A WSO’s tale of hydration challenges and empty stomachs
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II, a legendary fighter jet from the Vietnam era, was designed for combat effectiveness rather than crew comfort. When missions extended beyond typical flight durations, crew members faced unique physiological challenges rarely discussed in technical manuals.
One WSO’s 13-hour endurance test
David Weinberg, a former USAF F-4E Phantom II Weapon Systems Officer (WSO), recalls an extraordinary 13-hour flight from Hickam AFB in Hawaii to Osan AB in South Korea. Unlike modern aircraft designed with crew comfort in mind, the Vietnam-era F-4 required significant personal endurance.
“The F-4 was an older Vietnam-generation fighter and did not have a lot of places for extra things, so we had to invent locations to store stuff,” Weinberg explains.
The hydration dilemma
For Weinberg, managing hydration while confined to the cramped rear cockpit presented a critical challenge:
“The main things I brought were snacks, water, and piddle packs to pee into. I filled up 5 of them during the 13 hours.”
This reveals the practical reality of maintaining proper hydration during extended missions. The average of one relief break every 2.5 hours highlights the constant balance between necessary fluid intake and the inconvenience of using relief systems in flight.
The layers challenge
The physical act of relieving oneself while wearing multiple protective layers presented its own complications:
“When flying over the Pacific [Ocean] in February, it is very cold, so we wore thermal underwear and anti-exposure suits under our flight suits along with a survival vest and an inflatable horse collar life vest around our necks, plus the g-suit pants. When it came time to pee, it was a real challenge to get through all the layers, regardless of how ‘well endowed’ you were. I had to release my lap belt and kind of sit up to do it.”
Strategic hunger
Equally notable was Weinberg’s deliberate decision to minimize food intake:
“I was also not motivated to eat much, as if I had to do more than pee, it would have been a nightmare.”
This strategic approach to hunger management highlights a practical consideration rarely mentioned in discussions of military aviation. While the crew had access to military flight meals—”box nasties” as Weinberg calls them—consuming them presented its own risk calculation.
“Most of my water and food were in my G-suit pockets, but we also had some inflight lunches we called ‘box nasties,’ which I put on the side consoles.”
The human element of fighter operations
Weinberg’s candid account provides a rare glimpse into the very human challenges of operating high-performance military aircraft for extended durations. While technological capabilities often dominate discussions of fighter aircraft, the physiological limitations of the human crew frequently determine operational constraints.
Despite the discomforts, Weinberg’s conclusion reveals the attachment many aircrews develop to their aircraft:
“I loved that plane and still miss those days, despite when finally landing, I swore I would never do that again.”