MasterBates
Well-Known Member
Once due to wrecked airframe, or ensuing FNAEB?
Probably BOTH. Plus, you could add temporary insanity.Once due to wrecked airframe, or ensuing FNAEB?
True, true, ahhhhhh, so true.....
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Note: There is no light, pesky, underpowered overachieving A-4 on those powerful 'smokers' six.![]()

My new ride has a black and white but I hope I don't have to go to the boat with it.View attachment 4771
I toured VMFT-401 at Yuma a couple of years ago, courtesy of the Maint Chief. He told me that the Marines were getting planes purchased from Sweden. They had an upgraded cockpit and much lower time on the airframes.
). And both were just hot, greasy, dirty places that the pilot had to stick his head into and pretend to "really" be looking for something on preflight. You were basically just looking for leaks in a "leaky" place ....
In hundreds (maybe a couple thousand??) preflights on the A-4, I never did see anything worthy of maintenance other than one hydraulic leak ... however I did bang my head a few times and get grease and hydraulic fluid on a couple of ball caps ...
Not to mention you could carry an overnight bag up there
From time to time I also found a few bottles of alcoholic beverages stowed up there from Mexico after a Yuma Det. (I’d smuggle them into the hanger from the pits, for a small fee of course. All arranged before the flight.)
Actually they are from Switzerland (both start with Sw, are 'neutral' and are in Europe so not that much different.....).