Posted: Mar 08, 2010 8:25 am
ummm... are you talking about the A4 or the F-15? 15s don't have arresting hooks and don't land on carriers.
im talking about the F15.
Many non naval aircraft actually do carry tailhooks for making emergency arrested landings on land based airfields. Its just they are not normally used except in dire emergencies because they put strain on the aircraft that it wasnt intended to endure.
On the F15 its stowed between the engines and you can see the hook here:
The Tornado is another example of a land based aircraft with a tailhook as is the F16 ans the F117.
The A4 in the collision was lost with the pilot making a near immediate ejection.