That was quite commonplace, starting @ 45+ years ago ... the only problem was -- every time I wanted a ride, the recruiter was AWOL ... so me & 3-4 other guys went to NAS Sand Point and flew THIS w/ our 'wild man' terminal O-4 Frosh Instructor:
Up & over the top of MT Rainier ... and then rollin' it over & down the other side ... ????
DEFINITELY good times ... 
A4S: The UC-45J "Bugsmasher" was still used in 1966 to teach SNFOs basic air navigation & radio procedures. Like the S-2 & other Navy prop a/c of the time, it launched, cruised & stalled around 120kts. Somehow, after a Bugsmasher flight, you just didn't feel you were a step away from the fleet. True Story: My squadron kept a permanent det in Tan Son Nhut & DaNang. We wanted/needed some PAO footage for the homefolks & media back home. So I went to the NavSuppAct in Saigon & found a combat cameraman who agreed to shoot some air-to-air footage of our a/c in action. We used the SuppAct's duty admin plane for the work. The aircraft? The UC-45J w/ the CC hanging out the side door (strapped to inside of a/c). We were over the Mekong Delta area & near & below us was an AF C-123 spraying "Agent Orange" over the jungle. I'm in the right seat w/ the pilot & after shooting is finished he lets me bring the a/c back to TSN. As we enter downwind about to turn final, he looks at me & asks "Do you want to make the landing?" I yell "hell, no, I'm an NFO". I was wearing glasses, FCOL. You can't make this shit up.
