AF vs. Navy

[guppygoshawk]

Last I checked, both the USN, Marines, and USAF were on the same side and I'm glad of it. Having worked with some Navy guys fragging sorties in Bosnia, I gained a lot of knowledge and respect for the challenges, capabilities, and limitations of carrier operations and for individual Naval and Marine aviators.

There's always a few arrogant pinheads that like to go around engrandizing themselves by denegrating others collectively, but, probably like the rest of their fellow squadron members did, I just consider them entertainment . . . . . but not the kind of guys that you'd drink with.

Perfect.

 

[SB Diver]

A great writing from an old S2F pilot who had both a sense of humor and a remarkable way of putting the carrier experience in the following terms. In my (humble) opinion there are those pilots who are tailhookers and those who are not and not much in between...

1. In the Beginning, God created the heavens, and the Aircraft Carrier, and the seas upon which to float it; and yet there was complete Darkness upon the face of the earth. And, as we traveled, there came to us, as a voice out of the darkness, an angel of the Lord, saying, "On centerline, on Glideslope, three quarters of a mile, call the ball." I reflected upon these words, for I was still
yet engulfed in complete darkness. With deep feeling and doubt overwhelming my countenance, I glanceth towards my companion at my right hand and saith, "What seeth thou, Trusted friend?", and there
was a great silence. Gazing in a searching manner and seeing naught, I raised my voice saying, "Clara......."

2. And God spoke to me, and He said, "You're low....power". As the Lord saith, so shall it be, and I added power; and lo, the ball riseth up onto the bottom of the mirror. But it was a tainted red glow, and surely indicateth Satan's own influence. And God spoke to
me again saying, "Power...Power...Power!!!!.... fly the ball." And lo, the ball riseth up and off the top of the lens, and the great darkness was upon me.

3. And the voice of the Angel came to me again, saying, "When comfortable, twelve hundred feet, turn downwind." Whereupon I wandered in the darkness, without direction, for surely the ships radar was beset by demons, and there was great confusion cast upon
CATCC, and there was a great silence in which there was no comfort to be found. Even my TACAN needle spinneth......and lo, there was chaos; my trusted companion weepeth quietly unto himself and from close behind I heard weeping and gnashing of teeth of our flock. There was a great turmoil within my cockpit for a multitude of serpents had crept therein.

 

[SB Diver]

(continued)...

4. And though we wandered, as if by Providence I found myself within that Holy Corridor, and at twelve hundred feet, among my brethren seeking refuge; and the voice of the Angel of the Lord came to me again, asking of me my needles, and I raised my voice saying, "Up and centered", and the voice answered, "Roger, fly your
needles...." I reflected upon these words, and I raised my voice in prayer, for though my gyro indicateth it not so, surely my aircraft hath been turned upside down. Verily, as Beelzebub surely wrestled with me, a voice, that of my trusted companion, saith to me calmly,
"Friend.....fly thy needles, and find comfort in the Lord." And lo, with deep trembling in my heart, I did, and He guideth me to centered glideslope and centerline, though I know not how it came to be.

5. And out of the great darkness, God spoke to me again saying, "Roger ball" for now I had faith. And though the ball began to rise at the in close position, my right hand was full of the Spirit, and it squeeketh off power and as in a great miracle my plane stoppeth
upon the flight deck, for it hath caught the four wire which God in his infinite wisdom hath placed thirty feet further down the flight deck than the three wire.

6. And thus bathed in a golden radiance from above, our pilgrimage was at an end, and my spirit was truly reborn. And as I basked in the rapture, God spoketh to me one final time, and He saith, "Lights out on deck"...

 

[SIG600]

God that was great. 1200' on downwind is about the only place I've got my ******************** in one sock!

 

[VaB]

Awesome!

Did Griffin write that?

 

[Occam's Razor]

"There was a great turmoil within my cockpit for a multitude of serpents had crept therein."

Amen, brother!

Been there....done that.

 

[DaveGriffin]

In the Beginning, God created the heavens, and the Aircraft Carrier, and the seas upon which to float it...

Great stuff SB Driver.

 

[pilotyip]

Needles?

needles in an S2F?

 

[Oh-ryan]

6. And thus bathed in a golden radiance from above, our pilgrimage was at an end, and my spirit was truly reborn. And as I basked in the rapture, God spoketh to me one final time, and He saith, "Lights out on deck"...

7. And then after my legs finally stopped shaking, I climbed out of my mighty jet, stumbled down 7 decks to my 4-man, windowless stateroom under Cat #2 where my shipmates greeted me with open arms and near-beer. They helped me undress and escorted me to the open bay showers, where I violated the ship's water conservation policy and took a 4 minute continuous shower. When I lowered the shower nozzle down to clean the "fromunda cheese" from my junk I couldn't help but think "God, does it get any better than this?".

 

[guppygoshawk]

7. And then after my legs finally stopped shaking, I climbed out of my mighty jet, stumbled down 7 decks to my 4-man, windowless stateroom under Cat #2 where my shipmates greeted me with open arms and near-beer. They helped me undress and escorted me to the open bay showers, where I violated the ship's water conservation policy and took a 4 minute continuous shower. When I lowered the shower nozzle down to clean the "fromunda cheese" from my junk I couldn't help but think "God, does it get any better than this?".

Just wait 'till your shooter tour.