The Great, Constantly Changing Picture Gallery...part DEUX

[Alpha_Echo_606]

Refuel
A KC-135 Stratotanker refuels an F-16 Fighting Falcon over Afghanistan, on Dec. 22, 2012. The F-16 Fighting Falcon, deployed from Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., received fuel to conduct missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The KC-135 Stratotanker is from the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron. (US Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Ashley Reed)

 

[Recovering LSO]

AIM-120s loaded on wingtip stations, over AFG?

 

[jmcquate]

AIM-120s loaded on wingtip stations, over AFG?

The USAF has to keep the "F" in fighter.

 

[scoolbubba]

AIM-120s loaded on wingtip stations, over AFG?

Heard it from a Viper dude back in primary that they are limited without any wingtip stores due to either span wise flow or wing flutter issues...(can't remember which)

I can't remember what kind of a limit, be it airspeed, g, gross weight, or dihedral or what.

Could have been bullshit, but it seemed reasonable to me in my foggy SNA brain.

 

[BusyBee604]

Could have been bullshit, but it seemed reasonable to me in my foggy SNA brain.

Nevah hoppin' BoySan ('cept when the chix get hotter at closin' time)!
BzB

 

[nittany03]

USS HORNET, Carrier Air Group 11, Pacific Fleet.
http://warbirdinformationexchange.o...&t=48303&sid=5e63b62b56d514b46ebabf1c397a1f59

Somehow missed this earlier and noticed in the pics of the ship's newspaper:
O-5 Big XO.
O-5 CAG.
O-4 Squadron COs.
Four people on CAG staff.

 

[BusyBee604]

USS HORNET, Carrier Air Group 11, Pacific Fleet.
http://warbirdinformationexchange.o...&t=48303&sid=5e63b62b56d514b46ebabf1c397a1f59

Interesting... LCDR E. G. FAIRFAX, who signed VF-11's Oct. '44-Feb. '45 combat narrative as CO (in the attached HORNET article above, right under the Pilot Flight Log pages), showed up on USS TICONDEROGA in mid-cruise (July '61). Then CAPT E. G. Fairfax, relieved CAPT Farrington as CO CVA-14. I was in VA-55 at that time, and met CAPT Fairfax several times, but had no idea of he & his Squadron's extraordinary service in the Pacific during WWII. He was a fine carrier Skipper. Greatest generation Dudes, all!
BzB

 

[MIDNJAC]

Somehow missed this earlier and noticed in the pics of the ship's newspaper:
O-5 Big XO.
O-5 CAG.
O-4 Squadron COs.
Four people on CAG staff.

I noticed a couple of these things in reading "Roger Ball" recently. O-5 CO's like normal, but CAG/DCAG were also at the O-5 level, this being in the late years of the Vietnam War. Surprised to see that.

 

[helolumpy]

In the early 80's John Lehman elevated the position of CAG to O-6 and was called "Super CAG". It allows for wider pool to select for Flag Officers since you had two Aviators competing against each other for promotion (along with other O-6's in the CSG).

 

[BusyBee604]

I noticed a couple of these things in reading "Roger Ball" recently. O-5 CO's like normal, but CAG/DCAG were also at the O-5 level, this being in the late years of the Vietnam War. Surprised to see that.

Actually, DCAGs didn't exist until quite a few years after Vietnam ('80s?). Carrier VF/VA Squadron XOs were O-4s until the early '60s, when they started the 'fleet-up' command screen program, where the new XO reported aboard (as a command screened new O-5), as XO/PCO.
BzB

 

[MIDNJAC]

Actually, DCAGs didn't exist until quite a few years after Vietnam ('80s?). Carrier VF/VA Squadron XOs were O-4s until the early '60s, when they started the 'fleet-up' command screen program, where the new XO reported aboard (as a command screened new O-5), as XO/PCO.
BzB

Ahhh, yeah maybe it didn't talk about DCAG but just CAG. So basically the Navy did it the same way Marine squadrons still do?

 

[HAL Pilot]

BZB or Cat can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that when CAGs were O-5s (before the Super CAG concept), they reported to the CV's CO. Super CAG made them equal with both reporting to the Battle Group Commander (or whatever he is called now).

 

[Catmando]

BZB or Cat can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that when CAGs were O-5s (before the Super CAG concept), they reported to the CV's CO. Super CAG made them equal with both reporting to the Battle Group Commander (or whatever he is called now).

Correct. CAG reported to the CV's CO.
In the 70s during my four cruises, I had both 0-5 and 0-6 CAGs. Never had a Super CAG. Not sure what a DCAG is. Also, my RAG COs were O-6s.

 

[BusyBee604]

Correct. CAG reported to the CV's CO.
In the 70s during my four cruises, I had both 0-5 and 0-6 CAGs. Never had a Super CAG. Not sure what a DCAG is. Also, my RAG COs were O-6s.

Right Cat, remember in "The Bridges at Toko Ri" , CAG-19 "bypassing" his CV CO, doing his tapdance with with the Admiral, in regard to the ship using his Spads to Pinwheel while berthing at Yokosuka.

BTW, using pinwheel to aid tugs while berthing at Yoko in heavy winds, while rare, was actually done several times by RANGER on our '60 WestPac. Only jets (F-8s/F-3Hs & A-4s) were used, as they were not prone to damage like the recips. Actually it was kinda' fun, & even some of our senior E maintainers & a few sharp P/Cs got to participate, in the cockpit!
BzB

 

[scoolbubba]

What is this pinwheel you speak off?