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A little video enjoyment for you all. (Second half soundtrack is better to YHS's ears... nothing ever wrong with a little Jimmi Hendrix).
With Footage from VFA-122's Lt. Darnell "Shaft" Edwards here's a pretty decent video montage of the Rhino in action.
An amazing example of how Tailhookers can help benefit our community is perfectly illustrated by the Colorado Mile High Tailhookers, Grand Junction Ready Room headed up by Kathy 'The Boss' and Hans 'Big Guns' Schmoldt.
Tailhook is about elevating the public knowledge of tactical Naval Aviation, its current development and bringing its storied past to life, through events, articles and photos. But we are also about finding ways to benefit our communities in any way we can.
In the Grand Junction Community there is a young 14 yr. old man, Jordan Jones, bravely facing the daunting disease of Testicular Cancer. The community had a fundraiser for Jordan and Tailhook wanted to help. Word went out and the Tailhookers came. Not only from the local community, but word reached the Cowboys of VMFA-112 who had a cross country planned and thought why not take the opportunity to stop in. As well, some from VX-30 made the stop too.
One of young Jordan's passions is airplanes (who could fault him for such a love?) and one of the best remote FBO's in the Nation is GJT's (Walker Field Grand Junction) West Star Aviation headed up by Doug Thompson (pictured left). Doug is legendary in these parts for not only providing JP for thirsty birds, but for his "Old World" down to earth hospitality, and genuine love for Naval Aviation. Not to mention, Doug KNOWS where the best fly fishing is in Colorado!
Doug and the Cowboys thought it would be a great treat to get Jordan to the field and see some of the Hardware up close. So they did just that, after flying in they made sure Jordan got to see as much of their steeds as he wanted. Jordan was thrilled not to mention Jordan's parents Kim and Jeff Jones.
Afterward, the pilots attended the fundraiser in his honor on Friday the 29th in which 200 to 400 people came. Approximately 20 NASGJT Colorado Mile High Tailhookers attended a welcome reception for the pilots who stopped over in GJ on their way across country.
We in the Tailhook community may not be able to cure that dreadful disease, but we can certainly provide a bit of a thrill to help Jordan know that we do care.
More to come...
Making the rounds today, ran across this over at Instapinch! Provided for those of you who yearn to get back to sea!
I can't wait for the stories of Midway's 35 Degree Roll! or The Coral Maru taking "Blue Water" over the bow! or Ranger Danger's propensity to Dutch Roll herself right out from under yon returning aviator!
Looking for articles, pictures and "There I was tales" good folks, great stories of the Great Blue (Sea and Air) feel free to send them here.
From navynewsstand:
Airman Jacob Larsen holds "Fod," a screech owl that was found on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). The owl was discovered in the left-main wheel well of an F/A 18 Hornet during a pre-flight inspection of the aircraft. Truman and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 are deployed supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Matthew Bookwalter (Released)
Now here's an interesting drag race (of a sort)... No Tailhook required, but still fun for a Friday!
Here's the gist: It is a horizontal vs vertical race. Each have to cover a cumulative 2 miles, up and back (literally for the Eurofighter). The car must accelerate down a mile length of runway, turn around... then hustle back to cross the start-finish line. The Eurofighter... in full blower must accelerate, climb into the vertical clear 5,280 ft(AGL) over the top, point earthward and return to cross the same Start-Finish line at a respectable minimum safe altitude.
Now mind you, the Bugatti is quite the capable car...
The Veyron is the quickest production car to reach 60 mph in approximately 2.46 seconds. This boils down to an average acceleration of 1.18 G.
Performance
Top speed
408.47 km/h (253.81 mph) (average)
0-60 mph (97 km/h) 2.46 seconds0-100 mph (161 km/h) 5.5 seconds
0-150 mph (241 km/h) 9.8 seconds0-200 mph (322 km/h) 24.2 seconds
0-250 mph (402 km/h) 55 secondsStanding quarter-mile 10.2 seconds at 143 mph (230 km/h)
Who wins? Click play and find out. Either way very cool stuff for gearheads and fighter jocks!
From a standing start!
Capt. Mike Manazir traps aboard HIS own carrier, the USS Nimitz, for the 1,000th time in his 27 year naval aviation career!
From his Navy Bio:
Captain Michael C. Manazir, the son of a career Marine Corps officer, graduated from the United States Naval Academy in May 1981 and was designated a Naval Aviator in April 1983. He completed F-14A training and reported for duty to VF-51 as a pilot and Landing Signal Officer (LSO) in July 1984.
Captain Manazir commanded the VF-31 Tomcatters (Jun 1997-Sep 1998) and the USS SACRAMENTO (AOE-1) (Jan 2003-Jul 2004). During his command, the USS SACRAMENTO was awarded the Battle Efficiency award and the CNO Safety Award.
Captain Manazir's other operational tours include VF-51 pilot/LSO (Jul 1984-May 1987), VF-124 Instructor pilot/LSO (Aug 1987-Aug 1989), CVW-11 Staff LSO (Sep 1989-Oct 1991), VF-1 department head (Jan 1992-Jun 1993), VF-31 Executive Officer (Feb 1996-Jun 1997) and USS CARL VINSON (CVN-70) Executive Officer (May 2001-Jan 2003). He has completed nine extended deployments to the Western Pacific and Arabian Gulf and amassed more than 3,000 F-14A/D flight hours and 900 carrier-arrested landings. Captain Manazir has deployed aboard USS CARL VINSON (CVN-70), USS ENTERPRISE (CVN-65), USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN (CVN-72), USS RANGER (CV-61), and USS SACRAMENTO (AOE-1).
Captain Manazir's shore duty assignments include Office of the Secretary of Defense, Aviation Liaison Officer (Jul 1993-Jul 1995); OPNAV Staff F-14 Requirements Officer (Oct 1998-Nov 1999); Navy Nuclear Power Training (Dec 1999-May 2001); Commander, Naval Air Forces Operations and Training Officer (N3/7) (Jul-Dec 2004), then Force Operations and Readiness Officer (N3/4) (Dec 2004-Jul 2006).
Captain Manazir has been awarded three Legions of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, two Meritorious Service Medals, two Strike Flight Air Medals, three Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medals, two Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medals and various unit, service, and campaign awards. Additionally, he was awarded the 1988 VF-124 Instructor Pilot of the Year and the Navy League 1991 Captain "Bug" Roach Golden Paddles Award as CVW-11 Staff LSO for safely recovering an A-6 Intruder with a partially ejected Bombardier/Navigator aboard USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN. [Audio of the Landing]...
Bravo Zulu "Nasty!"
Here was a case where McNamara, I think, expected me to keep the admirals in line. The more I looked into it, the more I became convinced that the matter had reached such an emotional state that even if the F-111B, the Navy version, turned out to be an excellent airplane, and it wasn’t all that good, but even if it did, the Navy still wouldn’t want it.
So I went to McNamara and said, "You may not like it, but it seems to me we have got to face reality here. Congress is turning against this. The Navy doesn’t want it." When I say "the Navy" I am talking about the aviators in the Navy. -- Paul Ignatius, SECNAV, 1967-69
Senator, there isn’t enough power in all of Christendom to make that airplane what we want. -- VADM Tom Connolly testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee (1968)
So now TFX was well and truly dead - the Navy had what it wanted, sort of. It still, however, was faced with the need for a future fighter to replace the F-4, meeting the Fleet Air Superiority needs as originally specified for the F-111B, but also a maneuverable fighter whose requirements were emerging from the lessons-learned by a variety of Navy, Marine and Air Force fighters and crews in the skies over Vietnam. The first of these requirements was the OFR or "Other Fighter Requirements", generated when it first appeared that the F-111B would not be killed and it would have to be accepted for up to one squadron per air wing for a FAD-only mission, leaving a gapped requirement for fighter-escort, close-air support, etc. to be filled by a new aircraft. This was the genisis of the first competition or VFAX for a replacement for the F-111B and successor to the F-4. VFAX by definition would be about the size of the F-4 (in that same weight class) and employ a variable sweep wing, while matching the capability of the F-4 as a fighter and the A-7 as an attack plane. Assuming that the procurement of the F-111B would continue, a CVW would be composed of either 2 + 2 or 1 + 3 (F-111B and VFAX). Not much came of the VFAX although as George Spangenberg noted:
"...the later VFAX was marginal at best, being somewhat less than the A-7 in its attack capability and really no better than an F-4 as a fighter. In the cost effectiveness studies that were done it was rated below an F-4 because the later VFAX was a single-place airplane, while the original was a two-place airplane."
Continue reading "Flightdeck Friday: TFX - A Time for Turkeys (Part III)" »
Yeah... That's gotta be discouraging! The special "Dope on a Rope" delivery method, to a deployed submarine.
From Navy NewsStand:
An SH-60H assigned to the "Indians" of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 6 lowers a member of the aircew onto the guided-missile submarine USS Ohio (SSGN 726) for a personnel transfer. Ohio is on a one-year deployment to the 7th Fleet area of responsibility. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Barry Hirayama (Released)
Well, at least he gets some fresh air for a few minutes.
From USA Today:
Ex-sailor guilty of giving ship details to terror supporters
A former Navy signalman leaked details of ship movements to a Web site that supported al-Qaeda, a federal jury decided today.
Hassan Abu-Jihaad, a U.S.-born Muslim convert from Phoenix, faces up to 25 years in federal prison when he's sentenced May 23. He was stationed aboard the USS Benfold and honorably discharged in 2002.
He was charged with passing classified information that included the makeup of his Navy battle group, its planned movements and a drawing of the group's formation when it was to pass through the dangerous Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf on April 29, 2001, the Associated Press writes. The security breach occurred several months after terrorists in speed boats blew a hole in the USS Cole, killing 17 sailors.
More here: [link]
25 years seems a bit soft for TREASON!... No?
Know anyone?...
From Guest Tailhook Daily Author SJS (and ripped from Lex for ease of reproduction and expediency):
I have received word via VP Navy and Marine Corps Relief Society that ABC’s Extreme Home Makeover program wants to assist one of our Iraq War veterans by totally renovating their home at no expense to the service member. This is an opportunity to identify a most worthy Marine or Navy family who suffered injuries in Iraq/Afghanistan/Arabian Gulf.
The basics are that the selected family must own their home and be able to show producers how the makeover will significantly improve their QOL. Those interested should send a short description of their family story to: castextremehome@gmail.com
Nominations must include:
1. The names and ages of each member of the household
2. A description of the major challenges within the home.
3. Explanation of why this family is deserving, heroic, or a positive role model in their community.
4. Photos of the family and a photo of the home
5. Don’t forget to include a contact phone number.
The application deadline is 13 March 2008. Could be a good deal for someone as could use one. Spread the word.
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