Thread: One for Shorty

Crikey!

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

The Kiwis have our Skyhawks now?

GQ

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.

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.

Originally Posted by 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.

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".

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

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.

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.

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.

Few more. Thats all that I have.
Cheers.