John B
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Posts posted by John B
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It's not erased, it's just painted a light gray. Marontate's name was painted the same way. I think -121 is still on deployment right now.
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'WILLIAM MARONTATE' on VK #12, BuNo 165529, (ATARS jet) seen in February 2004 at MCAS Miramar. 1LT William P Marontate was credited with shooting down 13 enemy aircraft as a member of VMF-121 during the Battle of Guadalcanal. On January 15, 1943, he never returned from a mission and was later declared killed-in-action.
The names began appearing on the LEX fence of the -121 jets in late-summer (around August??/September??) 2003. I think the first name applied to the LEX fence was "JOE FOSS" on the CO's jet.
VMF-121 had 14 aces during WW2, the highest for any Marine squadron. VMFA(AW)-121 is commemorating those aces by painting their names on the LEX fences.
Of course, I could be DEAD wrong. Why would I know anything about the US Marine Corps or F/A-18Ds?
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flynavy Posted on Aug 18 2005, 11:05 AM
how do they compare a squadron flat box to a pointed horn on a rhino?!? lmao
Little Mac Posted on Aug 18 2005, 10:55 AM
QUOTE (Checksix @ Aug 18 2005, 06:51 AM)
The crews of the Super Hornet call the aircraft "Rhino" due to the ECM box on the top of the nose.
I thought the box on the nose was the IFF antenna???
Anybody confirm ?
Ever been to a major zoo and seen an African rhino with the tusk sawn down? It kind hides in the corner away from the other animals. The IFF box kinda reminds me of that. ;)
BTW - Indian Rhinos have a much smaller horn.
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that is strange.
I didn't mean that it was normal SOP. It just happens to be another oddball thing that happens once in a while. (Like an 0311 in the wing. It ain't normal, but it can happen.) -225 had a C in thier markings last month.
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This was NOT the norm until relatively recently. In the past, D squadrons (VMFA(AW)-XXX) did not normally have single-seaters as part of their normal complement. However, since nearly every active-duty USMC single-seat Hornet squadron (VMFA-XXX) is now integrated into a carrier air wing, that has changed. The situation stems from the fact that a single-seat USMC Hornet squadron has 12-14 jets. A single-seat USN Hornet squadron has only 10-12 jets while at sea. When the USMC single-seat squadron deploys as part of carrier air wing, it is forced to leave a few jets behind. The Corps (cash-strapped, budget-challenged service that it is) wasn't going to let perfectly good jets just sit around until the deployed squadron returned. The result is that the single-seaters are incorporated in the the D squadrons until the single-seat squadron (VMFA-XXX) returns.
There have been other isolated one-off circumstances where single-seat Hornets have been inducted into D (VMFA(AW)-XXX) squadrons in the past, but it looks like it will become a regular occurance until the JSF is fielded or more Hornets end up in the boneyard.
I know - it looks odd to see a single-seater in the markings of a D squadron. I had to ask a Delta WSO bud about it, too. I think the conspiracy plan was to cause confusion. :wacko:
SEMPER GUMBY!! Always Green & Flexible!!
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Believe whomever you choose. I could be dead wrong. I'm just stating my opinion and my personal evaluation of the facts as I interpret them. The Navy probably has the option to recall the Midway back to active service.
Is the NAVY likely to ever reactivate the Midway? Well, based on the assumptions and points I made, that event would seem extremely unlikely.
Is it possible that the volunteer was "talking up" the Midway museum to tourist? It's not impossible. The majority of the visitors to the Midway have never walked on the deck on warship of any kind. Fewer have been aboard any warship in active service. Fewer still have walked on aircraft carrier in active service.
Could I be dead wrong in my interpretations and analysis? It's possible, but the weight of the evidence seems to support my conclusion.
Who should you believe in this matter? You decide. Better yet, do your own personal research (ie don't go the Midway website, go to different reliable independent sources instead). Interpret the findings for yourself. Draw your own conclusions. If your conclusions contradict mine, let's discuss them in a constructive forum. Relying on "he-said-she-said" from someone who's qualifications haven't been authenticated is not good research - it's gossip.
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Uhhh... right.
Well I'd hate to imagine what kind of crisis would necessitate the re-activation of the USS Midway. They've only cut a giant hole in flight deck for the ladder that leads from the hangar bay. (The middle landing used to be the Starboard quarter CIWS platform.) They also plan to remove one of the bomb elevators (if they haven't already done so), to install passenger elevators in the wells to accomodate the Americans with Disablities Act. There are/were plans to cut out a lot of the knee-knockers in the main passageways so that the less ambulatory can more easily walkaround the ship. The screws (that's "propellers" to those less nautically inclined) are no longer installed, neither are the majority of the electronic systems. The electronic systems that do remain on-board are at least 3 decades out-of-date (heck the CAINS room has tape-driven systems and vacuum tubes - or didn't you notice that?).
As long as we're talking about systems, let's talk powerplants. After all, any ship that can't move under it's own power is a barge. What other ships could provide propulsion parts for the USS Midway? The Iowa-class BB museums? The Coral ***** and FDR have long since been broken up for scrap with their best parts being used to keep the Midway on-line until the early 1990's.
While you were aboard, did you happen to notice that the fire suppression system looks like the stuff from commercial buildings? That's because that's exactly what it is! In order to comply with DoD requirements that the ship's systems be made inoperable and yet comply with municipal fire codes, they cut holes in the bulkheads and ran commercial-style fire sprinklers & alarms throughout the ship. The fire sprinklers are also connected to water from the city, NOT water from the engineering spaces.
The engineering spaces DO NOT provide electrical power to the museum, the lights are lit by shore power. Again, part of the DoD requirement that the ship's systems be inoperable. Would the aforementioned steps be taken if any realistic expectation of reactivating the Midway existed?
If the Midway were ever to be brought back into service, where the heck would you find enough BTs (boiler techs), MMs (machinest mates), and assortment other snipe (engineering) types who are not only qualified to run the engineering systems, but are also young & fit enough to return to active duty? Remember, the Midway's engineering systems were originally installed during WW2. How would you make get the flight deck systems operable? What other carriers use the same type of catapults? Could the arresting gear accomodate the higher landing weights of Hornets and Super Hornets bringing back unexpended smart weapons? How much work would it take to rip out the old wiring in order to install fiber-optic cable and other systems common on new warships? What could be done to correct the Midway's tendancy to roll more dramatically since the hull bulges were fitted?
Wouldn't it be more logical to re-activate a more modern vessel that was only recently retired and has systems have equivalents still operating in the fleet? I'm no naval expert, but wouldn't the logical choices be #1 USS Constellation, #2 USS Independence, and #3 USS Ranger? Those ships have only been out-of-service less than 15 years AND they have systems in-common the USS Kitty Hawk and USS John F Kennedy. They also haven't been converted into museums, which is what the USS Midway is today.
Hey, here's a thought. In case of a dire emergency, the USS Constitution could be brought back into service! It's still in commission and it would require a lot less fewer systems to be re-installed to bring it back to the fighting shape of it's glory days.
Of course, if a museum volunteer told you that, then who the heck am I to go through this entire exercise in logic? My points could all be dead wrong, but I find the idea of the USS Midway ever returning to service as laughable as the Navy recalling all the on-loan F6Fs and TBFs for active service. But a volunteer told you....
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g0_command0 Posted on Jun 29 2005, 02:11 PM
 their advantage over other museums is that they leased the carrier from the navyÂ
Uhhh... where did you get that piece info from? Are you saying that the Navy can reposses the Midway if the foundation doesn't pay the bills?
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It's that new-fangled super-secret stealth paint. The whole rudder is painted in brilliant red, white, & blue - you only see the gray with your eyes.
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Is it a valid 24K Rolex when it turns my wrist green and the face spells it "Rollex" and it only cost me 60 donkeys to buy?
For nice American like you, I give special price - only 50 donkeys!
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Wow! Looks like you're having/had a great summer cruise. Oh, to be young and have so many opportunities available again. Were I to do some things over....
Anyway, I admire your luck, but I think a lot readers might look over the pics and miss the work you put in. There's a saying that goes something like "luck is preparedness meeting opportunity". In this case, it was luck that Abe was at-sea with CAG-2 when you could get out to them. Your preparedness was A) commiting to NROTC and the aviation pipeline,
getting the proper paperwork and quals done, C) going through the proper folks and being prepared to WAIT while other more-pressing requirements (other than "middie rides") take priority, and D) recognizing the opportunity when it presented itself and taking proper action.Just a few items of advice from someone who wore those old-fashioned cammies.
#1 Take pics of anything. Take pics of everything. Take pics of everybody. If you have any downtime, get your email updated and get pics. Don't delete the pics or throw the negs away. Save it on CD or put it in a shoebox, you'll never know when you'll want the image again later. Pics are records of moments of your life & career. You can't go back to recreate events. Military life has some things that are sometimes difficult to convey to others, pics more easily illustrate what you're trying to convey. Also, it is at that moment the group of folks you working with is together. You won't always be together in that place all together. You won't always be together. People get orders, people get out, people go to other commands/communities/branches, and people (sadly) die.
#2 Continue to keep your ultimate goal in mind. When you're sitting mind-numbed in a class, lying in cold mud, sweating in a bag on hot Texas day, or otherwise frustrated - keep these moments in mind, know that everything is just a minor hurdle in your career. Don't let them dissuade you from pursuing the dream. For example, when you meet that special Marine at Pensacola, remember that it's his job to screen you, test you, train you, and ultimately build you the way you need to be in body & mind. You'll never forget him, the mental scarring won't let you. Just count the days until you graduate and don't take it personally. The same goes for Basic Flight instructors, SERE trainers, and skeds guys who bump you.
#3 Live the dream for as long as you can. Do what you need to keep living it. Something to remember when you've accomplished step #2. Remember all those that had the same dream, but never got the chance (as opposed to those who never even tried or never really put in thier dues). There are a lot of teen-age-minded men who have every issue of Playboy arranged in thier closet and know everything about everything & everyone contained in the covers, but only one person gets to live in the mansion - that's Hugh Hefner. There are a lot of know-it-alls and wannabes. Few can pursue the dream. Fewer still actually commit to pursuing the dream. A lucky, commited few get a shot at the dream. A few lucky, commited, talented few ever actually live the dream. Never forget that. It's okay to be "just happy to be here". Enjoy it as long as you can because nothing lasts forever (eventually you have to retire) and civilian life, trust me on this, really is a different, alien world. Of course, the Nuke snipe-type bubble-heads are aliens from a different world.
Continue to work hard, have fun, and pursue your ultimate goal. Realize that there are other options available if you don't get Flight, but go for Flight first. (I don't think you would find black-shoe, nuke-qual'd, bubble-head a desirable one.) Best of luck and best wishes. If it was supposed to be easy, anyone could do it.
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They haven't even gone on CQs (again) or COMPTUEX (sp), yet. Trust me. They'll get the pics. The last cat shot by the F-4 and A-6 are documented. The last anything in Tomcats will certainly be documented. I'm willing to bet that www.news.navy.mil will have plenty of pics. At the same time, the folks in the F-14 community are very aware of the significance. They've done MUCH more than admired the jet on-screen or at an airshow or in scale plastic like over-eager fanboys at a sci-fi convention. Final events will be certainly recorded for posterity. VF-213 won the last Mutha award and already painted a retro scheme, they'll certainly do thier best to do something special. Without a doubt VF-31, being the fighter folks that they are, won't just sit silently on the sideline. In the meantime, they have work-ups, deployment, and missions to worry about. Not to mention about the daily tasks of keeping the planes flying, flying the jets safely, and coming home safely.
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Darren - In a world of ever-changing POLITICAL climates as well as unforeseen military developments, the deep-strike ability is one advantage the executive branch (past, current, or future) is unwilling to forfeit. It's one of the key features of "power projection" or "gunboat diplomacy" (depending on your political views) is the flexiblity provided by a carrier group or deep-strike force. Historical examples of deep-strike or carrier group flexibility include the Falklands/Malvinas conflict where carriers & Vulcans both took part, US airstrikes on Japan by B-29s & carriers, air-raids by the Japanese on US airfields in the Phillipines, and the US airstrike on Lybia in the mid-1980s. Imagine how those events would've turned out if the opponents had effective deep-strike assets. Any politician who ever gives up the deep strike/ carrier option takes one tool out of the foreign affairs tool box (other tools include economic aid, trade sanctions, and trade agreements).
Sponge - I think that's a nice complement! If you're the horse's mouth, then I'm definitely a horse's ....err ...."other end".
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Aw geez... why did anyone have to bring MY name into this? Try gloss with some panels a little less glossy and other panels Future glossy. Some panel line touch-ups with flat black wouldn't be wrong. If the jet has been on some high speed flight time and the CC folks haven't had a chance to get to it, try some VERY small off-white on the upper edges of the intake, and around the pitot tube to simulate paint-chipping. 1 or 2 small replacement parts from gray jet wouldn't be wrong either. Vandy1 wasn't one of the Blue Angel jets that was kept spotless everyday. It worked hard and got dirty like any other jet. It also got cleaned up for airshows, media events, and the weekly wash. IF it got really dirty, (say after a week at China Lake or some period of time in a non-flying status) the paint looked flat. (Think MARINE. A United States Marine will get down and dirty in the field in cammies. When I went to the field for 4 weeks, I might get 2 or 3 showers in that period. Once back in garrison, I'd get all cleaned up, put on starched cammies, polish my brass, and spit-shine my boots. [Yeah, I know the new cammies aren't supposed to be ironed and the new boots can't be polished, but you get my point.])
My best advice - go outside in the parking lot and look at some black cars. The really clean ones will look different from the really dirty ones with plenty in between. Add to that the effects of corrosion control, leaks, and parts getting swapped and you'll see that it wasn't a monochromatic shade of gloss back.
Another way to look at it is to think back in high school when you went to pick up your date for the prom. She's all made-up and ready for the dance. Sure, you see her everyday and she's good-looking, but when she really wants to gussied up she can drop your jaw. Think of Vandy1 as the good-looking girlfriend on a work day or a jaw-dropping prom date. It's the same girl, just different looks.
(Of course, if any of you "bat for the other team" or have never had a girlfriend, I can't help you.)
That's it - end of statement, I've said what I'm going to say, now leave me out of it. There are plenty of self-appointed "experts" everywhere or any subject.
SH-60S & CH-60S
in Real Aviation
Posted
The CH-60S and MH-60S are the exact same airframe. The CH-60S was supposed to be a direct replacement for the Navy's CH-46 in the HC- squadrons. The Navy added more missions, redesignated the helicopter from CH-60S to MH-60S and the HC- squadrons to HSC- (or is it HCS-, PBS?, PMS??, PTSD???). How do you convert a CH-60S to a MH-60S? You go out with paint and stencils to repaint the tail on the helicopter, that's it.
The Navy helo brown-shoe types seem to avoid all the confusion and simply refer to the aircraft as the "Sierra".
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I've never worn a US Navy uniform. I've never been stationed at Norfolk or North Island. I am not and do not claim to be an expert on the US Navy, the H-60 airframe, F-14s, F/A-18s or the US military in general. My statement could be DEAD WRONG.