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Kitty Hawk Class Aircraft Carriers

In all my deployments on the Intrepid (CVS-11), Wasp (CVS-18), Yorktown (CVS-10) and Essex (CVS-9) during air ops we flew plane guard on the starboard side (right hand side looking forward). (Made it easy to pick up the pilot of an A4 who got 'cold-catted' one day. He was only in the water about 5 minutes. We had to wait for him to get out of his chute, etc. or it would have been a bit quicker pick up.)

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During UNREPS we would station to the rear as in the first pix I posted. Also usually there was a DD/DE about 1000 yards to the rear of the carrier.

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Great photos - thanks. Cold cat shots I know risk the boat driving right over the splashed pilot and plane so on launch the pilot will bank off to the left or right. But it would seems there often might not be enough time to do so. Were your pickups always clear of the boat?
 
Yep. He was on the starboard cat. Rolled right, and punched out. The seat took him farther to the right and forward of us. We pulled up and waited for the chute to deflate and then dropped the 'horse collar'. Never did see what happened to the A4 or exactly how the ship maneuvered; too busy rigging the hoist.
 
The immediate turns after a cat shot are not to avoid getting run over in the event of a cold cat - they are called "clearing turns". It is to just sort of fan out the launch pattern, avoid wake turbulence or possibly a midair by overrunning a plane in front of you. At night or IFR, planes launch straight ahead, but cat shots are timed at longer intervals, and pilots are under positive radar control by Air Ops.

In addition, it is more likely that a plane in the water will be shoved off to one side and bounce along the hull of the Carrier rather than being run over. Unfortunately this also starts the plane tumbling and filling with water immediately, hastening sinking, if it was floating at all.
 
This is an outstanding view of the Fighting Hannah, pictured aft,
with one of the ever faithful Plane Guard Destroyers following right behind.



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Plane guard DD following USS Hancock on Yankee Station
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And I wager the pilots felt reassured seeing that DD, as well as the Plane Guard helicopter aloft, as they climbed into a plane. From what I understand, they both saved a LOT of pilots that had to jettison the aircraft, or even just climb out when it was in the drink, as they say.
From what I read, too, if the plane stayed relatively upright, even under a few feet of water, the pilot could eject to get out of the plane and back to the surface. Having said that, I've read of a few pilots who, after the carrier ran their plane over, pulled the magic handles, and wound up smashed into the hull of the boat. Not a pretty end. But are there any, really?
The military is a dangerous business, no matter what part of it you are/were involved with. Just the nature of the beast.
I read a lot. Does it show?
But there's nothing like sea stories from those who've "been there, done that" to "tell it like it is". I'd rather listen to 1 sea story that read a dozen articles.
Thanks for the info to ALL!
Pat☺
 
I would like to tweak the deck color of the Kitty Hawk class boat to make these a bit darker - more like the very good freeware 1975 Midway also here at the SOH. Has anyone done this or can suggest which texture(s) to play with?
 
There have been a number of Naval Aviators whose planes have gone into the water ahead of the ship and they have survived being "keel-hauled" under the ship and through the screws. Others have had accidents on recovery and ended up with their planes dangling in the water off the angle deck and being "flushed" out of the cockpit by rushing water. When you survive stuff like that I think you should be granted immortality. :biggrin-new:
 
CVN-63 Modify

some time ago I modified a free model of the cvn-63 for my use, basically because the original was a fps killer in the sim, the result was this, it is not a small file, increase in mdl size but moves quite well in the sim, the scheme of the aircraft is from his last deployment

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the scheme of the aircraft is from his last deployment
Click to expand...

I don't mean to nit-pick, but in American parlance, a ship is SHE. Thus, it should be "from HER last deployment".

Sorry, I just wanted to help...
Pat☺
 
PhantomTweak said:
I don't mean to nit-pick, but in American parlance, a ship is SHE. Thus, it should be "from HER last deployment".

Sorry, I just wanted to help...
Pat☺
Click to expand...

"SHE" is certainly correct, always has been, always will be (until the "PC Police" step in) --
 
Where would somebody find this?

Where would somebody find the below? Please tell.

CIMOGT said:
some time ago I modified a free model of the cvn-63 for my use, basically because the original was a fps killer in the sim, the result was this, it is not a small file, increase in mdl size but moves quite well in the sim, the scheme of the aircraft is from his last deployment

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CMOGT, outstanding update good sir! Really love the new aircraft! This will work with P3Dv4 too, correct?

I am starting to lean towards installing P3Dv4 vs FSXSE, especially with my new desktop arriving in a few weeks. Starting to get excited to fly again and with no OOM or other potential issues common to FSX in 32 bit.
 
Thanks

strykerpsg said:
CMOGT, outstanding update good sir! Really love the new aircraft! This will work with P3Dv4 too, correct?

I am starting to lean towards installing P3Dv4 vs FSXSE, especially with my new desktop arriving in a few weeks. Starting to get excited to fly again and with no OOM or other potential issues common to FSX in 32 bit.
Click to expand...


Thanks yes, there should be no problems, I use it in p3d v3 without any issue
 
CIMOGT said:
Thanks yes, there should be no problems, I use it in p3d v3 without any issue
Click to expand...

Thanks for the quick reply CIMOGT.

Off topic, but related, are these beautiful ships, including the Russian cruisers, could they be tac-packed of sorts, in other words, added to FSX@war (or whatever it's called now) and have a viable shooting platform?
 
Hi CIMOGT,I was just curious about how you got the aircraft tug in your ship scenerys,I would either like to purchase it,or download it,thanks for your awesome work on these ships,and thanks,also to lazarus too.:very_drunk:
 
PhantomP said:
Hi CIMOGT,I was just curious about how you got the aircraft tug in your ship scenerys,I would either like to purchase it,or download it,thanks for your awesome work on these ships,and thanks,also to lazarus too.:very_drunk:
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hi, I have compiled several models of objects and personnel, I add all this, in the 3d model in sketchup or 3dmax
 
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