A glimpse at what retired military birds are doing in their "golden years"
-
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
The Great, Constantly Changing Picture Gallery...part DEUX
- Thread starter Gatordev
- Start date
- Status
U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Todd Robbins, a pilot with the 421st Fighter Squadron, maneuvers an F-16C Fighting Falcon aircraft toward a training area for basic fighting maneuvers (BFM) at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, Jan. 7, 2013. BFM are tactical movements performed by fighter aircraft during an air-to-air combat engagement in order to gain a positional advantage over the opponent. Robbins was the director of operations for the 388th Operational Support Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff. Sgt Staci Miller/Released)
130103-N-OY799-077 U.S. 5TH FLEET AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY (Jan. 3, 2013) An F/A-18F Super Hornet of the Black Aces of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 41 launches from the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). John C. Stennis is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions for Operation Enduring Freedom. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kenneth Abbate/Released)
USS Harry S. Truman conducts flight operations.
ATLANTIC OCEAN (Jan. 15, 2013) An F/A-18E Super Hornet assigned to the Gunslingers of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 105 lands aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Harry S. Truman is underway conducting composite training unit exercise (COMPTUEX) in preparation for its upcoming deployment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Lorenzo J. Burleson/Released) 130115-N-PL185-264
I think it was MCAS El Toro but the rest is spot on. According to the SDO, Foote's quote as he was hauled off by the MP's is that the jet "was down for inop generator."Shoe, Sure glad you didn't succumb to temptation and take off on a flight, like the famous Marine L/Cpl Foote. Stole an A-4M & took off from Miramar on a (night) o.8 flight, then landed safely. It wa 4th of July '86, I guess security was a bit lax due to holiday?
BzB
Shoe, Sure glad you didn't succumb to temptation and take off on a flight, like the famous Marine L/Cpl Foote. Stole an A-4M & took off from Miramar on a (night) o.8 flight, then landed safely. It wa 4th of July '86, I guess security was a bit lax due to holiday?
BzB
No way, no how! I’d be invited down to high-power to “pushenderbuttonsandflippenderswitches” during normal maintenance checks by various shops. I knew the plane and it was fun! The bird was secured, many maintenance folks around and the thought of going for a ride was the furthest thing from my mind.
And Cat, while TAD to CFAD Security Patrol, I arrested a drunk Vought rep and his date while they were climbing into a VA-174, A-7 in hangar 67 at Cecil. He was allowed on base only because he was a rep and had permission for the “O” club. He decided, after a few drinks at the club one night, to try and impress his date. I believe the poor guy lost his job.
As far as old security goes… if you came to visit at Cecil you had to be escorted.
ea6b, that looks like USS MIDWAY (CV-41), way back in her 'straight-deck' days... probably early '50s in the Med? She was an AirLant carrier back in her early days. Did my ShipsCo tour on her back in '70-'72 just after she had been converted to a "big-deck" (in which she gave up her one waist catapult)... she could still launch an Alpha strike as fast with two cats, as the 4-cat big-decks (ask Catmando). She was a great ship!
BzB
exNavyOffRec
Well-Known Member
ea6b, that looks like USS MIDWAY (CV-41), way back in her 'straight-deck' days... probably early '50s in the Med? She was an AirLant carrier back in her early days. Did my ShipsCo tour on her back in '70-'72 just after she had been converted to a "big-deck" (in which she gave up her one waist catapult)... she could still launch an Alpha strike as fast with two cats, as the 4-cat big-decks (ask Catmando). She was a great ship!
BzB
I didn't realize the Midway only had 2 cats after her flight deck change, learn something new every day.
Yes only 2 cats and only 3 wires. Her retrofit in 1970 was in anticipation of SecDef McNamara's folly of one F-111 fits all - Navy and Air Force.
Thus Midway's catapults were extra long and their length precluded any waist-cats. Also this new huge flight deck on an ancient 1945 aircraft carier hull precluded 4 arresting gears... not to mention the added squirrelly deck motions on approach.
Nevertheless as BzB indicates, the USS Midway could launch and recover equally if not better than the newer carreirs with their more cats and wires. It is part of the "Midway Magic" mystic.
That is the good news. The bad news was we were so capable and efficient and never broke down that our combat line periods were usually extended, covering lesser but newer aircraft carriers that could not hack it for various reasons. Ergo, longer line periods and less time in port for us.
The Army had a soldier steal a Huey and fly it to the Whitehouse.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1974_White_House_helicopter_incident
http://bigstory.ap.org/content/robert-preston
Because of this incident all Army helicopters have a key to enable the Ignitors.
A few years back I recieved some training from Sikorksy's Chief Test Pilot. Prior to his work at Sikorsky he had been a Tarhe pilot in the Guard. He said that the Tarhe had some monster motors and when it was empty it would hover with about 20% torque as opposed to the ~70-80% required by an H-60.
01/19/2013
TRAINING MISSION
Air Force Lt. Col. Casey maneuvers into position behind a 151st Air Refueling Wing KC-135 to receive fuel during a training mission near a range in Utah, Jan. 18, 2013. The refueling wing routinely supports air operations across the western United States. Casey is a pilot assigned to the 421st Fighter Squadron. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Stephany Richards
Helicopter launch
Six UH-60L Black Hawks and two CH-47F Chinooks, assigned to Task Force Brawler, 4th Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, Task Force Falcon, simultaneously launch a daytime mission Jan. 18 from Multinational Base Tarin Kowt.
- Status