Brits have us beat on the weird.
http://avioners.net/2011/06/fairrey-gannet-wing-folded-legend.html/
http://avioners.net/2011/06/fairrey-gannet-wing-folded-legend.html/
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F-35c at Eglin
- Thread starter Grizzly
- Start date
The "newest" incarnation of VFA-101 "Grim Reapers" have a pretty awesome "legacy" to uphold:
"Mow 'Em Down!" Believe first CO was LtCdr Jimmy Flatley in 1942.
"Mow 'Em Down!" Believe first CO was LtCdr Jimmy Flatley in 1942.
That said…I think the Navy F-35C bubbas ought to cool their jets on the whole PAO campaign for a while. Look, I love the airplane and the concept….it probably will be revolutionary someday...but it's something that's still (according to Navy press releases…) six frakin' years away from IOC. I'm not sure I have the energy to read that, every time one of these takes off, or tanks or flies a barrel-roll with a VFA-101 pilot at the controls, it's "an incredible milestone".
They ought to take a page from some WWII USAAF general who, upon landing with his wing of B-29s at Tinian, said something to the assembled press correspondents like: "When we've done a little more fighting, we'll do a little more talking." Or words to that effect.
They ought to take a page from some WWII USAAF general who, upon landing with his wing of B-29s at Tinian, said something to the assembled press correspondents like: "When we've done a little more fighting, we'll do a little more talking." Or words to that effect.
707guy
"You can't make this shit up..."
Not sure what IOC means in this day and age if fleet squadrons have the P-8 and it's STILL in DT/OT.
Hell, yeah! If one fold point is good…two MUST be better. Nice find.
I'm honestly not sure either. Either my "Google-fu" is weak, or there have been soooo many usages of the term (all meaning different things) that it may have become fuzzy and a half.
Here's my throw down of a potentially "meaningful definition" of IOC that AWs could understand.
"The date on which the first fully manned, trained and equipped F-35C squadron is assigned to a deployable Navy Carrier Air Wing and is available for deployment". That's a milestone I can believe in.
I'm sure the official Navy version (if there is a coherent one) is much before that…like when VFA-101 can be certified "safe to train".
Yes…that, too, will be "an INCREDIBLE milestone!"
"You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means." ~ Inigo Montoya
707guy
"You can't make this shit up..."
Agreed - in my mind IOC is what you defined. Having aircraft available to train is not operational capability. I guess the issue is how you define "initial." I read that the USAF guys training on the F-35A model don't have full software suites available yet. Nothing more than a glorified 182 without all the whiz bang shit up and running.
Hey, makes for a pretty cool flying club.
They might not fold. But they do rotate! Pretty small form factor when everything is slicked back on the MV22.
I remember watching Gannetts run the deck on our '61 USS Ticonderoga Westpac, while operating in the South China Sea. We (CAG-5) had a 2-day prebriefed "Crossdeck" operations with the RN HMS Victorious. We alternately ran each others deck (day/VFR only). We sent flights of Skyhawks, Demons & 'Saders, while they cycled Gannetts, Scimitars, & Sea Vixens through Tico's deck.
The operations went well, the only incident was a Gannett that went in off the Victorious on a cat shot, crew recovered OK. The only launch hookup problem encountered was a requirement to pump up the nose wheel strut of the Scimitar just prior prior to each launch on our ship. I recall that the Demon & Scimitar were 'look-alikes' (equally ugly), and both wobbled and settled precariously off the cat. Watching the Gannetts fold/unfold their wings on deck was an epic exhibition, never failed to amuse. The Brits themselves described the Gannet as "The ugliest aircraft to ever overcome gravity"!
I'll spare the details of the Victorious' fantail reception held a few days later for Tico flight crews on an evening while at anchor in Hong Kong harbor. Suffice it to say, fun was had by all, and many came to in the AM in Victorious bunkrooms, wearing RN wings & bridge caps!
Hard to believe the RN once was a real player in carrier aviation to see them today. The Navy itself is a shadow of what it was just 25 years ago. I was fortunate enough to have some good times with the HMS Hermes aircrew when they pulled into Pensacola while I was in the VTs. The sundown of RN carrier aviation began shortly after that. Oh, and how about those brit ship names. They know how to name a warship.I remember watching Gannetts run the deck on our '61 USS Ticonderoga Westpac, while operating in the South China Sea. We (CAG-5) had a 2-day prebriefed "Crossdeck" operations with the RN HMS Victorious. We alternately ran each others deck (day/VFR only). We sent flights of Skyhawks, Demons & 'Saders, while they cycled Gannetts, Scimitars, & Sea Vixens through Tico's deck.
The operations went well, the only incident was a Gannett that went in off the Victorious on a cat shot, crew recovered OK. The only launch hookup problem encountered was a requirement to pump up the nose wheel strut of the Scimitar just prior prior to each launch on our ship. I recall that the Demon & Scimitar were 'look-alikes' (equally ugly), and both wobbled and settled precariously off the cat. Watching the Gannetts fold/unfold their wings on deck was an epic exhibition, never failed to amuse. The Brits themselves described the Gannet as "The ugliest aircraft to ever overcome gravity"!
View attachment 12596View attachment 12597
I'll spare the details of the Victorious' fantail reception held a few days later for Tico flight crews on an evening while at anchor in Hong Kong harbor. Suffice it to say, fun was had by all, and many came to in the AM in Victorious bunkrooms, wearing RN wings & bridge caps!
There are still good dudes up and coming in the RN. They have a hell of a weight on their shoulders- the continuity of British carrier aviation rests with those few who are training, flying and fighting with us.
FIFM!
Found a few photos taken on/around HMS Victorious during our "crossdeck" operations in Oct. '61.
VA-55 A4D-2 (A-4B) Skyhawk launching from HMS Victorious. Could be BzB, 52 yrs ago... who knows?
VA-52 AD-6 Skyraider trapping on Victorious - 1961
VF-53 F3H-2 Demon trapping on HMS Victorious. Note landing mirror on starboard side - 1961
HMS Victorious (R-38) underway - 1961
BzB
That is good to hear. We had both a Brit and Argie in the VS Rag in the early 80's. They got on OK from what I understood. They just didn't "go there". So we have RN exchange guys in TACAIR? How do they qualify? They go straight to the RAG or make a stop in VT to work up for the boat?
