THE AIRCRAFT



Every year we have had Aircraft Carriers, we have had a non stop aircraft evolvement, not every aircraft is suitable or adaptable to flying off/on a carrier, some are too heavy, some simply too big, not powerful enouugh, not "tough" enough, or their "purpose" is simply not used or needed, the structure and machinery of the carrier is what it is... it can be modified "only" a little.

Aircraft, on the other hand can be changed, redesigned, hot rodded, and customized to do whatever is needed, there is a long-lengthy testing and trials procedure for aircraft intended to be flown on/off carriers, n

long term weakness/damages to aircraft take time to appear, while there are tough as nail aircraft, many are very frail, fragile.  some new aircraft do not offer enough of an advantage over the old/existing aircraft to even make the upgrade valid.   Specialty fuels, tires, rare parts or high-tech maintenance rituals will not be practical aboard a ship at sea.

Warfare, armament, and "methods" all change, slow speed, high speed, aircraft all have a place, this variety of need shows up in the planes w see aboard our carriers, my era in the service still had need for slow, low flying WW2/Korean war prop planes (AD-A1 "Skyraider"), and yet the F4" Phantom" and F8U "Crusaders" ruled, our A4D-5 "Skyhawk" mosquito/hot rod planes stole the show of universal/multi use, and our two A3D "Whale" bombers were fearsome, helicopters were not an issue for us, but did arrive depart frequently, (like our Grumman COD mail plane).

I you waited around awhile (in 10 year increments), the aircraft rotated over and over right up to what we have aboard today (2023), making each of us "era"sailors telling different tales, about different aircraft and ships ... all from the past.

Like automobiles from 1930-2024, they all have steering wheels, engines, doors, seats, and use fuel, but are quite different... in appearance, purpose, and size, they all have a utility purpose, crash, are dangerous, expensive, and fun.  

The three big design modes our carriers went through of straight deck, angle deck, and super carrier each has unique equipment, operational philosophies, and limitations... again I compare it to our automobiles, of slow, 4-6 cylinder, 6 volt, pre-1955 cars, to the 3 ton monsters with 450 horsepower, before we went back to the smaller SUV of today.

Originally intended to be ground support in shallow waters, the advent of long range missles moved the super carriers to deep drafted blue-water (only) warfare, the need for stealth and obscurity (no lights), yielded to parking lot illumination so far off the coast no one will ever see it. The size differences impacted crew numbers, larger aircraft, the need to not refuel, and the armament technology of the 1980+ 21st Century make life on the flight deck today... very... much different than before the super Carrier.

I can only relate you to the Ticonderoga class carrier of Korea, 'Nam, and before the Nimitz Class (CVA-68) 1980's nukes took over,  served with sailors from Korea and the tail-end of WW2, but, have zero contact with the "new" US Navy that was revised top to bottom after VietNam ended.

This change was HUGE.. it has been so many years since it happened that today, no sailor now in service can relate to what the "old" Navy was... even the 30 year "lifer" of 2023 joined up after this change... it was simply dynamic from uniform, tolerance, mixed sex, customs, regulations of "all" types, routines, job assignments, hours, tactics, objectives, rewards, all changed in almost crazy fashion from how it was in the old guard.

Almost every story I tell, everything I experienced, would not have occurred today, the rhythm, rules, tempo, and atmosphere are "so" different, it is simply not comparable, enjoy your tour here, and be aware the aircraft are as different as the navy itself, and the flattop sailors are today.


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