Shooter's Gallery (as in Catapult, not firearms)

Discussion in 'Military Aviation in General' started by HeyJoe, Jan 9, 2009.

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    HeyJoe Fly Navy! ...or USMC

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    For MB + Bunk

    [IMG]

    090107-N-6604E-003 ATLANTIC OCEAN (Jan. 7, 2009) Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Equipment) 2nd Class Christopher Madsen signals for the launch of a C-2A Greyhound assigned to Fleet Logistics Support Squardron (VRC) 40 aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) during the Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 8 composite unit training exercise (COMPTUEX). COMPTUEX is a training exercise to test capabilities and ensure readiness prior to deployment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Bradley Evans/Released
    HeyJoe, Jan 9, 2009
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    A4sForever STILL A MEAN OL' HA'OLE MAN

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    Interrogative: when did this start?? By "start", I mean PO's launching aircraft ???

    Unheard of in times past. No one, save a pair of khaki pants used to launch 'em ... mebbe once in a great, great, great, great, great, great while ... mebbe a Chief would launch a COD.

    But basically .... never. Only O-type khaki's ... :confused::sleep_125
    A4sForever, Jan 9, 2009
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    H60Gunner Registered User

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    I think he's just a spotter. Not a Shooter.
    H60Gunner, Jan 10, 2009
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    Mumbles Registered User

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    No way he's a "Shooter"...just a final ckecker.
    Mumbles, Jan 10, 2009
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    A4sForever STILL A MEAN OL' HA'OLE MAN

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    Oh ... 'Zat so ??? 'ZAT SO ??? 'ZAT SO ???

    [IMG]


    Thanks ... I think you're both right ... what a relief .... and thanks for keeping an ol' man straight ... now I can go back to my nap. :sleep_125
    A4sForever, Jan 10, 2009
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    ea6bflyr Working Class Bum

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    A4's,

    The guy actually launching the plane is in the "Bubble" and the young Petty Officer is a Flight Deck Safety Observer.

    Bubble:
    [IMG]
    080511-N-7981E-195 PERSIAN GULF (May 11, 2008) Aircraft directors are reflected in the shooter's bubble as they position an EA-6B Prowler assigned to the "Lancers" of Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron (VAQ) 131 onto a steam powered catapult aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). Lincoln is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility supporting maritime security operations. U.S Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class James R. Evans (Released)

    Inside the Bubble:
    [IMG]
    080104-N-0455L-003 PERSIAN GULF (Jan. 4, 2008) Lt. Chris Moylan stands watch in the waist bubble to ensure safe launching of aircraft from the flight deck aboard the Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Truman and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 are underway on a scheduled deployment in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Justin Lee Losack (Released)

    -ea6bflyr ;)
    ea6bflyr, Jan 12, 2009
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    A4sForever STILL A MEAN OL' HA'OLE MAN

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    Yeah, I believe you ... I just don't "like it", wouldn't want to "do it" myself, and think things will ever be quite the same w/ the CAT O's becoming a "bubble boy".

    Something is lost .... gone forever ... there's no substitute for the "wind" and "feel" and "sound" of the flight deck -- it goes right through you; you become part of it. :)

    The CAT O's "dance" was almost as good as the LSO "dance" ... just shorter. Is that what she said ... ???

    Here's a shot of one of my first ships launchin' a STOOF, not too long after I was onboard:

    [IMG]
    A4sForever, Jan 12, 2009
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  8. efini_kid New Member

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    is the front wheel of the e2 off the deck?
    efini_kid, Jan 12, 2009
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  9. Pugs Back from the range

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    E-2? E-2! That's a far cry from an E-2! Learn your history friend that's an S-2 aka the Stoof. The fixed wing carrier based ASW of its era prior to the S-3.

    Note real round engines...

    As for your question, maybe :D
    Pugs, Jan 12, 2009
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    Hozer Jobu needs a refill!

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    Kennedy, Connie and Big E are the last of the bubble-less flight decks...truly a passing era...
    Hozer, Jan 12, 2009
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    A4sForever STILL A MEAN OL' HA'OLE MAN

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    CONNIE?? KENNEDY?? WASH OUT YOUR MOUT' ... !!!

    Is not the 'HAWK -- **be still, my beating heart** -- the latest/greatest big deck oil-burner to have a "no-bubble-boy" flight deck ???
    A4sForever, Jan 12, 2009
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    LazersGoPEWPEW 4500rpm

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    Some more A-7s.

    [IMG]
    [IMG]
    [IMG]
    [IMG]
    LazersGoPEWPEW, Jan 12, 2009
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    Mumbles Registered User

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    Thanks Pew....SLUFs are cool.
    Mumbles, Jan 13, 2009
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    A4sForever STILL A MEAN OL' HA'OLE MAN

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    A.k.a. "Fruit Fly" ... check out a PLAT pix of an A-7 landing and you'll know why ... :)
    A4sForever, Jan 13, 2009
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    zipmartin Why do I keep getting messages from Hoveround?

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    Another Sluf

    [IMG]
    VA-86, CVW-8, CVN-68 Mid-'70's
    zipmartin, Jan 13, 2009
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    Mumbles Registered User

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    ^whose Phantom was that going off the bowcat Zip?? Both VFs had F-14s for that cruise, right??? Recce bird maybe?
    Mumbles, Jan 13, 2009
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  17. MIDNJAC is clara ship

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    What is coming off the canopy of that A-7?
    MIDNJAC, Jan 13, 2009
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  18. e6bflyer Registered User

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    As someone with an equally short attention span, I agree. The most exciting thread on here has been about how PCS orders aren't being written.
    I am in shooter school this week, so I can wow you with my in depth knowledge of catapults and arresting gear, but I don't think that will do anything for your boredom.
    e6bflyer, Apr 17, 2009
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  19. blackbart22 Active Member

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    for e6bflyer, re shooter school, as a shooter for two and a half years, mostly on Yankee Station and later FTG Cats & AG instructor, you can be sure to generate a batch of seastorys of your own. My claim is that I never put one in the water that had anybody in it when it left the deck. Also, keep the chronograph tapes or what ever they use nowadays to measure endspeeds. May save your ass on a JAG investigation.
    blackbart22, Apr 18, 2009
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  20. e6bflyer Registered User

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    Bart,
    Great advice, I will heed for sure.

    Not putting a plane in the water is my number one goal as well. We have been watching mishap tapes in class and it seems there is no shortage of stuff that can go wrong up there.
    e6bflyer, Apr 18, 2009
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    rondebmar Ron "Banty" Marron

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    Hey...before my "TINS" tale...today, April 18...my brother's birthday...AND...sixty seven years ago today, Jimmy Doolittle did his thing off Enterprise, with 16 B-25s...little USN history here!!

    (Or so I heard...No, I wasn't there! LOL!!)

    [IMG]

    Army B-25 leaving flight deck of USS Hornet bound for Tokyo with presents
    rondebmar, Apr 18, 2009
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    HeyJoe Fly Navy! ...or USMC

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    Neither was I, but +1 for bringing up one of greatest flying episodes in US Military history and great example of Jointness before the word was coined. Just flying the stripped Army medium bombers off a carrier deck in Japaness waters was bold and challenging enough. Having chanced upon an unknown Japanese picket line hundreds of miles before the planned launch point forced them to decide to either abort before Japanese could respond or launch knowing they would not have enough fuel to reach their planned landing strips in China and have to ditch or bailout at sea with no hope of recovery.

    They launched anyway and dealt the first blow against the ongoing Japanese juggernaut that had been steamrolling allied territory since December and was bursting with militaristic pride and superiority. Despite all bombers being subsequently lost, the impact on morale in the United States was off the charts and dealt the Japanese a serious blow to their Samurai spirit and feeling of invincibility. Then came the first serious body blow and strategic setback to Japanese plans of conquest at the Battle of Coral Sea in May and the tide turning victory at Midway in June showing the Japanese that the American giant was now awake (as Yamamoto allegedly predicted would happen within 6 months) and throwing powerful punches right back at 'em from then on.
    HeyJoe, Apr 18, 2009
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  23. e6bflyer Registered User

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    Don't know if this has been discussed or not (at any length), but we were discussing this crash video and how it could have been prevented in class the other day:



    It looks to me that you can see the foul deck light reflected off the jet and the waveoff was clearly issued (although late). So...in an effort to learn more about this floating boat thing that launches and catches airplanes, who or what could have prevented this from happening? Can the pilots see the foul deck light, or are they concentrating too much on pilot shit?
    e6bflyer, Apr 18, 2009
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  24. e6bflyer Registered User

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    From those of us doing our aviation appreciation tour:

    [IMG]

    View from the top of historic Hangar One. The climb to the top is a shooter school tradition. It's about twice as high and four times as big as a standard hangar. For those who don't know, Lakehurst used to be an airship base and is the site of the Hindenburg crash. No, that's not me in the photo.

    [IMG]

    We went out to the ALRE test site. This is a picture of the first full scale EMALS (electromagnetic catapult), currently under construction. Good luck getting it installed on CVN-78 in time!
    e6bflyer, Apr 21, 2009
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    BigIron Program Office nerd.

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    The launch bulletins do have those a/c included still and I don't know why. They aren't included in the ABE sets either in the bubble or at center deck. All weight settings are set by the shooter (99% of the time an aviator of some flavor) so a lot of tomfoolery is prevented. I'm not saying there isn't AB buffoonery.... only that there are some admin safety nets in place.
    BigIron, Jun 10, 2009
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