40 days and 40 nights of flight school

[flaps]

from another time,

• Enlisted in U.S. Navy on his 18th birthday - June 12, 1942
• Earned the "Wings of Gold" Naval Aviator Rating June 9, 1943 at the age of 18 years, 11 months, and 27 days
• Qualified as carrier pilot on USS Sable August 24, 1943
• Assigned to VT-51 aboard the new carrier San Jacinto CVL-30 as part of Task Force 58 in May, 1944
• Doomed flight on September 2, 1944, while attacking Japanese held island of Chichi Jima he was shot down and lost his two crewmen: John Delaney ARM-3C, and Lt. (JG) Ted White, Squadron Ordinance Officer
• Rescued by the submarine Finback SS-230
• Returned to his squadron and flew twelve more missions, thereby totaling 58 combat missions.
• ......

this makes me wonder who has the record for the absolute youngest nasal radiator.

update.....found this
http://www.meyersaircraftowners.org...ney&catid=10:historical-information&Itemid=12

 

[Gatordev]

I know I've mentioned this years ago on here, but...

AT UF, we had someone who was going to graduate from college and be commissioned at 19. The ROTC unit actually had to look it up to see if that was legal. It was and I believe the cutoff was 18 at the time.

 

[BusyBee604]

Agree, re: ENS J. L. Cash, one almost never found NA Ensigns in a fleet squadron back then

Fixed it for me!
BzB

 

[blackbart22]

One of my preflight classmates enlisted on a kiddie cruise, passed the two year collage equivalentcy test, got selected as a NAVCAD, but was held at the recruit training center until his 18th birthday and then sent him to preflight. Also I deployed as an ensign.

 

[HAL Pilot]

Also I deployed as an ensign.

So did I. I didn't pin on JG until 3 months into my first squadron tour and joining them on a deployment.

 

[BusyBee604]

Also I deployed as an ensign.

From what I have read on AW, it seems to take longer (with less flight time), to get your wings today than when I went through. In the mid '50s it took me about 18 mos. from start of Preflight to Wings/Commission (NAVCAD), with approx. 300 flight hrs. Never had "class-up" or other pools. The only delays I recall were weather related, and my 2-week medical grounding.

My A/C types were Primary: T-34B (piston); Basic thru Carqual: T-28B; Adv. (Inst.): TV-2 (T-33); Adv. (fam thru gunnery/bombing): F9F-8 Cougar (no 8-T 2-seaters yet & no jet carqual at that time). WINGS!

How does that compare with today's flight training in average months/fight hours?
BzB

 

[helolumpy]

From what I have read on AW, it seems to take longer (with less flight time), to get your wings today than when I went through. In the mid '50s it took me about 18 mos. from start of Preflight to Wings/Commission (NAVCAD), with approx. 300 flight hrs. Never had "class-up" or other pools. The only delays I recall were weather related, and my 2-week medical grounding.

My A/C types were Primary: T-34B (piston); Basic thru Carqual: T-28B; Adv. (Inst.): TV-2 (T-33); Adv. (fam thru gunnery/bombing): F9F-8 Cougar (no 8-T 2-seaters yet & no jet carqual at that time). WINGS!

How does that compare with today's flight training in average months/fight hours?
BzB

Commissioned June 1991
Started AI in June 1992
VT's Aug 1992
T-34 solo 17 Dec 92
Finished VT's with 105.3 hours in May 93
First flight HT's Jun 93
Promoted th LTJG Jun 93
Winged 17 Dec 93 with 236.2 total hours (130.9 in HT's)
Reported to HS RAG JUN 94
Frocked to LT in Jun 94
Finished HS-1 Feb 95 with 326.4 total hours (90.2 hours in H-60F/H RAG)
First deployment left March 95

 

[Harrier Dude]

Did you realize that you soloed and were winged on the anniversary of the Wright brothers first flight? Pretty cool.

 

[helolumpy]

Did you realize that you soloed and were winged on the anniversary of the Wright brothers first flight? Pretty cool.

Actually I didn't... I always thought it was cool that I got winged exactly one year after my solo, but never made the connection to the Wright Brothers. Thanks for clueing me in!

 

[BigIron]

Why the frock to LT?

 

[helolumpy]

It was standard in Navy that as soon as the promotion list came out you got frocked. This happened for every rank, including 1 stars.

It was a good deal. You got to wear the higher rank but it didn't cost the Navy a dime. Then the other services complained about the practice so the Navy had to stop it.

Basically you would have a Navy officer wearing a rank higher than his Joint counterpart but may in fact actually be junior to the Joint counterpart. Plus office spaces and parking spots are tied to your rank, so the Army and Air Force bitched and of course Big Navy rolled over and gave in....

 

[BusyBee604]

It was standard in Navy that as soon as the promotion list came out you got frocked.

I got frockked as O-5 (6 mos. before my DOR), but only because I had fleeted up in '72 to CV WpnsO, an O-5 billet. At that time, promotion selectees were only eligible for frocking if they had orders to, or were serving in the next higher rank billet.
BzB

 

[helolumpy]

I got frockked as O-5 (6 mos. before my DOR), but only because I had fleeted up in '72 to CV WpnsO, an O-5 billet. At that time, promotion selectees were only eligible for frocking if they had orders to, or were serving in the next higher rank billet.
BzB

That's how it is today. There is actually a max number of frockings that the Navy can do each year. Most of them are tied to the billet that you are in.

 

[MasterBates]

OCS Grad Oct 5 01
2-3 week wait for API, stashed at RSS
First T-34 Flight 12 Feb 02
Primary Complete May 02
First TH-57 Flight Sept 02
Wings 31 JAN 03
Direct to RAG, Started immediately
Checked into HSL-42 Aug 03, still an ENS

I was "accelerated" and winged with I think 140 USN hours. Log book is at home, and I'm out in the boonies on a drill rig.

 

[rondebmar]

Made my entire first Med cruise as an Ensign...flying Spads with VA-35 on Saratoga.