One for Shorty

[olbod]

:) Melbourne and Enterprise, out there somewhere.

[Quiggers]

Crikey!

The Melbourne looks like a tender in comparison to the big E....

The Kiwis have our Skyhawks now?

GQ

[shorty943]

Oldbod, thank you very much. I reckon that was late 1972,
off Subic Bay, after a quick flit to a certain south east asian region. That was the only time I remember accompanying "Big E".

To put it this way Quiggers.
Enterprise has a double story hangar deck, below the flight deck.

Raze Melbourne's island superstructure to flight deck level. Melbourne would fit inside Enterprise's hangar.

She's a damned big ship.:)

And yes, they took the A4's when Melbourne was payed off, in the 1980's.
I'm in two minds about that. They really are a terrific little airplane, but, they did shoot at me a lot.
Okay, they didn't mean it, an "Air Weapons Hangup" is a bitch all round. But they did seem to shoot at me a lot.

[olbod]

I was very fortunate to be invited onboard the
Enterprise years ago when she was in Sydney.
Had a good look around.
A big, magnificent ship.

Was also invited onboard the USS Missouri when we were in Sydney in 86 ? Cant remember the date.
It was quite a moment for me to stand on the deck
where the jap surrender was signed.
There is a plaque inlaid on the spot.

In the early 50's I looked over the USS Tarawa, or was it the Bennington ?, on their way home from korea.
Carrier had the straight deck of the day and the jets had kills painted on the sides below the cockpit.
I was allowed to sit in the jets.
I was very impressed and have loved all Naval vesells
ever since.

My late Aunties late english husband and his two Bro's
served in Submarines in WW11.
He was sunk twice and survived and became a farmer
in NSW but cancer got him. All three boy's were top
blokes.
Cheers.

[shorty943]

I was very fortunate to be invited onboard the
Enterprise years ago when she was in Sydney.
Had a good look around.
A big, magnificent ship.

Was also invited onboard the USS Missouri when we were in Sydney in 86 ? Cant remember the date.
It was quite a moment for me to stand on the deck
where the jap surrender was signed.
There is a plaque inlaid on the spot.

In the early 50's I looked over the USS Tarawa, or was it the Bennington ?, on their way home from korea.
Carrier had the straight deck of the day and the jets had kills painted on the sides below the cockpit.
I was allowed to sit in the jets.
I was very impressed and have loved all Naval vesells
ever since.

My late Aunties late english husband and his two Bro's
served in Submarines in WW11.
He was sunk twice and survived and became a farmer
in NSW but cancer got him. All three boy's were top
blokes.
Cheers.


Big ships alright.

One of our local blokes, an oldie, served in subs WW2.
Used to tell stories of sitting on the bottom of Grand Harbour in Malta all daylight hours, so as to not make a shadow for the Germans to see during air-raids.
An old plant engineer I learned under was torpedoed in the Atlantic, came home on survivors leave went back to sea just in time for the Jappanese surrender, and was sunk again, by one of our own mines whilst clearing the Barrier Reef shipping channel. On ya "Lucky".

Finally, when did they paint the "Hawks" that colour?

They were this colour (pretty pearly whites) last I saw them in 1977\78. The paint colour on the deck markings and the Sea Air Rescue boat in front of the island tell me this was taken on the way home most probably in the Indian Ocean. The flight deck markings were painted yellow and white for working with NATO, then back to our red and white coming home through the Med.

The 3 crew? "Scrubby" Forrest from Qld on the left, Yanec Peltier, my deck Killick, on the right, and with his back to camera is "Mickie J" Norrie of Brisbane. All of us "Flight Deck Stokers".

[Quiggers]

excellent pic of the skyhawk, olbod!

i'm going to pinch as a reference, if you dont mind...

any ideas about the story of that pic?

cheers, GQ

[shorty943]

Set up on the CAT track, no chocks, no tie downs.
Only the catapault hold back strop, hooked up under the tail.

2 Long range "drop tanks" under the wings, no visible armament on the outer wing pylons, nothing on the belly pylon, can't see the 2 inboard pylons. Presume them empty.

Hmm, a joy flight.:D

It goes like this.

Brakes off, flaps at 30 degrees (for lots of lift), auto pilot set for 5 degree climb, run up to full throttle, salute the deck controller, sit back and fold arms over chest, left hand to right shoulder and vice versa.

When you wake up next, you are flying.
And I'm not joking.
The Skyhawks were sent off the deck on auto pilot, because the "G-Force" of the launch actually knocked the pilot out.

[olbod]

Sorry, I cant give anymore details about the pics.
There was no other information offered.
I could research it thru the records, I guess ?

I do have some more photo's tho.

[olbod]

Few more. Thats all that I have.
Cheers.

[Quiggers]

Thank you gentlemen!

I occasionally make scale model aircraft, (something a bit different to tinkering with cars 'n' stuff), actually I've got more than 100... I'm always looking for references.

...just finished a 1/72 scale B-50...

..think I'll try and find 1/24 skyhawk, there's a 1/72 scale vers here somewhere, but it's tiny!

would go well with my 1/24 Tomcat...which needs a refurb, getting a bit old and shabby....

Cheers,

GQ

[shorty943]

Odbod, mate.

Where in the world did you get those photo's?

That very first shot in those new posts of yours. That was a ripper. Oh do I remember that one.:twisted::D:(:eek:

I don't know if anybody else on this site served on Melbourne, I spent about 5 years on her over almost 9 in the Navy. You either loved her or you loathed her, and even those of us who "loved" her, well, I still wake up running for my life some nights.
Air weapons hangups. Bad, bad pilot, don't you ever shoot at me again.

That is were I worked. Where all that mess and damage and danger is. That is where 5 foot 6 inch, 8 1\2 stone Shorty shone bright. Doing what ever it takes to save a human life.

WOW.
I just re-read this. A couple of minutes, looking at a photo, and my mind went right back there, jet fuel in the air and all.

But, no according to DVA, Shorty don't got no PTSD.
Shorty didn't get killed enough for that.

Okay, nearly back to "normalcy" now. Sorry.

Odbod, thanks once again for posting the photo's, sincerely, thank you. It means others may be able to sort of understand some of the ??? "interesting" situations a man has been in.
I suppose it is my own fault.
Hint, NEVER volunteer for specialist training.:D

If it's okay with you, I'll download and study them a little. Get back with some kind of explaination on those I know anything about.

Edit.
A bit more on 885. That photo was taken at the Naval Air Station, Nowra NSW. The aircraft was actually flown back to base looking like that, he never actually stuck to the deck that time, and landed on a blanket of high expansion fire fighting foam, on the Air Station runway.
That is what every pilot who ever flew a "Hawk" loved about them. You literally had to tear them apart in the sky, for them not to get you home safe.

[Quiggers]

I'm still completely amazed that anyone can put a (fast) plane on such a tiny flightdeck...

the 5 acre deck of the US carriers must be luxury in comparison to the Melbourne and Sydney...

shorty: what was the deck size of our carriers?

btw: a neighbour about 73, and a mate, (and I think, the pres of the local naval assoc) was a stoker on many Aussie ships, he often mentions HMAS Warrugal? and others...

I'll ask of his details and PM you....

GQ

[shorty943]

Melbourne measured an acre and a quarter Quiggers.

Put 5 suburban house blocks together, and build an airport.
A military airport with bombs and missiles and exploding things.

The cat track was 114 feet long.

The Arrestor wires pulled out 146 feet.

Zero to flying, in not very far.
Flying to zero, puts your cataracts on the windscreen.

Only one American to my knowledge ever flew a jet on and off Melbourne. A US Marine Major, who spent 18 months with us and flew over 500 missions in that time.
And that was nothing special, all our pilots did the same.

[olbod]

Shorty, I am pleased that you found it interesting.
I thought you might.

I found the pics on this website.
www.militaryphotos.net (http://www.militaryphotos.net)

Open @
"net Discussion Forums" under main heading.
Then open "Strictly Photo's and Video" section
and scroll down to "Australians at war".
I opened on the last page and started to work back.

I enjoy the "Women in the Police/Military" thread.
Cripes they are cute !

I have only just started on this website, but it looks
like it is going to be very interesting.
Probably keep me enthralled for weeks.
Cheers.

[shorty943]

Shorty, I am pleased that you found it interesting.
I thought you might.



I enjoy the "Women in the Police/Military" thread.
Cripes they are cute !


Cheers.

HUH? You got Stimatis boy.:(:p

The top boss lady in the Navy wasn't called "The Maam Dragon" for nothin'.:D:D:D:D:D





I'll head for that site and duly bookmark for later.
Thank you.

[olbod]

HUH? You got Stimatis boy.:(:p

The top boss lady in the Navy wasn't called "The Maam Dragon" for nothin'.:D:D:D:D:D





I'll head for that site and duly bookmark for later.
Thank you.

Mate, what ever it's called, I think iv'e got it !

[shorty943]

Mate, what ever it's called, I think iv'e got it !


I got ripped.:( Nice thread that one.

It wasn't like that back in my day.
And now I'm too old to play.:mad:

It brought back some stuff, watching those Navy video's.

I'm in them.:o