Need Aviator Help for a Novel

[marinegrunt]

I have written a novel about the Marine Security Guard Det and the takeover of the US embassy in New Delhi in the near future. Several of the chapters take place aboard the USS Reagan, and one is in a F-22 Raptor. And I feel these chapters are quite weak. I just don't have the background to feel confident in writing them. So I would really appreciate it if someone could take a look at them and let me know some better terminology or ship and fighter characterstics to give this better verismilitude.

Any, any help would be appreciated. I am just a grunt who really knows very little about aviation other than jumping out of planes and helos.

The chapters in question are 31, 37, 41, and 50. There are a few other chapters with the pilot in them, but those are while on liberty in Thailand and while trying to get back to the ship.

They can be found on my personal website http://www.thefewthebook.com/ . This is not a commercial website--nothing is for sale there, nor are there any links!

Anyone else who wants to comment on any aspect of the novel is also very welcome.

Thanks!

 

[nzachman]

I started reading chapter 31, then....

You made a knock against the academic institution that is THE Ohio State University:icon_rage

I could not read any farther.

I keed......once I am done with these papers I will read on. I probably won't be able to help on the technical aspect of your novel but if I do have input it will be noted.

Best of luck, sir!

 

[Rocketman]

Welcome aboard sir.

+ 1 for working "Cougar" in. -1 for sticking him in the Air Force.

Expert commentary to follow soonest........

 

[a_m]

The Raptor does not pull the trigger to pickle a bomb.


-edited.

 

[FlyinRock]

Col Brazee
I'll be sending you a PM with my inputs as an aviator and also one who jumped out of airplanes and helos as a shooter.
Semper Fi
Rocky

 

[SteveG75]

No one pulls a trigger to release bombs.

Wrong.

Pilot pulls the trigger in the A-6E Intruder to signal to the computer to release the weapons at the release point when using the system to bomb. The pickle is used for manual releases.

 

[CWJones411]

+1 for insulting Ohio State

 

[phrogdriver]

It would take about 3 hours, not about 2.5, for an Osprey to fly 900 nm. Also, Ospreys haven't yet worked off CVNs, but on LHDs, they don't taxi to elevators. They can taxi from spot to spot, but they get towed to the el.

As an aside, it seems as if there's a disproportionate number of female Marines in the story, relative to their representation in the Corps. Deliberate dramatic decision?

 

[marinegrunt]

THanks for the comments so far. As you can see, I don't have much of a clue about the air side of the house. I just was PM'd from a middie that the Navy won't even be using Raptors, so I blew that pretty bad.

I thought about the Marine male/female ratio, and I decided that to support one storyline, I needed to increase the ratio a little.

And really excuse my ignorance, but I have heard the phrase "pickle." Does that mean drop or does it mean when the bomb hits the target?

I look forward to all input. I have gotten some good embassy MSG input as well as some aviation input, but I need more. I don't want what I think is a half-way decent yarn to be pulled down by inaccuracies.

 

[FLYTPAY]

THanks for the comments so far. As you can see, I don't have much of a clue about the air side of the house. I just was PM'd from a middie that the Navy won't even be using Raptors, so I blew that pretty bad.

I thought about the Marine male/female ratio, and I decided that to support one storyline, I needed to increase the ratio a little.

And really excuse my ignorance, but I have heard the phrase "pickle." Does that mean drop or does it mean when the bomb hits the target?

I look forward to all input. I have gotten some good embassy MSG input as well as some aviation input, but I need more. I don't want what I think is a half-way decent yarn to be pulled down by inaccuracies.

If you make it a Hornet, instead of the F-22 or F-35.....you make it alot more believable and not "sci-fi" like the stupid movies we make fun of around here. If I were writing a novel, I would want it to be something that could be easily made into a screenplay and is somewhat believable and not futuristic.

 

[marinegrunt]

If you make it a Hornet, instead of the F-22 or F-35.....you make it alot more believable and not "sci-fi" like the stupid movies we make fun of around here. If I were writing a novel, I would want it to be something that could be easily made into a screenplay and is somewhat believable and not futuristic.

Would the Hornet be flying in about 20 years? If so, that would probably be a good change.

 

[phrogdriver]

The Super Hornet (F/A-18 E/F) will.

 

[marinegrunt]

The Super Hornet (F/A-18 E/F) will.

Looks like we have a winner then!

Would this be the two or one-seat version, do you think?

And if this should be a two-seater, anyone who could give me a reasonable pilot/NFO dialogue for releasing ordinance, that would be truly appreciated.

 

[sanders]

F is a 2 seater, E is single seat. The F-35 is another fighter that might fit into your category and I would bet that the Marines, Navy, and AF will all still be using it in 20+ years

 

[KCOTT]

-1 for making fun of my alma mater

Just kidding. But is realistic though, I always emphasis the "THE" in "THE Ohio State University" because there are many branch locations and it is absolutely important as a Buckeye to distinguish the main campus in Columbus. Even when I'm filling out forms, I always capitalize "THE"