Flightdeck Friday: A Family Remembers a Father, Naval Officer and Former Vigilante B/N
A few days back I received a very nice note regarding an earlier Flightdeck Friday whose subject, the A5A Vigilante, is a favorite of mine.  Now, having been frustrated upon checking into VT-10 (ahem, many years ago) to learn that I’d missed the last class allowed to go Vigi’s, any story about Vigi’s will make a play for my attention — more so if there is an NFO involved. And so, over at Mary’s site is a terrific remembrance of their father, a world record holding Vigilante B/N. And in honor of that, A Navy Dad is this week’s Flightdeck Friday and will be joining the blogroll under “Naval Aviation.” Well done Mary and my thanks to your Dad for his service and to you and the rest of your family for the missed holidays, meals and family milestones tallied while he was thusly engaged… – SJS
What a great beast was the Vigi. I had a chance some years back to visit the Weapons Survivability Range at China Lake, where a half dozen or so Vigi’s stood in the sun; hauled there and left as is, seats still armed in some cases.
I love old jets. I’ve worked on a number of different types over the years, including the F-86 Sabre Jet, and the older ones always leave me wistful afterwards. No fancy gadgets, pure muscle and iron, and temperaments that could sometimes make Job curse a blue streak.
Seeing the pressure suits reminds me of an occasion when an F-4J crew trapped at MCAS Kaneohe, as they frequently did coming back for a hot pump turnaround. I remember how astonished I was when the aircraft rolled to a stop, and there’s this spaceman looking back at me. It still brings a smile to my face remembering that moment.