Who says Naval aviators don't have a sense of humor ... and history

[chrisolson]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/heres-why-a-toilet-is-hanging-on-a-navy-f-a-18-super-hornets-wing

 

 

 

[TEWKS]

Glad the ordnanceman was paying attention. 

 

[DakarTimm]

Too funny .. thanks 

[Boxflyer]

THIS is TOO funny!

 

I was a pilot in VA-25 during the time when we flew the A-7E and I deployed for 2 Cruises on USS Ranger (CV-61) '79-'81

We had an almost 9 month cruise to the Indian Ocean when Iran held the hostages in the US Embassy in Tehran.

 

We didn't drop any TOILETS, but we had lots of interesting missions none the less!

 

[TEWKS]

Very cool Brad! 

[Scott9999]

10 hours ago, chrisolson said:

 

 

 

 

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/heres-why-a-toilet-is-hanging-on-a-navy-f-a-18-super-hornets-wing

 

The sobering part was this:  "CDR Stoddard was later killed while flying 572 in Oct. 1966. He was hit by three SAMs over Vinh."

I'm a weird kind of guy who gets all melancholy (some might even call it morbid) about these service related losses.   During the 2001-2021 wars, every young  Marine lost, which I read about frequently since we lived over 20 years adjacent to Camp Pendleton, brought tears to my heart, if not my eyes.  As much as I believe war to be necessary to preserve and ensure human freedom, the loss is so overwhelming to me.   For every death, a family is crushed, and a future is lost.  It might be a few decades late, but RIP Commander Stoddard.  Bravo-Zulu, courageous sailor!

 

(And Brad, thank you, for your service.  Seriously.  I mean it.)

[TEWKS]

Let’s check Brad’s sense of humor meter. 
 

Man, he was a handsome young Naval Aviator!  

[wbw6cos]

It does take a Stud Muffin to fly fighter planes.   Just sayin'

 

 

 

[Scott9999]

4 hours ago, wbw6cos said:

It does take a Stud Muffin to fly fighter planes.   Just sayin'

 

 

 

Lol, it's more than that.  There's some kinda joke in there, about crashing a perfectly good Naval aircraft into a carrier deck at 135 knots, and calling it a "good recovery" a.k.a. landing.   🤣🤣🤣

 

Actually, the job ain't that difficult.  Watch this and you could do it in no time, probably even with your eyes closed .... which is .... about what it's like landing on a carrier at night.  Then add some counter-steer ... oops, I meant pitching decks and cross winds.  Add in a bit of stormy weather, moonless night, and there ya go, you can be Brad, too! 😨😒  (Somehow, I don't think he gets as shook up, over the same little things I do, while riding his RT.   😏)

 

 

[TEWKS]

Pretty basic stuff.  

[Scott9999]

13 minutes ago, TEWKS said:

Pretty basic stuff.  

Easy enough for me ...

... on my computer, I catch the 3 wire every landing.  

[syntorz]

I read/heard somewhere recently that the A-7 had great performance for its era and was loved by those that drove it.

 

But sorry....it is one UGLY aeroplane.

 

 

 

[Rougarou]

10 hours ago, syntorz said:

I read/heard somewhere recently that the A-7 had great performance for its era and was loved by those that drove it.

 

But sorry....it is one UGLY aeroplane.

 

 

When I was on the Saratoga, the A-7 was my favorite bird, I liked the look of it, next was the A-6 variants........and this, in the age right when Top Gun was released,.....I like the multi-use type low and slow bring it to the bad guy birds.

 

 

[RandyShields]

On 10/8/2022 at 8:32 PM, syntorz said:

I read/heard somewhere recently that the A-7 had great performance for its era and was loved by those that drove it.

 

But sorry....it is one UGLY aeroplane.

The beauty of aircraft is always subjective.  Most would agree that the lines of some aircraft -- like the Spitfire, Mustang or F-16 Falcon -- are striking.  On the flip side, while a plane like the A-10 Thunderbolt was nicknamed the Warthog for its looks, don't tell the ground troops that just got bailed out of a tight spot after an A-10 pass that the airplane is not the most beautiful thing they ever saw in the sky.

[Scott9999]

If it's flying, it's beautiful, IMHO.