The Great, Constantly Changing Picture Gallery

[navyao]

Wow! Very cool story A4's. All of us were pretty pissed. All cruise (this one being my first) all we heard about was how the Aussie women love American's and this was the port you had to wear your uniform and then that whole coup thing happened, ugh...I've got a PI made patch on a jacket, I'll try and scan it so you can see it, it's pretty cool. 13days on Banka Station it says.

 

[navyao]

Ok, one more...DCAG-11 flying with a VF-114 RIO. I'm guessing a lot of you will recognize the names on the canopy rail.

 

[badger16]

Thought I'd get in on this and start scanning some of my pics. Here's Vark 111 boltering on Enterprise. If you look close the RIO at least is wearing one of the famous "Pumpkin suits" the Varks wore.

Navy, You got any pictures of those "Pumpkin suits?"

 

[Mumbles]

I know Shnugg owns at least a set or two! He's an old Vark alumn.

 

[zipmartin]

I've got one......and I was an east coast A-7 puke.

 

[jfulginiti]

Some random pics....

 

[jfulginiti]

Some more...

 

[jfulginiti]

More..

 

[jfulginiti]

more...

 

[Mumbles]

jfulg....nice Foxbat pic.

 

[navyao]

VA-94 Shrikes A-7E. This was their last cruise as Echo drivers.

 

[navyao]

One more for today. Blacklion 202 kneels as the waist cat guys wait for the shuttle. I loved seeing the F-14 kneel, she looked very tough and menacing.

 

[navyao]

Ok, one more...Vark 104 & 105 manning up! I worked a lot of night check on this cruise so most of these are from PRI FLY or Vultures Row.

 

[scoolbubba]

One more for today. Blacklion 202 kneels as the waist cat guys wait for the shuttle. I loved seeing the F-14 kneel, she looked very tough and menacing.

What's the reason for the kneel? I've seen it in pics and films, but never figured out why they do it prior to the cat shot. Is it common to all tailhook aircraft or just the tomcat?

 

[jfulginiti]

I think it's just to compress the nose gear strut so the plane doesn't bounce during the stroke. The Prowler did the opposite.... the nose gear strut would fully extend.