Redux
Well-Known Member
They leaked the red stuff a lot but that was almost LTV's signature trademark at the time. I've seen them come back with incredible battle damage, they were tough sob's.
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DREAM SHEET -- '60's-'70's
- Thread starter A4sForever
- Start date
They leaked the red stuff a lot but that was almost LTV's signature trademark at the time. I've seen them come back with incredible battle damage, they were tough sob's.
Likewise, here is a VA-23 A-4 from the Coral Maru that had the same thing happen. Made it back to the boat with the help of the barricade.
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Redux
Well-Known Member
This guy didn't use the barricade, made it back normal fashion and kissed the deck. It looked like a can opener was taken to his wing. Not sure but I "think" his name was Lt. Nolan, VA 105 he was later shot down and plucked out of the jungle and rescued. Talk about 9 lives.
My deepest strike in ODS was escorting Bucs lazing for Jags into Al Hay East Airfield. Later shared a beer with one of the Jag guys during a ONW det.
B
Blutonski816
Guest
The Phantom driver was on crack I think in 1972, he taxied of into the catwalk!
Is that the same Phantom that bagged a MiG that year??
Redux
Well-Known Member
I don't remember, what I DO remember is oh dark thirty and a MIG alert about 100 miles away. VF 31 the ORIGINALTomcatters (not the F 14 guys) took off stayed low and was flat out balls to the wall, shit and get. I remember a good guy, Warrant Officer Dooley yelling in my ear "look at that son of a bitch go". Less then an hour later the Old Man (Capt Sandersen) speaks and says splash a MIG, it was the first head on kill with a Sparrow at night. I don't know if there were others but that was VF 31's claim to fame on that cruise.
As far as the crunch goes that might have even been on the Med Cruise the year before. It crushed the sidewinders but the bird wasn't hurt "that bad".
I alway dug this motto and patch....
I just ordered the book by Paul Gillcrest; "Crusader!: Last of the Gunfighters." Hope it's as good as the last one of his I read. If you'd like to read it when I'm done, let me know.
I've also ordered "Anytime, Baby! Hail and Farewell to the U.S. Navy F-14" co-authored by Dave Parsons. It’s out of print, but I was able to get a good used hard cover copy.
Steve
(But yep.)
I think it's a shame we didn't build a few "Super" Crusaders. My understanding is that it ultimately lost out to the F-4, despite it's vastly superior speed, (mach 2.9+...limited by airframe heating) and climb performance, and manuverablity, only because it lacked the provision for a RIO.
Don't know about that. At the time I was a teenage AO-3 and didn't make policy.
All I know is that next door to VA-44 at VF-174 there was a great show going on every day.
I really liked seeing them operate!Steve
All right...how does it land with those crazy fins sticking out of the bottom?
B
