wild! Guy got lucky, as far as I remember some tools got sucked in first and broke jammed the fan blades
And this has “little” intakes , high up. Imagine what a SLUF could do! Guy I lived down the street from as a kid was an A-6 mech out of Whidbey Island. Was ending shift before heading out for Christmas leave and one of their acs sucked up a flock of seagulls (Navy designation - GU-11. USAF is a B-1RD.) . He couldnt eat KFC or McNuggets for decades!
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Ya know, you get caught doing just one goat, and you get branded for life!
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Theres a Bakersfield/ Scot/ Afghan joke here, somewhere…
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He was just helping the sheep over the fence…
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