Now that's impressive....

[Harrier Dude]

I don't think you'd actually be able to land on the wrong carrier. I think if it looked like you were trying they might shoot you down

It has happened. I heard many WWII stories about it, and even 1 from Desert Storm on CVs. Also during Desert Storm some MEU AV-8Bs landed on the Harrier Carrier by mistake. Needless to say their jets were covered in zappers by the time they were launched back to their boat.

During OIF 1, with 6 big deck amphibs (2 being dedicated Harrier Carriers) working in the same general area, I would religiously crosscheck tacan, radar, and flir (zooming in on the island number) prior to recovery to make sure I didn't become "That Guy".

 

[Catmando]

Thank you, Catmando, can we have another, pretty please, with sprinkles on top?

OK. Here goes:

Well, there I was . . . . flat on my back, out of airspeed and ideas when . . . .

Hey! Wait a minute. It's A4's turn for a Sea Story. I like his Sea Stories better anyway. A4's?

(Tap, Tap, and pointing to you, A4's.) You've got the lead .

 

[Catmando]

It has happened. I heard many WWII stories about it, and even 1 from Desert Storm on CVs. Also during Desert Storm some MEU AV-8Bs landed on the Harrier Carrier by mistake. Needless to say their jets were covered in zappers by the time they were launched back to their boat.

I remeber it happening occasionally, too. The errant aircraft were always "zapped" and "re-painted."

I even remembering hearing of an Air Boss trying to "deke" another ship's F-4 onto his deck. The pilot finally realized his mistake, in-close, and took his own wave-off. Fortunately, he had enough gas to go find his own carrier.

 

[HeyJoe]

Is that a Bear? What the heck is that thing doing there?

Say what? Bears just didn't try to get close to carriers, they flew from USSR to Cuba once a week and got the whole East Coast launching alert aircraft to escort them. There goal was to make us look bad, our goal was to intercept them as far away as possible (NLessT 200 miles form carrier). We did multiple 1,000 mile intercepts in 80s just to show them we could take them out before they got close. Alert 5 launches when "Bears where in the air" were the s__...pylon turn off cat and do whatever it took to get there, all the gas you needed guaranteed (thanks A4s).

Photo by HJ

 

[onedge]

My oh my that bear is a Biiiiiigggg Bi*ch!!

 

[HeyJoe]

Wrong Carrier???

I don't think you'd actually be able to land on the wrong carrier. I think if it looked like you were trying they might shoot you down

Say what Chapter II?

It has happened more than once....woe upon the poor souls who have misfortune to mistake another "bird farm" for their own...forget about if it looked like you were trying they might shoot you down More like, they'd sit and wait hoping you wouldn't realize your mistake as it is a great coup to capture someone else's aircraft. We had a LCDR lead his flight back to wrong carrier in Desert Storm and the Saratoga eagerly took his A-7 aboard rubbing their hands in glee. As the hapless soul taxied out of the gear, he wondered what all the Hornets were doing on the Kennedy (Kennedy operated A-7s as sole light attack platform whereas Sara had Hornets). He then realized to his horror what had happened. His wingman realized what had happened and took his own waveoff leaving his flight lead to his fate. After later returning to Kennedy with well wishes and grafitti form the Sara sailors, he hoped the incident would be forgotten. When the war was over and we had our Foc'sle Follies, the Sara CAG joined us as a surprise guest and awarded him a Sara 1 Trap patch.

 

[HeyJoe]

My oh mythat bear is a Biiiiiigggg Bi*ch!!

And those double turboprops could be heard in our cockpit a long way off...can't imagine what they were like inside the Bear. Here's another classic..the Mya-4 Bison (rare encounter in '82, so rare the first Tomcat crew couldn't figure out what they were escorting)

Photo and ID by HJ

 

[Birdman]

Say what Chapter II?

It has happened more than once....woe upon the poor souls who have misfortune to mistake another "bird farm" for their own...forget about if it looked like you were trying they might shoot you down More like, they'd sit and wait hoping you wouldn't realize your mistake as it is a great coup to capture someone else's aircraft. We had a LCDR lead his flight back to wrong carrier in Desert Storm and the Saratoga eagerly took his A-7 aboard rubbing their hands in glee. As the hapless soul taxied out of the gear, he wondered what all the Hornets were doing on the Kennedy (Kennedy operated A-7s as sole light attack platform whereas Sara had Hornets). He then realized to his horror what had happened. His wingman realized what had happened and took his own waveoff leaving his flight lead to his fate. After later returning to Kennedy with well wishes and grafitti form the Sara sailors, he hoped the incident would be forgotten. When the war was over and we had our Foc'sle Follies, the Sara CAG joined us as a surprise guest and awarded him a Sara 1 Trap patch.

This makes it sound as though he landed on the wrong carrier, but on the same side. I meant if you tried to land on a sovet carrier from the story he told

 

[Schnugg]

And those double turboprops could be heard in our cockpit a long way off...can't imagine what they were like inside the Bear. Here's another classic..the Mya-4 Bison (rare encounter in '82, so rare the first Tomcat crew couldn't figure out what they were escorting)

Photo and ID by HJ

So true...they made quite a rumble at altitude. Actually got our vertical tails in their propwash once...it'll shake you up a bit.
I have a picture at home on the wall of a gomer n the back of a Bear taking my picture with a brownie-like camera...as I took his...:icon_wink

 

[Brett327]

Actually got our vertical tails in their propwash once...it'll shake you up a bit.

You're just lucky that it didn't develop into a flat spin, heading out to sea.

Brett

 

[NavyLonghorn]

Engine ones out, Engines twos out. ****.

 

[nittany03]

You're just lucky that it didn't develop into a flat spin, heading out to sea.

Brett

Aww, come on, Everyone knows how easy the departure/spin procedure is in the Tomcat. Just randomly flail the controls and yell over ICS, right?:icon_tong

 

[Tex_Hill]

My oh my that bear is a Biiiiiigggg Bi*ch!!

If I'm not mistaken, the Bear design is based on the B-29.

Here's a site that discusses the TU-95's design: http://www.ausairpower.net/Profile-Tupolev-Bear.html

 

[JIMC5499]

*Sigh* ... the 'Hawk is my ship .... at least one of 'em. Good to see the old girl is still the centerpiece ....

When were you on the Shi**y Kitty A4s? My cousin was an Air Controller on her in 68.

 

[Fly Navy]

If I'm not mistaken, the Bear design is based on the B-29.

That would have been the Tu-4... virtually an identical copy of the B-29. The Bear is very different.