Carrier touch & goes
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I know a guy on his boat that was taking a picture of a sub coming out of Groton CT. He said it was noisy and he did not hear any warning. Then up came a Coast Guard boat with a 50 caliber pointed at him telling him to put down the camera and leave the area. Obviously he did. The Coast Guard patrols the area as the subs leave Groton until they are past the shelf and can dive.
Good lord that thing is HUGE.
Originally Posted by PimTac
Good ole Abe.
Indeed.
I was among the first to get a fleet trap aboard her. 20 January, 1990. F-14A Buno 162702. My first experience at sea in an operational squadron. I was pretty pumped to be there, even though, at that time of year, we had to wear dry suits...
A photo of Victory 201, Buno 162702.
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Good ole Abe.
Indeed.
I was among the first to get a fleet trap aboard her. 20 January, 1990. F-14A Buno 162702. My first experience at sea in an operational squadron. I was pretty pumped to be there, even though, at that time of year, we had to wear dry suits...
A photo of Victory 201, Buno 162702.
Originally Posted by Astro14
Originally Posted by PimTac
Good ole Abe.
Indeed.
I was among the first to get a fleet trap aboard her. 20 January, 1990. F-14A Buno 162702. My first experience at sea in an operational squadron. I was pretty pumped to be there, even though, at that time of year, we had to wear dry suits...
A photo of Victory 201, Buno 162702.
I hadn't thought about that but it had to be part of the survival gear to wear dry suits depending on time of year and/or duty station. You guys had a lot of gear to haul up that ladder.
Originally Posted by PimTac
Good ole Abe.
Indeed.
I was among the first to get a fleet trap aboard her. 20 January, 1990. F-14A Buno 162702. My first experience at sea in an operational squadron. I was pretty pumped to be there, even though, at that time of year, we had to wear dry suits...
A photo of Victory 201, Buno 162702.
I hadn't thought about that but it had to be part of the survival gear to wear dry suits depending on time of year and/or duty station. You guys had a lot of gear to haul up that ladder.
I can't recall the exact formula, but if you were flying over water, and the air temperature + sea surface temperature was below a certain threshold, the drysuits were required.
Early ones were uncomfortable. The neck and wrist seals felt like they were made from tire carcasses...by 1991, we got neoprene seals, and lighter, Gore Tex suits, which were better, but still not particularly comfortable. With the insulating layers underneath, they were still bulky.
I had two torso harnesses. (The webbing that connected you to the ejection seat and that was the foundation for all the rest of the gear.). One for summer, and the next size larger to fit over the dry suit. I also had two g-suits. Same reason.
Early ones were uncomfortable. The neck and wrist seals felt like they were made from tire carcasses...by 1991, we got neoprene seals, and lighter, Gore Tex suits, which were better, but still not particularly comfortable. With the insulating layers underneath, they were still bulky.
I had two torso harnesses. (The webbing that connected you to the ejection seat and that was the foundation for all the rest of the gear.). One for summer, and the next size larger to fit over the dry suit. I also had two g-suits. Same reason.
I went on a Civilian Orientation cruise on the JFK years ago. For $15 I flew out to the JFK on the COD. Landed/trapped and had dinner. Stayed in the Squadron Commanders quarters, and the next day was on the flight deck as Student pilots made there qualifying traps and take offs. That evening shot off the deck on the COD and flew back to May port.
The Air Group was off the boat so there was room to bunk our group and show us around the ship. Great trip! Sailed on my Son's Destroyer from Bermuda to Norfolk. "Tiger Cruise", but that is another story.
The Air Group was off the boat so there was room to bunk our group and show us around the ship. Great trip! Sailed on my Son's Destroyer from Bermuda to Norfolk. "Tiger Cruise", but that is another story.
I love that paint scheme , before they went low viz. Astro , was the lower viz paint schemes used later on, for lower maintenance , lower visibility, or for a political less agressive look?
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I was told that the "low viz" paint was a Navy requirement that went into effect in the late 1980s.
It was thought to give a tactical advantage, making the airplane harder to see.
It was a bit harder to see a low viz jet vs. the gloss paint, but only a bit.
Navy requirements also prevented us from painting an entire jet for cosmetics. Paint was for corrosion protection, and nose-to-tail paint jobs were forbidden, technically, so we would paint them in sections, as needed. Carriers didn't always have precisely the same shade of paint in stock, so you would see some pretty ugly jets once in a while. Blotchy, uneven flat grey was common.
This jet was delivered from the factory in gloss paint. We only painted the tails, and stripes, for "corrosion protection", so we were within the Navy regs...
It was paid for in 1985, so the gloss paint was in specification for the contract as written for Block 140 aircraft. Subsequent aircraft were delivered in the flat "low viz" grey.
We got it in the squadron in late 1988. It practically had that new car smell when I came to the squadron in 1989. It was fast, I went Mach 1.7 in level flight, with external tanks installed, without even trying one winter afternoon. It worked flawlessly. It was a great airplane.
It was crashed by an idiot in the summer of 1990.
Long story.
But an idiot, nonetheless...
It was thought to give a tactical advantage, making the airplane harder to see.
It was a bit harder to see a low viz jet vs. the gloss paint, but only a bit.
Navy requirements also prevented us from painting an entire jet for cosmetics. Paint was for corrosion protection, and nose-to-tail paint jobs were forbidden, technically, so we would paint them in sections, as needed. Carriers didn't always have precisely the same shade of paint in stock, so you would see some pretty ugly jets once in a while. Blotchy, uneven flat grey was common.
This jet was delivered from the factory in gloss paint. We only painted the tails, and stripes, for "corrosion protection", so we were within the Navy regs...
It was paid for in 1985, so the gloss paint was in specification for the contract as written for Block 140 aircraft. Subsequent aircraft were delivered in the flat "low viz" grey.
We got it in the squadron in late 1988. It practically had that new car smell when I came to the squadron in 1989. It was fast, I went Mach 1.7 in level flight, with external tanks installed, without even trying one winter afternoon. It worked flawlessly. It was a great airplane.
It was crashed by an idiot in the summer of 1990.
Long story.
But an idiot, nonetheless...
My friend's lifelong dream of becoming a Navy fighter pilot is coming true. He's currently at Pensacola, FL in pilot school and just got his F/A-18.
Cool. Saw the Lincoln once during the Parade of Ships for San Francisco Fleet Week 1997. They specifically launched four aircraft while in San Francisco Bay. I'm guessing they landed in Lemoore. It was kind of hard to see the planes though compared to the Blue Angels and the other aircraft there which flew a lot closer to the shore. USMC brought an AV-8B which had the most annoying sound.
Originally Posted by anndel
My friend's lifelong dream of becoming a Navy fighter pilot is coming true. He's currently at Pensacola, FL in pilot school and just got his F/A-18.
I'm glad he is able to achieve his dream. I hope he finds it rewarding.
My friend's lifelong dream of becoming a Navy fighter pilot is coming true. He's currently at Pensacola, FL in pilot school and just got his F/A-18.
I'm glad he is able to achieve his dream. I hope he finds it rewarding.
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