(Didn’t see this one get much play in the open press…)US Flag Vessel Forced to Take Evasive Action to Avoid Ramming Tactical Defense Concepts (TDC), a maritime security training and consulting firm, recently received word of a possible terrorist act from a licensed mariner assigned to a US Flag vessel carrying US military cargo. The…
(Note: I am in the process of moving the postings off the old site to this one, beginning with this series) “Alpha Whiskey, Alpha Romeo, Tango One. Tango One recommends launching all available alert. Multiple bogeys inbound. Break, track 1231 now non-squawker, negative Mode 4, investigating with 9B. Setting station 9B with 11B” “Alpha Whiskey,…
Ryan FR Fireball In 1942 the Navy was less than impressed with the state of jet-powered development. Hedging its bets, it comissioned construction of two “composite-powered” aircraft — the Grumman XTB3F-1 (last week’s Flightdeck Friday subject) and a fighter from a little known company, Ryan, who had not previously built an aircraft for the Navy….
While your faithful scribe does not hail from the VP community, he still nonetheless has spent time in Kef (and has the arrested field landings to prove it), most notably when E-2Cs replaced E-3’s during the late 1980-spring ’81 timeframe. ’twill be the subject of a future “Reflections.” Last U.S. Servicemembers to Leave Iceland Sept….
Part II Here Window covers down, overhead hatch in and all harnesses locked, the crew was ready. Bluetail 602 went into tension, the throttles against their stops, the aircraft mercilessly shaking. In an instant, they were down the catapult and airborne. As the wheels were coming up, Bird exclaimed “Hey look, we’ve got a visitor…”…
Yeah, it was the OPNAV credo… From the good folks at the poster creator (h/t: CSA)
(Ed: This week’s offering comes from Grampaw Pettibone, of whom your humble scribe has been a fan for lo these many years. This article was first printed in Naval Aviation News in the 15 April 1943 issue)Duck SoupWhile simulating a strafing attack at a speed of approximately 250 knots, the pilot of an F4F-4 reported…
Part I here Badgers, Buccaneers and Bears…(Pt 2) (A North Atlantic tale from the "good ole days") Stopping by Maintenance Control, the lieutenant asked for the aircraft discrepancy book on 602. All the current and near past ills of the aircraft are chronicled in this three-ring binder, giving crews an idea of what they…
Grumman AF-2S/-2W Guardian (Ed note: The series of articles on Project Cadillac and associated aircraft is taking a little longer to develop than expected, thanks in part to some new material, so this week we look at the Guardian) By 1944, it was clear that if the war was going to continue for another 3-4…
