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10 hours ago, dylan said:

well for starters its a kick a$$ avatar, I did stay at a holiday inn express once. and it was a common thing for the F-18's to do during a start up. I spent 5 years in the Canadian Air Force, mostly drinking Coffee but sometime doing Airframe Tech stuff.

its also standard practice for civilian pilots to do as well. but nowhere near as cool  

 

Damn you Canada! I have been humbled by yet another Canuck!

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32 minutes ago, Craig Baldwin said:

 

Holy Crap, that guy near the aft end  during the launch. WOW!!!

 

The guys in the red jerseys are the Ordies, pretty sure that is what GW was. They are arming the jet. The ones in the white are the final checkers, one on each side. That's pretty standard even today seems like. This is why I have hearing loss and constant tinnitus, lol. As loud as the Tomcat was, I think the EA-6B was worse on the cat. Something about that airframe/engine combination, at MIL thrust it would rattle your fillings right out of your teeth.

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As the ejection seats don’t actually work, the plastic pilots trade union has forbade us to allow them in the box. 
However, quickboost crews have implied that they’re willing to walk over picket lines and enter the cockpit. 
For a small fee I hear.

Avgas will also not be included as it is flammable and not allowed in the post. 

 

😁

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4 hours ago, CJ Martin said:

 

The guys in the red jerseys are the Ordies, pretty sure that is what GW was. They are arming the jet. The ones in the white are the final checkers, one on each side. That's pretty standard even today seems like. This is why I have hearing loss and constant tinnitus, lol. As loud as the Tomcat was, I think the EA-6B was worse on the cat. Something about that airframe/engine combination, at MIL thrust it would rattle your fillings right out of your teeth.

Yep, was an Ordie but was also Final-checker qual'ed as a full system QAR.

 

As an Ordie I also did CAG ARM/DEARM so I was qual'ed to work the cats as both an Ordie and Final-checker.

 

And I agree, Prowler's were the worst and thanks to working on the cats I have 40% hearing loss in one ear and 50% in the other.

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5 hours ago, Don said:

EDIT: I notice the Shooter doesn't touch the deck anymore in his videos before pointing/flashing the thumbs up...new practice?

Didn't watch the video (at work) but from the pic it looks like that is the cat safety PO (Petty Officer), he signals to the cat officer in the "bubble" when it's safe to launch the bird. The cat officer in the bubble pushes the button to launch the bird once he verifies winds/steam pressure/etc.

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2 hours ago, Martin @ AMK Models said:

As the ejection seats don’t actually work, the plastic pilots trade union has forbade us to allow them in the box. 
However, quickboost crews have implied that they’re willing to walk over picket lines and enter the cockpit. 
For a small fee I hear.

Avgas will also not be included as it is flammable and not allowed in the post. 

 

😁

:thumbsup:

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2 minutes ago, GW8345 said:

Didn't watch the video (at work) but from the pic it looks like that is the cat safety PO (Petty Officer), he signals to the cat officer in the "bubble" when it's safe to launch the bird. The cat officer in the bubble pushes the button to launch the bird once he verifies winds/steam pressure/etc.

In videos past, once the pilot salutes you would see the yellow shirted "Shooter" (I believe that's what he's called?) return the salute then point at various personnel around the aircraft to get a thumbs up which I assume is "good-to-go" for a launch. He would then kneel, looking towards the bow, touch the deck with his hand, look back at the aircraft being launched, bring his arm back up pointing down the deck and the aircraft would be launched (see seconds .22 to .29 on this video):

The above footage was from 2012.

 

Now (2017) it seems the "Shooter" (again...I may be misidentifying him) no longer touches the deck nor points. It seems as though he kneels and simply gives a thumbs up with an arm extended down the deck (see second .47 in my previously linked video from earlier today). I was just wondering if this was a new thing or specific to this particular catapult crew?

 

Good stuff guys... thanks for sharing your knowledge.

 

 

Anyways... here's another good one of the aircraft being connected to the catapult:

 

 

Enjoy!

 

Regards,

Don

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2 hours ago, Martin @ AMK Models said:

As the ejection seats don’t actually work, the plastic pilots trade union has forbade us to allow them in the box. 
However, quickboost crews have implied that they’re willing to walk over picket lines and enter the cockpit. 
For a small fee I hear.

Avgas will also not be included as it is flammable and not allowed in the post. 

 

😁

 

Darn, I've always supported unions and not scabs. What a conundrum! Wait, I never build models with little people in them anyway. Phew, dodged that one! :whistle:

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3 hours ago, Martin @ AMK Models said:

As the ejection seats don’t actually work, the plastic pilots trade union has forbade us to allow them in the box. 
However, quickboost crews have implied that they’re willing to walk over picket lines and enter the cockpit. 
For a small fee I hear.

Avgas will also not be included as it is flammable and not allowed in the post. 

 

😁

 

SCABS!

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Inside the jet:

 

”in the shuttle, looking forward, looking aft, taking tension.” Launch bar retract. Wipe out (fwd/aft/side/side/mixing the pot with rudders, center (looking in the mirror for flight control deflection). “Tapes, gauges, trim set”...thumbs up to the pilot below the glare shield, hand down in throttle/transmit button (to call a suspend if required) looking at engine gauges one last time, “touching the deck”.  Head back. LAUNCH...instant look down at airspeed to see it rising (but seat of the pants was the real indicator)....”good shot”.  “Indexers, gear”.  On case 3 departure transmit “70X airborne”. If CQ or running the deck...slap the hook down and start barking out the landing checklist. 

 

I miss that. 

 

All the above, about 15-20 seconds. 

 

Cheers

Collin

 

Below gives you an idea.  

 

 

 

Edited by Collin
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For months I've been trying to get my 3 year old even remotely interested in aviation. Kid loves youtube, knows a lot techie doo hickie stuff already but not really biting to him. Showed him THAT video of being on the deck and he says to me I wanna watch more!!!!

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Careful fellas...those videos get addictive! Heck I've found myself spending 25-30 minutes staring at the video with a model sitting in front of me untouched...DOH :doh:.

 

Oh well, chalk it up to research huh...LOL!

 

Regards,

Don

 

Rob Zombie anyone... another of my favorites... turn up the volume though :popcorn:! A little comedy included...

 

Enjoy!

Edited by Don
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Reading the thread since my last post it appears that some maybe confused on the difference between a Shooter and a Catapult Safety Petty Officer (Cat Safety PO) and also the launching methods.

 

First let me identify the difference between the two, A Shooter wears a yellow jersey, a yellow float coat and a green cranial with orange stripes. A Cat Safety PO wears a green jersey, yellow float coat and a green cranial with orange stripes (orange stripes mean they are in charge of something)

 

A Shooter is a Catapult Officer, he (or she) is the only one who can signal/launch an fix wing aircraft off of the carrier.

 

A Cat Safety PO signals to the Cat Officer that the flight deck is ready to launch the aircraft aircraft, the Cat Officer is in the bubble (more on that below).

 

Now, there are two methods of launching fix wing aircraft on a Nimitz/Ford class carrier (CVN-68 and above).

 

The most common method is called the "Bubble" method, the Cat Officer sits in the glass bubble you see in between Cat 1 and 2 or the Waist Cat Bubble you see on the deck edge of the angle deck. He controls the cat and fires the cat after the Cat Safety PO signals that the deck is ready to launch the aircraft. Google "Catapult Bubble" and you will see what I'm talking about.

 

The second method is what we use to call "Free Decking", this is where the Cat Officer is on deck, there is one of the cat guys (green shirt) who sits partially in a hatch that controls the steam pressure, there is a cat guy (green shirt) who is in the catwalk who actually fires the cat after the Cat Officer signals to launch the aircraft (that's why there's about a 3 second delay after the Cat Officer gives the signal). This method is what you see from the early days of catapult launching up to the time the USS Nimitz came out. This is the method that all carriers (with catapults) used from CV-67 on downward.

 

In the first video posted by Don on the last page (the one from about 11 hours ago) , they are doing the Bubble method, notice that the Cat Safety PO is wearing a green jersey and yellow float coat. The other post by Don, this time five hours ago, the first video is the "Free Decking" method, the second video is the "Bubble" method (you can see the waist bubble as the catapult hook up man looks forward down the deck). In the free decking video, that hatch that the Cat Office is standing on( red and yellow striped area), that is where the bow cat bubble is. Both Bubble's raise up, it depends on the carrier if the bow cat bubble hatch opens or if it is attached to the top of the bubble. On the older Nimitz class carrier it opens and retracts inside the ship as the bubble raises, on the new Nimitz class (and IIRC the Ford class also) it is attached to the top of the bubble. The angle cat's bubble just raises up from the deck edge.

 

Hope that makes sense.

 

Also, I would like to point out, that the cats (and shuttles) you see in these video's are for the early 90's to today. Cat's (and shuttle) there were for bridle launches were different so if you are going to do a launch scene with a bridle launched aircraft, you will have to have a different shuttle and add some additional details to the cat.

 

I've worked the cat's for both launch methods and have been on the cat for bridle launches (EA-3B and F-8's and let me tell you, it ain't no fun trying to push a Whale backwards in order to hook up the bridle) and of course the more modern style (called nose gear towing). I've worked the cat's on the Nimitz, Saratoga, Stennis and Eisenhower and from what I've seen about launches today, the only thing that has changes since I worked the cat's is the aircraft are different, the procedures are the same.

 

/r

GW

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6 hours ago, Don said:

 

 

Enjoy!

 

Regards,

Don

 

In this video, it seemed like jolly rogers was cancelled soon after the catapult was engaged. Any ideas why that happened if you can read the hand signals? 

 

Also when they raise their arms they want the pilot to be hands-off everything, correct? Why do they do this only when the ordie is checking the port side panel only? Seems like they don’t demand that any other time during the sequence. 

 

Overall what a great video! I wish these go-pros and hd filming was around when  the Tomcat was active. 

Edited by Janissary
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Also, GW, CJ and others: Thank you very much for all the details you share about the real navair. It makes for very exciting reads, even though I frequently have trouble with the acronyms (you are still doing a great job spelling out when you think is necessary, it’s just my lack of military language). I wish this could all be compiled under a separate topic under jet modeling, I fear all this info will get lost in this kit thread. 

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14 minutes ago, Janissary said:

 

In this video, it seemed like jolly rogers was cancelled soon after the catapult was engaged. Any ideas why that happened if you can read the hand signals? 

 

Also when they raise their arms they want the pilot to be hands-off everything, correct? Why do they do this only when the ordie is checking the port side panel only? Seems like they don’t demand that any other time during the sequence. 

 

Overall what a great video! I wish these go-pros and hd filming was around when  the Tomcat was active. 

The aircrew signaled that there was a problem with the jet and that the jet was "down" for flight, that is why the launch was suspended.

 

The reason why the Ordies raise their hands is to signal to the aircrew that they are going to arm all the forward firing weapons on the aircraft and to ensure that all armament switches are "off/safe/normal". Also for the aircrew to raise their hands to ensure they are playing with anything that could result in something being fired or a flight control being moved. It ain't fun getting knocked to the deck because the pilot moved the stick while you were under the stab and it just rung your bell (eat a face full of flight deck that way because a pilot didn't follow the crew leaders signal in the middle of arming his jet). Everyone else puts there hands up so signal to the deck that they jet is being armed and to not walk in front of it or go near it until arming is complete.

 

The ordie is arming the gun, there is an ordie on the starboard side that looks over the ordnance and arms everything on that side and an ordie on the port side who does the same thing. Looking at the bird, the only forward firing ordnance that needed to be armed was the gun.

 

GW

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9 hours ago, Martin @ AMK Models said:

As the ejection seats don’t actually work, the plastic pilots trade union has forbade us to allow them in the box. 
However, quickboost crews have implied that they’re willing to walk over picket lines and enter the cockpit. 
For a small fee I hear.

Avgas will also not be included as it is flammable and not allowed in the post. 

 

😁

Lmao bow this is my kind of joke

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6 minutes ago, Janissary said:

Also, GW, CJ and others: Thank you very much for all the details you share about the real navair. It makes for very exciting reads, even though I frequently have trouble with the acronyms (you are still doing a great job spelling out when you think is necessary, it’s just my lack of military language). I wish this could all be compiled under a separate topic under jet modeling, I fear all this info will get lost in this kit thread. 

My pleasure. If there is something you don't understand just ask me to explain it, I will happily explain all acronyms and "flight deck" jargon I use.

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58 minutes ago, GW8345 said:

...In the first video posted by Don on the last page (the one from about 11 hours ago) , they are doing the Bubble method, notice that the Cat Safety PO is wearing a green jersey and yellow float coat. The other post by Don, this time five hours ago, the first video is the "Free Decking" method, the second video is the "Bubble" method (you can see the waist bubble as the catapult hook up man looks forward down the deck). In the free decking video, that hatch that the Cat Office is standing on( red and yellow striped area), that is where the bow cat bubble is. Both Bubble's raise up, it depends on the carrier if the bow cat bubble hatch opens or if it is attached to the top of the bubble. On the older Nimitz class carrier it opens and retracts inside the ship as the bubble raises, on the new Nimitz class (and IIRC the Ford class also) it is attached to the top of the bubble. The angle cat's bubble just raises up from the deck edge.

 

Hope that makes sense....

 

/r

GW

Good stuff! I learned a lot here and actions in the videos make a little more sense now :thumbsup:

 

Thanks again!

 

Regards,

Don

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I hated the time between realizing you had a sick jet while in tension, calling for the suspend over the radio “suspend suspend suspend CAT X”and waiting for the Shooter to come out and give you the throttle back signal. We couldn’t see it, but I wanted that launch bar out of the shuttle and not hurling myself down the deck as I make the judgment of pulling the handle for the pilot (since they are going to try and fly regardless). 

Good Times!!

 

Collin

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GW, Collin, CJ (and others whom I may have missed); 

 

First of all, remembering myself as a teenager fascinated with US naval aviation (and not growing up in the U.S.), it still feels surreal to be hanging out with folks like you who were a part of the real thing, right in the middle of the action. My parents still have the Betamax tapes of CNN news from the first gulf war where I would sit in front of the TV for hours and record anything that had to with the air campaign. The first time I touched a Tomcat was in 2007 in San Diego on USS Midway. It was electric. I was overwhelmed with emotions. My knees shook. I kissed the damn thing - no kidding. You probably find all that weird, but I guess when you're fascinated with something in your formative years with next to zero access to it, this happens. Anyway...

 

Two things I am curious about:

 

(1) When you were in the Navy, did you know that the Tomcat was a legend and it would amass this amount of interest from the general public? If you knew that, did it also impress you that way when you were enlisted, or was it just a piece of loud machinery that was your 'job'? What kind of a connection did you have with the Tomcat? Did you build plastic models of it at all? Did you take pictures of the jets for your own reference 'just in case'?

 

(2) Besides these modeling-related pages and the facebook pages I've seen for various squadrons for current and former service members to connect, what other active communities (online or not) are there where naval aviation, the aircrafts, your day to day work etc. are a central topic of interest?  Basically, what other podiums are there where the audience is interested in the details of your life as a service member in the Navy. I guess I am trying to figure out if modeling communities like ARC are significant in 'keeping the memories alive'.  

Edited by Janissary
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