The mind is a funny thing sometimes. During a recent (long) layover at a major metropolitan airport your humble scribe was gazing out a window, as he is wont to do from time to time, and watched the ground crew prepping yet another jet for its journeys over the horizon. His attention was drawn to…
Over in the comments to one of my posts someone asked for some recommended books to learn more about Naval Aviation. What I’d like to do is start the list, then open it up to further comments/additions from the readership. Feel free to range wider afield in either realm – aviation and or naval topics….
Star-crossed (adj.) Opposed by fate; ill-fated. “Star-crossed“ an apt descriptor for this week’s subject – the F7U Cutlass, also known by such endearing labels as “Gutless Cutlass and “Ensign Eliminator. How bad was it? Try this – shortly after the Cutlass arrived at Pax River in 1949 for flight evals, it was taken up for…
No. 562-07 IMMEDIATE RELEASEMay 10, 2007Media Contact: (703) 697-5131/697-5132Public/Industry(703) 428-0711 Flag and General Officer Announcements Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced today that the President has made the following nominations: Navy Vice Adm. Eric T. Olson has been nominated for appointment to the grade of admiral and assignment as commander, U.S. Special Operations Command,…
Naval Aviators (and by extension, Naval Flight Officers), of the tailhook variety that is, tend to be a peculiar lot. On the one hand we live to fly “at the boat†and yet, the prospect of actually doing anything besides actually aviating is well, anathema – for some. Early on the behavior was learned at…
In order to accurately discuss ballistic missile defense we need to ensure a common base understanding of the fundamentals – the physics, technology and classification of ballistics missiles and their flight regime. Definition – Ballistic Missile: A missile that is guided (powered) in the ascent portion of a high arch-trajectory and freely falling in…
Events of 8 May 1942 Before dawn on 8 May, both the Japanese and the American carriers sent out scouts to locate their opponents. These made contact a few hours later, by which time the Japanese already had their strike planes in the air. The U.S. carriers launched theirs’ soon after 9AM,…
First, go over to EagleSpeak and read this very excellent account of how the US came to be involved in the Pacific to begin with. Then come back for the Battle of the Coral Sea. – SJS Battle of the Coral Sea, 7-8 May 1942 –The Events of 7 May 1942 …
Well — nothing like a full afternoon/evening spent upgrading an OS to make your day complete – not. So far, looks like the it is working (fingers crossed). Milblog conference was great – more for the sidebars than some of the panels. It was well worth the time/$’s to finally meet in person those with…
