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  1. blackbart22

    Remembering API - Back In The Day...

    I was 2 years behind BzB (NavCad class 38-58) and we still had solo bars. I've still got mine. There was no one saltier than a NavCad 1st class in VA (prop) pipeline - double solo bar, two dips in your pisscutter and leather jacket. My preflight class was mostly prior enlisted. The class ahead...
  2. blackbart22

    Who pins the wings at winging Ceremony? Wife or Dad?

    Back in the day (1960) there was a winging every Friday at Corpus. It was not unusual for brand new ensigns (former Navcads) to have their wings pinned on by their very pregnant "sister-in-law, Mrs Smith".
  3. blackbart22

    Night vs day comparison video of aircraft carrier landings...

    In VT-21, Capt Karl S, one of our Marine instructors, gave the night flying brief. He'd start out by saying "There's only one difference between flying at night and flying in the daytime." He would then lean over the podium and yell " At night you can't see a f--king thing." Really got their...
  4. blackbart22

    vietnam era question

    At least two of my preflight classmates got their wings at twenty years old. They had enlisted right out of high school, passed the two year college equivelancy test and flight physical and made it through the program. One ended up a P-2V driver and the other a Ford (F-4D) driver. The latter was...
  5. blackbart22

    Scoring carrier landings on CQ

    Some comments that you don't want to get: FNKHS = Almost killed himself FNKUA = Almost killed us all (LSOs jumped into the net) NAFOD = No apparent fear of death
  6. blackbart22

    Saluting Mids

    When I was a fleet NAVCAD in ATU-301 (VA-prop) we met a group of visiting middies on our way to chow and they demanded that we salute them since the gold chin strap on their covers was 1/16th of an inch wider than ours. One of my roommates, Jerry, replied " Oh, sir, I'd love salute you, but I...
  7. blackbart22

    Naval Academy - Divorced

    My preflight class (38-58) was mostly prior enlisted, so the shrinks at P'cola used us every Friday afternoon as guinea pigs to take prototype aptitude tests, some of us got electroencephalograms, others shut up in isolation rooms, etc. We were able to ask them questions though, so one guy asked...
  8. blackbart22

    TOP GUN Misunderstood

    I guess the "training facilities" no longer exist. i.e. the ACRAC (Aviation Cadet Recreation and Athletic Club) at P'cola, the cadet club bar in the barracks at Saufley, and the cadet club next to the wave cave at Whiting. The MARCADs called em slop-shoots.
  9. blackbart22

    How many of you have ejected?

    Every time that I had the option, I rode them in. (Three of them) or took the barricade (At night).
  10. blackbart22

    Aircrat crash site website...

    I've flown (and been flown) in the QF-86H pictured. One of the dates in my log is 12/04/1973. The H model was really fun to fly, but the remote controller could rally throw you around. When we wrote the -1 suppliment, we included a restriction that he couldn't turn more than 720 degrees at over...
  11. blackbart22

    A good a/c write up

    One of the best writeups that I ever saw was on a TF-9 -- " This aircraft makes night noises in the daytime."
  12. blackbart22

    Navy Pilot, 77, on life support after assault at airport

    There was a guy by that name on my '61 Guppy Det, but he was an NFO and after two night ditchings in six weeks, turned in his wings.
  13. blackbart22

    Roger Ball, good and not-so-good questions about the world of "Paddles"

    Night barricade - BTDT. Of course fifty-one yers ago there were no flood lights. After five night bolters and an aborted bingo, I was overjoyed. Knew that I wouldn't be boltering again. The morning after, they found my tail hook point in one of the five inch guntubs. It's sitting on my desk...
  14. blackbart22

    Fifty years ago today ...

    There were several fatalities while I was going through primary and basic, but during the six months I was in advanced we didn't lose anyone in ATU-301 (later VT-30). However, five of us did ride an AD-6 in. One was a ring knocker whose father and grandfather were admirals who said he had an...
  15. blackbart22

    Fifty years ago today ...

    Back in 1960, NAVCADs were discharged the day we completed flight training. We were commisioned the next day and wings bestowed only on Friday. There were a surpising number of former Kadets that had their wings put on (and the official picture taken) by their very pregnant "sister-in-law" , Mrs...
  16. blackbart22

    Remember the USS Forrestal fire today...

    When I flew into Cubi Point to report on board the Connie for my shooter tour, she wasn't there. Instead there was a smoldering wreck that had been the Forrestal. I caught the first COD out that was going to Yankee Station.
  17. blackbart22

    C-17 at wrong airport?

    Does even better picking up WWVA (Wheeling, West by god Virginia) late a night, no matter where you were.
  18. blackbart22

    C-17 at wrong airport?

    As a brand new Ensign, I was shooting my first ever night ADF approach into NORIS. When I broke out, I glanced to the right and there at one o'clock was a lighted runway. Rechecked the #1 needle and the runway should have been directly ahead. Looked again and there was a runway staight ahead. As...
  19. blackbart22

    The Boat School Boys

    When I was about to complete flight training and get commisioned, a friend complained to the detailer because for the previous six weeks no NAVCAD got a VA(prop) squadron. NAVCADs got VAW flying guppys or VU. The detailer told him that he was mistaken, NAVCADs were as apt to get single...
  20. blackbart22

    Free ARCO Military Flight Aptitude test prep book.

    First ran across lie detector questions when I took the test fifty-four years ago. Question "Do you like to ride motorcycles?" Better put yes for that one, even though I'd never been on one in my life. Two pages later (no turning pages back) was question " Harley-Davidson and Indian motorcycles...
  21. blackbart22

    Free ARCO Military Flight Aptitude test prep book.

    My NAVCAD class was used to evaluate aptitude tests. Going through Hell Week we were all prior enlisted and even after combining us with the last class to get indoctrination hops, we were more than half priors. Every Friday PM we'd take tests that didn't mean a thing for or against us. One...
  22. blackbart22

    Roger Ball, good and not-so-good questions about the world of "Paddles"

    RIO's voice once heard on tower freq when an F-4 was comimg aboard - - - " water, water, water,water, STEEL! STEEL! STEEL! STEEL!
  23. blackbart22

    It's the sound of freedom...

    An instructor at Kingsville would tell NROTC middies that came down for orientation flights, that the Cougar could go faster than the speed of sound and approach the speed of heat. During their flight, he would pour the coal to the old bird and as he was talking, slowly turn the volume down on...
  24. blackbart22

    Can History Majors be Fighter Pilots?

    Back when I was an instructor in VT-21, the XO was impressed with a "real" engineering degree and decreed that each accident/incident board have a member with such a degree. I caught the first one, Mel caught the second and when a third one came along they put me on it. I complained, but the OPs...
  25. blackbart22

    Remember when you became a pilot?

    SIOP launches were realatively easy for the cat crews the interval being set on the clock, but V-1 guys had a tough time trying to keep those Marine guards alive. Each aircraft arrived on deck with a young Marine attached. Each had an M-1, mouse ears, zero flight deck experience, and orders to...
  26. blackbart22

    Remember when you became a pilot?

    Re targets on Padre Island. There were four targets on Padre Island in the 59- 60 time frame, reading from north to south they were Caffee, Duck, Eddie, and the Impact area. Caffee (yes with an A) Duck and Eddie had a bullseye and were raked (a guy on the ground checked your dive angle on each...
  27. blackbart22

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

    Our piece de resistance as shooters was on Yankee station. They wanted a four F-4 CAP launched just before an alpha strike recovery began. The air boss asked us how fast we could get four birds off. Waist asked what restrictions applied and the boss said none. We talked to the pilots (all pukin...
  28. blackbart22

    Is the PI in your future?

    As I recall, painted lable = good (i.e. local), paper lable = formaldehyde (i.e. export)
  29. blackbart22

    Is the PI in your future?

    Wonder if they'd reopen the East End club. (It made New Pauline's look downright sophisticated.)
  30. blackbart22

    American Trafalgar: Midway 70th Anniversary

    One of my T-28 instructors asked me what I wanted to fly in advanced. I said jets or ADs. He said don't fly ADs. They can hang a torpedo on it. Don't ever, ever fly anything that they can hang a torpedo on. That was in '59 and he was an old ( I thought at the time) guy.
  31. blackbart22

    Ship to be named for Aviator who received CMH

    The only Marine aviator to get the MOH in Viet Nam has a ship named for him, but it sure isn't a carrier. Steve Pless has a USNS T-AK named for him. Also the street named for him on Mirimar runs next to the brig. We were classmates in preflight and I think he'd get a laugh out of that.
  32. blackbart22

    Boeing QF-16 aerial target completes first flight test

    Looks as if I retired from Mother Boeing too soon. Having flown (or been flown) in the QF-9, QT-33, QF-86H and QT-38, could done some consulting.
  33. blackbart22

    remember when helmets looked cool?

    Back when there were few rules on helmets, one AD squadron had them painted like pool balls with the ball associated with your seniority. i.e. the skipper's was solid yellow with a black circle with a white 1.
  34. blackbart22

    Last Phrog RAG RP Flight Today at Miramar

    Saw a loose formation of eight go over Escondido while I was gassing up this PM.
  35. blackbart22

    Another nail in the coffin of Old-School Naval Avaition..

    Bought my first set of Greens with a "dead horse" in '60, but never saw any worn with ribbons, just wings. We did have a dentist on the Number Ten boat that wore them. He had to have the sleeve insignia made at the Diamond patch co in Yoko though.
  36. blackbart22

    Cool Pilot Story

    A wise old Chief once told me "Sir, If you want a happy life, don't f--- up your twenties with marrage or f--- up your thirties with kids. It works.
  37. blackbart22

    Surviving military aviation Chapter 1: What not to do

    There was a story going around Saufley that a stud on an early morning solo hop in a T-34B arrived at Magnolia OLF (the solo only OLF) before the crash crew got there and although against the rules landed anyway - unfortunately gear up. He then made a radio call saying he had a rough runner and...
  38. blackbart22

    4 Elderly Retired, but Historic Grande Dames...

    Once got waved off the old Yorktown because CAG was behind me in a Stoof and the Boss wanted him to have the even thousand landing. Good Lord, couldn't have an Ensign in a Guppy get that.
  39. blackbart22

    4 Elderly Retired, but Historic Grande Dames...

    Spent many hundreds of hours on the roof of the Constipation. Qualed on Connie while in the A-3 rag. My old bow cats topside crew had a high old time showing me broken hold back bars and the hand signal for aircraft over the side etc. after the boss told them which whale I was in. On Yankee...
  40. blackbart22

    NAVAL AVIATOR HEAVEN

    Guess that means no more thousand yen hottsi baths and Masagee.
  41. blackbart22

    New Initiatives from SECNAV

    Good thing I did my twenty when I did. On the Constipation coming off forty odd days on Yankee Station and headed for Cubi, Capt Christiansen was on the TV giving the troops some instructions. He said " If you don't want trouble from me, when you go ashore, do what sailors are supposed to do...
  42. blackbart22

    Surviving military aviation Chapter 1: What not to do

    Had a roommate in Kingsville when I was instructing who had washed out of flight training for chronic airsickness. Mother Navy ever compasionate sent him to VT-21 as PAO. However, he would bag rides in the backseat of the F-9 if we had an empty one on a regular hop. The only empty back seats...
  43. blackbart22

    lehman on a PC navy

    Just the old monkey tree. Those at the top look down and see nothing but smiling monkey faces. Those near the bottom look up and see - -- well, you know the rest.
  44. blackbart22

    i thought this was cool.mohawk mig kill vietnam

    When I was at Monterey, the jet guys flew the T-2V, AD guys flew the T-28, and the many motor guys flew the Bug Smasher for proficiency. In 1964, some of us T-28 drivers started getting scheduled with jet jocks who weren't current in the T-28. This was a good deal for us because if the other guy...
  45. blackbart22

    For the new folks, this is why we do not speculate on mishaps...

    Worked around the Air Force for 21 years after my Navy time and learned very early to bit my tonge and don't swap storys. 1. They wouldn't believe me and 2 Their culture is so different from ours that what would be common banter at any O club Happy Hour is considered highly insulting by them...
  46. blackbart22

    For the new folks, this is why we do not speculate on mishaps...

    After my last crash, the XO, chaplain, and a friend from Ops went to our house in Ridgecrest to tell my wife. The gas company was scheduled to check some of the pipes that day, so when she looked through the peep hole and saw three guys in short sleeeved khaki shirts, she thought it was them...
  47. blackbart22

    Colombian Prostitutes - Good Times or Career Enders?

    In today's politically correct culture, do they still publish the PCOD in the ship's POD??
  48. blackbart22

    Pay no attention...Nothing to see here...

    Yep, just remember Occam's razor.
  49. blackbart22

    Scooters Forever (A-4 Skyhawk Tribute Thread)

    One of the smoke abatement system was to add some chemical to the fuel, hydrazine or some such thing. Don't know how well it worked to reduce smoke, but it sure made some of my topside crew sick. They told us to try not to breath too much of the exhaust fumes on deck.
  50. blackbart22

    Colombian Prostitutes - Good Times or Career Enders?

    When I was a shooter, my crew (bow cats) hung out at the East End in Olongapo. The East End made New Paulines or the You and I Club look like charm schools. They would occasionally invite me out to have a drink with them. I considered it my sacred duty to go. Found out all kinds of things that I...
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