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Scooters Forever (A-4 Skyhawk Tribute Thread)
- Thread starter ea6bflyr
- Start date
You know ... I just keep giving and giving and giving ... because that's my way. :sleep_125brownshoe said:Back in my day, when I was an ordie in VA-44, Skyhawk pilots like A4's carried a watch like this.
Sorry, I haven't posted in a while, but I just couldn't resist.
Steve
BUT: if it is within the Will of God (you know: THE God, a "god", a glass of beer, or whatever/whomever most of you pray to ...
) that I make the sacrifice ... that I put myself out there to be ridiculed and insulted just because I'm the "mature one" .... you know; to bring a little joy into your otherwise humorless, pedestrian, plebeian lives and what you call an "existence" .... ..... then that is the sacrifice I will gladly make.
Because, as has already been pointed out .... that's my way.
In Memoriam Capt. John (SpineRipper) Waples
John (Spineripper) Waples was killed in a single car accident Wednesday, March 14th, on his farm in Pulaski, TN.
Capt John M Waples was a superlative Naval Aviator and a true Attack Pilot. He started in Spads, transitioned to the Skyhawk, commanded an A-7 squadron, an Airwing on the Ranger, and fleet oiler.
Wapes was one of the greats of Naval Aviation. He had over 1300 traps, over 400 at night, all the hard way, and a bunch of combat missions. May he rest in peace.
John (Spineripper) Waples was killed in a single car accident Wednesday, March 14th, on his farm in Pulaski, TN.
Capt John M Waples was a superlative Naval Aviator and a true Attack Pilot. He started in Spads, transitioned to the Skyhawk, commanded an A-7 squadron, an Airwing on the Ranger, and fleet oiler.
Wapes was one of the greats of Naval Aviation. He had over 1300 traps, over 400 at night, all the hard way, and a bunch of combat missions. May he rest in peace.
Single Seat said:
And then there is Capt "Hook", an epic single seat story who was on his 163rd combat mission flying an A-4 Skyhawk during the Vietnam conflict when he was hit by AAA that severed his right arm at the elbow. He managed to get feet wet and eject and returned to duty for subsequent deployments challenging the conventional notion of disabled aviators. His story is very compelling.
heyjoe said:
I remember reading that, don't remember where. IIRC he had exhausted all options trying to land somewhere (including the ship) and just couldn't make it happen, and punched out next to a destroyer with severe arterial bleeding. Amazing individuals doing extordinary things under horrific circumstances.
Bomb truck.
Yep, VF-45 next door to us at Cecil had a one of these, for what I don't know, but what a plane. It was a "bomb truck", I was lucky enough to see them operate. Heineman designed her... along with a few others, including the "Skyhawk." But the A4 does it for me... What a plane, easy to work on, and a joy to service. (Except when the right wing became oil slicked. Right A4's? Remember?)
What was fun for me was the T-28. We had one in Yuma for spotting during bombing practice. I got to ride back seat a few times, a thrill of my life, being a ground pounder.
Steve
Rasczak said:
Yep, VF-45 next door to us at Cecil had a one of these, for what I don't know, but what a plane. It was a "bomb truck", I was lucky enough to see them operate. Heineman designed her... along with a few others, including the "Skyhawk." But the A4 does it for me... What a plane, easy to work on, and a joy to service. (Except when the right wing became oil slicked. Right A4's? Remember?)
What was fun for me was the T-28. We had one in Yuma for spotting during bombing practice. I got to ride back seat a few times, a thrill of my life, being a ground pounder.
Steve
brownshoe said:
It -- the A-4 wing --- was usually "wet"
... I nearly busted my ass on a TA-4 while having a "hero" moment @ OLF Goliad. I running-jumped from the ramp to the rear of the drop tank to the right wing ... slipping .... three giant steps for mankind .... slipping .... scooted past the flames licking out the intakes... ... along the probe and jumped into the front seat to hit the "coolie hat" and crank the engine while the only guy who would follow me -- a P/C -- hooked up the huffer to provide air for the engine crank in an attempt to "blow" the flames out the tailpipe. We had some kind of post-shutdown JP-vapor fire going on in the intakes .... everyone said the plane "might" have exploded and taken out the line -- 7-8 aircraft. The Commodore happened to be visiting and was in the Goliad tower and witnessed the circus .... thus .... instant "hero". Funny thing is ... I had written this P/C up a couple of months earlier for giving me some shit as I was "new" to the squadron (although fresh from the Fleet) and for being a general all-around smart-ass and "disrespecting an Officer" ... but he WAS sharp, squared away, and good -- and he knew it, AND he WAS a smart ass. So who follows me into the fire ...... ???? Who loves 'ya, baby??? We became fast friends after that incident ....
I got a ride/"fly" in a T-28 as a Middie ... it was GREAT. It was one airplane I wanted to fly, but I never got the chance to stick & throttle it .... to wish, perchance to dream ...
A4sForever said:Actually, I don't have too much to say about the T-28, other than I wish the local Navy flying club owned one and I wish I had flown one ....
When we did the Corpus portion of our Aviation Indoc/USMC summer cruise (the old format for 2/c Middie cruise) we had the opportunity to take a break from PT, sailing, baseball, and marching and go for a ride in the T-28. GREAT STUFF!! I felt just like some SW Pacific WW2 fighter driver in my mind as we rolled over white puffy clouds, dove down to the blue white-capped Gulf, and then flat-hatted across an undeveloped Padre Island. You could do that then .... a man still had to know his limitations, however. I vaguely remember yelling "YAHOOOOOO"!! at the top of my lungs from the sheer exhilaration of the moment, much to the amusement of my "Instructor".
My next up-close exposure to the "Beast" was at Saufley when I was in VT-1 and learning the finer points of the Teenie-Weenie. VT-5 shared the field and spaces. VT-5 was the CQ squadron for prop guys --- those most recently graduated from VT-2 and VT-3 @ Whiting. Both of those squadrons had the T-28 and all the guys slated for prop pipeline went that way.
When they returned to Saufley for CQ with VT-5 the STUDS were "salty" compared to us newbies in the T-34 -- and they knew it and we knew it. No questions were asked -- it was just accepted. We used to watch them taxi out for CQ at Barin Field --- "don't ever go near Barrrrrrrin" was one of our hard, fast course rules --- it must have been a very scary place
Whenever the T-28 came into the break at Saufley (and they did NOT use the T-34 traffic circle!!) they did it @ max speed and snapped it up into nearly a 90 degree AOB break. IMPRESSIVE!!! I used to look up when walking across the ramp and think: "God, I hope I can survive this long enough to do that someday !!" The T-28 drivers; STUDS all, continued to lord it over us in the flight spaces and areas (they had their own flight (ready) room -- off limits to T-34 STUDS) and expecially in the cafeteria. The T-28 drivers always cut ahead of us in line ... "Got a "Charlie time" --- sorry, can't wait for you guys" ... they unzipped their flight suits down to their waist, wore ball caps (!), and sported Ray-Ban Aviator shades --- NO CRAPPY ISSUE SHADES FOR THEM !!!
They were gods .... they knew it .... and all was right in the world.
Wish I could do it again ....
A4sForever said:WRONG!!! WRONG !!! WRONG !!! WRONG !!! WRONG !!! WRONG !!! WRONG !!! WRONG !!!
Everyone who has posted on this thread is Skeeterman. Or a Skeeterman wannabe. Or at least a close relative of Skeeterman ... I know; and soon ...., very soon ... you WILL OUT yourselves .... I ..... know .....(except for me, of course) .
Okay, okay......I admit it, I am a fraud.
In reality I am retired Northwest Captain that never got to live out my dream of flying the best airplane ever to grace the skies, Heinemann's Hot Rod, the A-4 Skyhawk. So I just sit here in my house in the Northwest with nothing but time on my hands to haunt this site and satisfy my strange fixation for cigars and limes
I am sorry that this had to come out now.........speaking of coming out...........Smiles in effect.........
I bet he flies for Mesaba in a Sabb 340 too...Flash said:Okay, okay......I admit it, I am a fraud.
So I just sit here in my house in the Northwest with nothing but time on my hands to haunt this site and satisfy my strange fixation for cigars and limes
Smiles in effect.........
That guy sounds like a STUD !!! Wish I could "live the dream" as well ...Flash said:Okay, okay......I admit it, a .... retired .. Captain ...... live out my dream of flying the best airplane ever to grace the skies, Heinemann's Hot Rod, the A-4 Skyhawk. ..... So I just sit here in my house .....and satisfy my strange fixation for cigars and limes
AW's smiles IN effect as well :
Here's a couple of pics of 155031 in it's later life at VF-126:
http://www.skyhawk.org/5e/g154970/html/155031c.htm
http://www.skyhawk.org/5e/g154970/html/155017c.htm
Just out of curiosity, what's the interest in the specific BuNo while it was in the Bulldogs?
V/R, Spike
http://www.skyhawk.org/5e/g154970/html/155031c.htm
http://www.skyhawk.org/5e/g154970/html/155017c.htm
Just out of curiosity, what's the interest in the specific BuNo while it was in the Bulldogs?
V/R, Spike