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

[Pugs]

I was able to crawl up inside the A-3 when it was in our hanger being restored in Whidbey. I was surprised how small (and uncomfortable) the cockpit was for such a big aircraft. I literally wouldn't have been able to fly it (I'm only 6 ft).

You think the cockpit was bad, the crew compartment in the belly for the SIGINTERS was amazingly small. I toured one at NPA in 87 and it was very clear that OJN was not going to be on my dreamsheet. They winged the last Whale NFO's in fall of 88 and I had a friend who went to VAQ-34 with them.

 

[MasterBates]

http://www.a3skywarrior.com/photos/photos-pg-5.html

Pic of a Whale SIGINT compartment here.. Looks to be about the same as a Hawkeye.

FWIW, the Hawkeye has a way more cramped cockpit than you would expect as well.

 

[Pugs]

http://www.a3skywarrior.com/photos/photos-pg-5.html

Pic of a Whale SIGINT compartment here.. Looks to be about the same as a Hawkeye.

FWIW, the Hawkeye has a way more cramped cockpit than you would expect as well.

Yep - looks about the same. Of course, ATDS was nowhere on my dream sheet either. Everyone I knew that selected E-2's got out after their first tour although I ran into one of them who was flying with VAW-77 at Roosey once.

 

[BusyBee604]

Speakin' of Fallon, a month of fun in the sun... as one of 6 newly winged ENSs, famming the sweetest, nimblest non-afterburning Navy jet fighter EVER, the FJ-4 Fury. Got to play with these neat toys for 4 months after our redesignation from VF-94 to VA-94, while awaiting delivery of 14 factory-fresh fleet intro A4D-2 (A-4B) Skyhawks. Great times, bagged 90 FJ hrs. including 2 X/Cs awaiting our A-4s.

Below, BzB flying wing w/ LT JIM "J. J." Brennan leading. Flying over the (under construction) new NAS Lemoore, CA in late 1958 (NLC didn't open 'til July 1961).

Below "Martini Flight" relaxing at cold, snowy NAAS Fallon in Dec. '58. Famous ex-POW (then LTjg) CAPT Dick 'Beak' Stratton 2nd from left... ENS BzB on far right.

BzB

 

[jtmedli]

Speakin' of Fallon, a month of fun in the sun... as one of 6 newly winged ENSs, famming the sweetest, nimblest non-afterburning Navy jet fighter EVER, the FJ-4 Fury. Got to play with these neat toys for 4 months after our redesignation from VF-94 to VA-94, while awaiting delivery of 14 factory-fresh fleet intro A4D-2 (A-4B) Skyhawks. Great times, bagged 90 FJ hrs. including 2 X/Cs awaiting our A-4s.
View attachment 11592
Below, BzB flying wing w/ LT JIM "J. J." Brennan leading. Flying over the (under construction) new NAS Lemoore, CA in late 1958 (NLC didn't open 'til July 1961).
View attachment 11593
Below "Martini Flight" relaxing at cold, snowy NAAS Fallon in Dec. '58. Famous ex-POW (then LTjg) CAPT Dick 'Beak' Stratton 2nd from left... ENS BzB on far right.
View attachment 11594
BzB

Everytime I see pictures like this, I think to myself, "I wonder what these guys would say if you told them that they couldn't go flying until they did their Information Assurance and PII NKOs..." . Ohhh, the good ole' days.

 

[xj220]

Us P-3 guys can have fun, too!

 

[xj220]

 

[Reconjoe]

Some Goshawk porn

 

[KBayDog]

Us P-3 guys can have fun, too!

Yeah, and while you were having "fun," someone shot a frickin' missile at you.

Lucky for you, he just missed your right wing.

 

[Jim123]

View attachment 11595

The prop blades in your first picture look different than the ones in your other picture. Uh, does that mean #3 and #4 of them feathered in the second pic, or is that just me?

(Great shot of the missile, by the way...)

View attachment 11598

 

[FastMover]

xj, were you guys carrying more than one Maverick? I can't imagine a good reason why the TACCO would put it on the right wing unless you guys were shooting more than one or there weren't any racks on the left side.

 

[xj220]

The prop blades in your first picture look different than the ones in your other picture. Uh, does that mean #3 and #4 of them feathered in the second pic, or is that just me?

(Great shot of the missile, by the way...)

Yeah, in the second picture both are shut down for training. Pretty crazy to see and makes flying "interesting." The missile shot was a still from a GoPro. Pretty cool to do in person.

xj, were you guys carrying more than one Maverick? I can't imagine a good reason why the TACCO would put it on the right wing unless you guys were shooting more than one or there weren't any racks on the left side.

It was awhile back, but from what I remember R&Cs didn't work on the port side and we did carry two of them (both on the right side).

Yeah, and while you were having "fun," someone shot a frickin' missile at you.

Lucky for you, he just missed your right wing.

Har, har, har. You think you're sooo funny

 

[scoolbubba]

2 engines shut down on the same side is for the birds.

 

[flaps]

grumman photo from 1986

plant 6 at calverton, new york. the (non pc) maintenence guys nicknamed it the polecat for the polish tin knockers who put the wings on backwards.

 

[jmcquate]

grumman photo from 1986

plant 6 at calverton, new york. the (non pc) maintenence guys nicknamed it the polecat for the polish tin knockers who put the wings on backwards.

X-35? She's in the NASM on the Mall.