Naval Aviation

[CWtheMan]

I worked in Naval Aviation for 40+ years. I’ve seen a lot of military aircraft come and go. Would you like to see where I’ve found a lot of them? My pictures will include aircraft from all USA services.

These are just introduction pictures. The first is me (18) just after reporting to my first duty station right out of boot camp . The place; Naval Air Station, Oahu, TH; the Squadron AIRBARSRON2, (1957); the aircraft Super Connie, Navy designation, WV-2, referred to as, Willy Victor.

[flybouy]

Speaking personally I would. I love all things that fly. I had an ex Naval Aviator as my flight instructor (private ticket, not military) and I can remember some of things he taught me that I think went well beyond the "required" training.

[CWtheMan]

An USN A7 Corsair II aircraft getting ready to launch from a bow cat off the USS Midway (CVA-41). The picture was taken by me. It was 1971 and we were in the South China Sea providing support for our forces in Vietnam.



That's a non digital picture taken with a Yashica 35mm.

[CWtheMan]

Just driving around the countryside looking for flea markets/yard sales and behold. At a smallish local airport we found this bird on display.

Cities & town all around the country really like to build monuments with some sort of aircraft as the primary element. This one did not have a placard.

[locomech]

Originally Posted by CWtheMan

Just driving around the countryside looking for flea markets/yard sales and behold. At a smallish local airport we found this bird on display.

Cities & town all around the country really like to build monuments with some sort of aircraft as the primary element. This one did not have a placard.

Attachment 26726

The bird you have pictured is a McDonnell F-101B VooDoo, but I'll bet you already knew that. I was a crew chief on the RF-101C model at Ton Son Nhut AFB. The other pic you have of the Super Connie brings back memories of my time in Taiwan pulling alerts for them flying along the coast of China. I was crewing an F-102A back then and we would scramble our alert jets when they were being harassed by the Red Chinese Air Force.

[Snoking]

Originally Posted by locomech

The bird you have pictured is a McDonnell F-101B VooDoo, but I'll bet you already knew that. I was a crew chief on the RF-101C model at Ton Son Nhut AFB. The other pic you have of the Super Connie brings back memories of my time in Taiwan pulling alerts for them flying along the coast of China. I was crewing an F-102A back then and we would scramble our alert jets when they were being harassed by the Red Chinese Air Force.

https://books.google.com/books?id=PW...system&f=false

I was part of the construction detail the built the Loran C navigation system in the summer of 1966 in SE Asia. I took this picture of the the B-57 at Tan Son Nhut the end of June 1966.

The RF-4's at Udorn used our Loran. The Loran Monitor was at Udorn next to the garbage dump South of the AFB. I have friend that was there the first year would pick up film that blew out of the dump and look at it. Now he wishes he would have keep some of it as a keepsake. Monitoring the ho chi minh trail was a big deal. Loran allow taking repeat pictures over time along the trail.

Second picture looks like a couple O-1 Bird Dogs.

[CWtheMan]

To the land lovers and other service members not familiar with Navy carrier operations, this picture requires some explanations.

Aircraft carriers must have aircraft airborne at all times during flight operations to assist those aircraft that need a little extra fuel to safely land on the carrier.

Some aircraft such as the one in the lead in this picture are built with a primary mission as tanker. (Lead tanker is an A6, second is an A7).

During cyclic ops – launching and recovering every two hours – there is always a primary tanker available. Other aircraft types that can carry heavy loads will be assigned to carry a refueling tanker package to augment the primary tankers. That’s the mission of the second aircraft in this link.

The third aircraft in this link-up is a F4 Phantom and it looks like it’s losing fuel and may have to take on fuel all the way to final approach. The first aircraft is probably scheduled to return on the same cycle as the Phantom and is insuring his replacement has a full refueling tank after getting the Phantom safely aboard. Just about all of that is my opinion as I’m just making an educated guess as to why that Phantom is dumping fuel.

[Bob R]

Originally Posted by CWtheMan

Just driving around the countryside looking for flea markets/yard sales and behold. At a smallish local airport we found this bird on display.

Cities & town all around the country really like to build monuments with some sort of aircraft as the primary element. This one did not have a placard.

Attachment 26726

We have a F101 on display at Fairchild AFB, along with the only B52 that shot down a MIG in air combat. There are some others there also. The F101 is special because it has a Genie missile mounted underneath it. The Genie was a 1.5 Kilo ton unguided air to air nuke used for air intercepts. That was back when it was assumed the Russians would send in waves of bombers to do the job so a air to air nuke would ruin their day. Ours too but people didn't think of that much back then.

bob

btw: I could talk airplanes and aviation all day!!

[xrated]

CW.....I have a friend that flew the A7s on and off the carriers. As a reference, he is 66-67 years old now and is also fast as crap on a motorcycle racetrack. We worked together as Instructors for the largest motorcycle trackday organization in the country.

[JJaxon]

Midway Magic. I was there 1981-82 AIMD.

[JJaxon]

Originally Posted by CWtheMan

An USN A7 Corsair II aircraft getting ready to launch from a bow cat off the USS Midway (CVA-41). The picture was taken by me. It was 1971 and we were in the South China Sea providing support for our forces in Vietnam.

Attachment 26725

That's a non digital picture taken with a Yashica 35mm.

Midway Magic. I was there 1981-82 AIMD Airframe.

[CWtheMan]

The USS Midway (CV-41) is currently a floating military museum moored at downtown San Diego.

[Snoking]

Originally Posted by CWtheMan

The USS Midway (CV-41) is currently a floating military museum moored at downtown San Diego.



Attachment 28698

We did that in the spring of 2018. A week or so before the Bonhomme Richard sailed in for extended yard work. Toured the bay on a sight seeing boat.

[JJaxon]

Originally Posted by CWtheMan

The USS Midway (CV-41) is currently a floating military museum moored at downtown San Diego.



Attachment 28698

Yes, I've been there to visit her a few years ago. Great memories it brought back.

[CWtheMan]

When I last visited the Midway I wore my original Midway cap. They let me ring the bell when I asked for permission to come aboard.

[flybouy]

I grew up just off the approach path to the Glenn L. Martin Company (now Martin State Airport KMTN) in Middle River, MD. That's also where I learned to fly. I watched a lot of aircraft fly over between Martin and the 2 Air Force Reserve wings. Martins had a ramp into the water for testing their air boats. Later they shifted to aerospace and I watched as the "Pregnant Guppies" would fly in and load up. They have a small museum there but I like Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Dulls VA, can't get enough of that place.

[Bob R]

I started in the Navy in 1971,became an Aviation Electricians Mate, a ships company tour onboard the USS Forrestal where I was in the shop and also did some Aircrew duty on the C1A, then shore duty to San Diego, then P3 Flight Engineer for 12 years and finished up back in San Diego as a C2A crewman as my last tour before retiring. I know a little bit about Naval Aviation.

CW, was that Willy Victor squadron the precursor to VQ1? I know the Norks shot down a Navy EC-121 in 1969 with 31 people on board.

There were only a few countries I was concerned when flying close aboard and the number 1 was North Korea, you never knew what they would do.

Russian not so worrisome, they were professionals just as we were. They would intercept but just hang out with us for a while.

bob

[CWtheMan]

Originally Posted by Bob R

CW, was that Willy Victor squadron the precursor to VQ1? I know the Norks shot down a Navy EC-121 in 1969 with 31 people on board.

ercept but just hang out with us for a while.
bob

Yes, 1971.

http://vw1assoc.org/

[Bob R]

Originally Posted by CWtheMan

Yes, 1971.

http://vw1assoc.org/

That's kind of neat, you were around at the inception of the DEW line, which is why the WV were out there, probably filling in gaps in the line.

bob

[Hellbilly13]

Originally Posted by Bob R

I started in the Navy in 1971,became an Aviation Electricians Mate, a ships company tour onboard the USS Forrestal where I was in the shop and also did some Aircrew duty on the C1A, then shore duty to San Diego, then P3 Flight Engineer for 12 years and finished up back in San Diego as a C2A crewman as my last tour before retiring. I know a little bit about Naval Aviation.

bob

Sounds like you left NASNI just before I got there? I worked on S-3's for 5 years there. 94-99. I finished up my career in Army Aviation.