The Great, Constantly Changing Picture Gallery

[A4sForever]

So after completing jet training in the TA-4... you still had to go through the A-4 RAG?

Affirm.

It was called the "Instrument RAG" in its pre-Adversary days ... it was more "intensive" than the TRACOM -- for instance, it was the first time you took off in the aircraft under the bag from zero airspeed to trying to level off and transition to maintain 250 KIAS on SID Seawolf ... complete w/tons of GCA's and non-precisions @ San Clemente, Miramar, NORIS, and potentially any and all Navy, Marine, and Air Force fields in California.

No real syllabus as such that I can remember ... you just kinda' did what everyone else was doing or what your Instructor of the day felt like doing.

*edit* ... both TA-4 and TF-9 newly winged Aviators went through TA-4's in the VF-126 "Instrument RAG", NOT the A-4 RAG up in Lemoore ... obviously, the transition was a little easier on the former TA-4 STUDs as we'd accumulated @ 100 hours in type by the time we showed up. I know there were always exceptions, good-bad-and ugly .... but the former Cougar drivers had more "trouble" in my class and tended to get a few extra times. No downs ... just some more time, mainly for proficiency.

 

[BigIron]

Christmas buffoonery.....

Happy Holidays.

photo by BI

 

[Catmando]

Affirm.

*edit* ... both TA-4 and TF-9 newly winged Aviators went through TA-4's in the VF-126 "Instrument RAG", NOT the A-4 RAG up in Lemoore ... obviously, the transition was a little easier on the former TA-4 STUDs as we'd accumulated @ 100 hours in type by the time we showed up. I know there were always exceptions, good-bad-and ugly .... but the former Cougar drivers had more "trouble" in my class and tended to get a few extra times. No downs ... just some more time, mainly for proficiency.

Well this former VT-24 Cougar driver (TAF9Js/AF9Js)

fortunately never had "more trouble" (that he knew of :sleep_125 ) much less any trouble in VF-126, except maybe for one flight....

We launched on an NKX Woodson departure to the North, ITO with me under the bag in the back. Soon lost my RMDI, or whatever they called it. My instructor said, "Just continue the flight, partial panel using the wet compass." Thinking I could hack it, I tried that foolish recommendation under the bag for awhile (far too long for my liking!) before I finally cried "uncle" and he/we both decided to just land and go to the club!

A check of my logbook reveals 14 instrument flights in TA-4F in 18 days with VF-126, prior to my starting the F-4 RAG.

Don't know if that was a lot, a little, or just fleet average. But they did have great guys, a tight unit, and I had a lot of fun there.... except for that one partial panel flight.

 

[A4sForever]

Well this former VT-24 Cougar driver (TAF9Js/AF9Js)

fortunately never had "more trouble" (that he knew of :sleep_125 ) much less any trouble in VF-126, except maybe for one flight....

We launched on an NKX Woodson departure to the North, ITO with me under the bag in the back. Soon lost my RMDI, or whatever they called it. My instructor said, "Just continue the flight, partial panel using the wet compass." Thinking I could hack it, I tried that foolish recommendation under the bag for awhile (far too long for my liking!) before I finally cried "uncle" and he/we both decided to just land and go to the club!

A check of my logbook reveals 14 instrument flights in TA-4F in 18 days with VF-126, prior to my starting the F-4 RAG.

Don't know if that was a lot, a little, or just fleet average. But they did have great guys, a tight unit, and I had a lot of fun there.... except for that one partial panel flight.

But you see ... the fact that you didn't have "any trouble" -- "that he (you) knew of" -- was part of the beauty of -126. One was oblivious to the fact one was constantly "in trouble" .... and you didn't even know it.

I, however, did dashingly well in -126 AND I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IT!!! Life is strange, yea-as ...

Partial panel??

Easy ... just take a peek out under the bag. What's that saying?? "ONE PEEK IS WORTH A THOUSAND SCANS ... ???"

But seriously, anytime that you and the Instructor repair to the O'Club bar for a debrief ... you're doin' at LEAST "Fleet Average", Bruddah.

 

[exhelodrvr]

But you see ... the fact that you didn't have "any trouble" -- "that he (you) knew of" -- was part of the beauty of -126. One was oblivious to the fact one was constantly "in trouble" .... and you didn't even know it.

I, however, did dashingly well in -126 AND I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IT!!! Life is strange, yea-as ...

Partial panel??

Easy ... just take a peek out under the bag. What's that saying?? "ONE PEEK IS WORTH A THOUSAND SCANS ... ???"

But seriously, anytime that you and the Instructor repair to the O'Club bar for a debrief ... you're doin' at LEAST "Fleet Average", Bruddah.

"Easy ... just take a peek out under the bag. What's that saying?? "ONE PEEK IS WORTH A THOUSAND SCANS ... ???" "

I found out by accident that the same logic applies to wearing black-out goggles with a scratch in the "black out" when you are going through the helo dunker.

 

[HeyJoe]

Well this former VT-24 Cougar driver (TAF9Js/AF9Js) fortunately never had "more trouble" (that he knew of :sleep_125 ) much less any trouble in VF-126, except maybe for one flight....

A check of my logbook reveals 14 instrument flights in TA-4F in 18 days with VF-126, prior to my starting the F-4 RAG.

Don't know if that was a lot, a little, or just fleet average. But they did have great guys, a tight unit, and I had a lot of fun there.... except for that one partial panel flight.

The so-called Instrument RAGs were also ready and willing to take on the Adversary Mission when DACT became so crucial to training F-4 Aircrews how to deal with nimble Soviet designs. They eventually evolved almost totally into that mission and picked up single seat A-4s and better engines (P408 variant of J52) as well as adopting tactical paint schemes reflecting the threats they emulated.

VF-126 flightline in 1992

HJ Photo

 

[loadtoad]

Sent to me from my CE buddy down at NAS Key West. He said he pulled it off a shared drive.

 

[HeyJoe]

Prowler with some knots on

081217-N-7571S-001 GULF OF OMAN (Dec. 17, 2008) Cmdr. David J. Bryson, commanding officer of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 141, performs a salute pass over the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) at the conclusion of his in-air change of command ceremony. Theodore Roosevelt and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8 are conducting operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jonathan Snyder (Released)

 

[HeyJoe]

Nice paint scheme

081217-N-3931M-394 INDIAN OCEAN (Dec. 17, 2008) An SH-60 Sea Hawk receives supplies from the fleet replenishment oiler USNS Tippecanoe (T-AO 199) to transport to the guided missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf (CG 72) during a vertical replenishment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Michael R. McCormick/Released)

 

[HeyJoe]

Anyone we know?

Orange and white helos on parade at Whiting

081216-N-2101W-003 MILTON, Fla. (Dec. 16, 2008) A TH-57 Sea Ranger helicopter taxis down the flight line preparing for a routine training flight at Naval Air Station Whiting Field. (U.S. Navy photo by Alan Warner/Released)

 

[HeyJoe]

Helo Trainer at Whiting

081216-N-2101W-001 MILTON, Fla. (Dec. 16, 2008) Ensign Nathan Malnati, assigned to Helicopter Training Squadron (HT) 8, takes ahold of the controls preparing for his flight in the TH-57 helicopter simulator at Naval Air Station Whiting Field. Malnati hopes to serve with a helicopter sea combat squadron upon graduation this spring. U.S. Navy photo by Alan Warner (Released)

 

[HeyJoe]

Iwo Jima ESG Helos in action

080830-N-4236E-091 ATLANTIC OCEAN (Aug. 30, 2008) Aviation Boatswain's Mate Handling 3rd Class Lataf Bush waits to launch an AH-1W Cobra from Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMM) 264, while an SH-60B from Anti-Submarine Helicopter Squadron Light (HSL) 42 flies by the multi-purpose amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7). Iwo Jima, the flagship of the Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group, is on a scheduled deployment en route to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility supporting maritime security operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Chad R. Erdmann/Released)

 

[HeyJoe]

081218-N-8822R-011 GULF OF OMAN (December 18, 2008) An SH-60F Sea Hawk assigned to the "Tridents" of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 3 transports supplies to the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) during a replenishment at sea with the Military Sealift Command USNS Supply (TAO-E 6). Theodore Roosevelt and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8 are conducting operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility and are focused on reassuring regional partners of the United States' commitment to security, which promotes stability and global prosperity (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Antwjuan Richards-Jamison

 

[HeyJoe]

Airborne Change of Command for HS-3

081218-N-7571S-104 GULF OF OMAN (Dec. 18, 2008) Cmdr. Scott "Scotty High" Starkey, foreground, lands an SH-60F Sea Hawk, as Cmdr. Mark "Bad Andy" Truluck prepares to land an SH-60F Sea Hawk on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) after in-air change of command ceremony. Starkey relieved Truluck as commanding officer of the "Tridents" of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 3. Theodore Roosevelt and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8 are conducting operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility and are focused on reassuring regional partners of the United States' commitment to security, which promotes stability and global prosperity. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jonathan Snyder)

Preflight before change of command

After the fact

U.S. Navy photos by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jonathan Snyder

 

[Old R.O.]

WW II UAVs

And you thought that UAVs were a modern thing...

In August 1940, the U.S. Army Air Corps issued a requirement for a small radio-controlled aircraft for use as a target for anti-aircraft gunnery practice. Culver submitted a drone variant of their Cadet LFA sports plane, which was subsequently ordered by the USAAC in two versions, the A-8 powered by a Franklin O-200 piston engine, and the A-8A with a more powerful Lycoming O-290. In June 1941, the A-for-Aerial Target category was dropped because of possible confusion with the A-for-Attack series. The A-8 and A-8A became the PQ-8 and PQ-8A, respectively, and the prototype of the Cadet target was designated as XPQ-8. The PQ category designated targets with a provision for manned flight, and because PQ-8 was the first allocation in the series, numbers PQ-1 through -7 were unassigned.
The PQ-8 had a non-retractable tricycle landing gear, and could be flown by an on-board pilot for ferry or check-out flights. As an unmanned drone, it was visually tracked, and remotely controlled by a relatively simple radio-command system.
Culver produced 200 each of the PQ-8 and PQ-8A targets. The U.S. Navy evaluated a single PQ-8 as XTDC-1 and a single PQ-8A as XTDC-2, followed by production of 200 TDC-2 drones. The production run of the Cadet was relatively limited, because it was soon superseded by the larger and more powerful PQ-14/TD2C series.
After the war, most surviving Cadet targets were sold as surplus and flown as small recreational planes.
Here a piloted VJ-11 TDC-2 target drone, based at NAS Santa Ana, Calif., cruises over Orange County on a 1945 training flight with a Douglas SBD-5 control plane.