Here's one I shot just before sun went down on January 16, 1991. First iron on deck for Desert Storm with CAG in background checking out the ordnance with CAG OPS.
-
Please take a moment and update your account profile. If you have an updated account profile with basic information on why you are on Air Warriors it will help other people respond to your posts. How do you update your profile you ask?
Go here:
Edit Account Details and Profile
Interesting A-4
- Thread starter FastMover
- Start date
Here's one I shot just before sun went down on January 16, 1991. First iron on deck for Desert Storm with CAG in background checking out the ordnance with CAG OPS.
Thanks, but never got around to it. I always took a camera or two or three (loaded with E-6, C-41 and Kodachrome) with me on every hop regardless of weather unless it was a night hop. After I got some reasonable shots, the ship's photo lab kept me well stocked with film so I shot like a professional (bracketing shots) and had them critique my work nightly. Got quite a few in books I have written or in those of others as well as magazines (I am fairly liberal in sharing images as long as I have time to research them).
Probably my favorite shot; Sunrise in the Gulf of Sidra 1986 returning from CAP to USS America after raid on Libya
Great picture...Was the hook down just for effect?
The FLIP-SIDE:
Sunrise .... TRANSPAC .... 8 hours into the flight .... dead tired at the end of a 12 day trip .... eyes burning, 747-style ... goin' to HNL .... lookin' forward to some days off .... and a Mai'tai or two ... or three ....
Sunrise .... TRANSPAC .... 8 hours into the flight .... dead tired at the end of a 12 day trip .... eyes burning, 747-style ... goin' to HNL .... lookin' forward to some days off .... and a Mai'tai or two ... or three ....
Nope, ship was calling for us to buster back (we were last two jets on station) and we only joined for a few moments before getting CASE III vectors. SOP is to join up with wingman and check the hook (among other things) when returning to "mother".
Awaiting an open deck over USS John F Kennedy (HJ photo)
The FLIP-SIDE:
Sunrise .... TRANSPAC .... 8 hours into the flight .... dead tired at the end of a 12 day trip .... eyes burning, 747-style ... goin' to HNL .... lookin' forward to some days off .... and a Mai'tai or two ... or three ....
At least you weren't strapped to an ejection seat all that time, didn't have to use a piddle pack AND didn't have to tank at night to make the 8 hours happen to enjoy seeing the sun rise. Oh yeah, no Mai'tais after landing either.
HJ photo
gaijin6423
Ask me about ninjas!
Coming at this a little late to answer the original poster, but I've been down at Lejeune for the last couple days and busy with those pesky courts martial.
The 'Arctic Warrior' is an old traing A-4 that they used in the AE school prac-ap portion in Millington, TN, where students would troubleshoot gripes instructors inserted into the bird. (Kind of a shame when you think about it.) From my AE school days, I remember asking why it was painted like that (we'd had classes regarding corrosion control, proper painting, etc.), and the response was, "Because the Master Chief thought it would look cool." The school used to paint people's names where the plane captain would normally go if they exceeded the GPA on one of the jets. In fact, my name used to be on that A-4, followed by a 98.7%.
The 'Arctic Warrior' is an old traing A-4 that they used in the AE school prac-ap portion in Millington, TN, where students would troubleshoot gripes instructors inserted into the bird. (Kind of a shame when you think about it.) From my AE school days, I remember asking why it was painted like that (we'd had classes regarding corrosion control, proper painting, etc.), and the response was, "Because the Master Chief thought it would look cool." The school used to paint people's names where the plane captain would normally go if they exceeded the GPA on one of the jets. In fact, my name used to be on that A-4, followed by a 98.7%.
At least you weren't strapped to an ejection seat all that time, didn't have to use a piddle pack AND didn't have to tank at night to make the 8 hours happen to enjoy seeing the sun rise. Oh yeah, no Mai'tais after landing either.
HJ photo
Mai Tai's always available in my bunkroom and stateroom!
So you worked with that bird in Millington? I had got information that Millington gave it to NAATTC when the training moved to NASP. I figured it had something to do with gripes and practice preflights but wasn't for sure.
gaijin6423
Ask me about ninjas!
^Yep, and as of a few years ago, the AE schoolhouse still had a mini hangar full of them. Okay, maybe not exactly FULL, but at least 5-6. The one pictured is not, however, the one with which my classmates attempted to kill me by electrocution. I think that one had a more standard paint job.
Ahhhhhhhh .... a.k.a. ... a "vanity" paint scheme .... and from a bunch ofNavy/ Marine mechs in Millington, as well .... the horror ... THE HORROR !!! THE HUMANITY !!! THE HORROR !!!!
gaijin6423
Ask me about ninjas!
I remember looking up inside the (very empty) engine bay, seeing where a bunch of people had graffitied, and shaking my head. The Horror, indeed.
phrogpilot73
Well-Known Member
Nope, it's not a sunset silhouette of an aircraft. It's also a photo that I can't claim credit to (combat camera guy). But - This is one of my favorite photos from Iraq. It's a sunrise not a sunset, and I couldn't take it 'cause I was in the cockpit starting up.
This is what I'm going to miss about the USMC - the young Marines.
This is what I'm going to miss about the USMC - the young Marines.
