Woody,
149484, a KA-6D, January 1990.
For what it's worth -
According to my A-6A/B/C NATOPS, at that time (1974) 149484 was "not in
fleet use" and not even a A, B or C. A number of its production-mates were
/ were being converted to EA-6As at the time, so it's possible that this one
was sitting around at Grumman, in mod to become queer or in reserve. BTW,
149484 was No. 18 off the A-6 production line at Grumman. At that time all
of the EA-6As were conversions from among the first ~90 straight As
produced.
The "seniormost" A-6 in my logbook is 149950 (No. 36 off the production
line), an AFC 200 A-6A at the time. Flew it first in 1972 as a FRBN in
VA-128, who then foisted it onto we Lizards for our 1973 cruise.
Even weirder to think I'm now flying them against guys who graduated
college in 2000.
Curt Seth, an LCDR on AIRPAC staff is screening for command. He was a
little kid running around in his Dad Roy's yard on the Rock when Roy and I
were Lizards together. When the kids of your shipmates are screening for
(and getting) command, you tend to look in the mirror just a bit longer.
Can't impress these kids because most of them don't know anything smaller
than KITTY HAWK class.
I have a slightly different take on this. My Dad, a Naval aviator from
1940 - 1965, and Mom attend Tailhook every year. He runs around the exhibit
area wearing a F-4U sweatshirt. It's a sure-fire conversation-starter. He
finds the "kids" as interested in that era of Naval aviation as he is in
what's currently happening with them.
One of the more poignant things at each year's Tailhook Reunion Luncheon are
the recognition awards for the old-timers, including "most straight-deck
traps" and "earliest date of designation," among others. Most of these guys
can still taxi under their own power, too, which is remarkable since they're
all in their 80s - early 90s. THAT'S impressive!
Owl sends.
--
Mike Kanze
"I never hated a man enough to give his diamonds back."
- Zsa Zsa Gabor
"Doug "Woody" and Erin Beal" wrote in message
...
On 12/1/03 1:05 PM, in article , "Mike
Kanze" wrote:
Woody,
What is "old?"
1) You don't know what "old" is (or feels) until you see a bird whose
BuNo
adorns several of your logbook entries sitting in a museum somewhere.
In my
case: KA-6D, BuNo 152910, now sitting forlornly in the back lot of the
Western Aerospace Museum at Oakland airport. Just a bunch of aluminum
held
together by a bazillion coats of paint. Tanker package still installed,
though.
2) When I went through VT-10 as a SNFO in 1969, the flight syllabus
consisted of several low-level visual nav hops about the south Alabama
countryside in the squadron's fleet of venerable C-45 / SNB
"Bugsmashers."
The VT-10 CO had the following painted above the pax hatch on each of
these
birds: "NFO Trainer - Built 194X," with the "X" variable indicating the
exact year of manufacture.
Oldest "Secret Navy Bomber" in his fleet was one built during the third
Roosevelt administration. All of these tired birds were older that the
students using them, and in many cases, the instructors teaching in them
too. The Skipper always made sure that this fact was explained to each
visiting Poo-Bah - especially anyone from Washington or having anything
to
do with Naval appropriations.
Owl sends.
Owl,
What a hoot! (No pun intended.) And no question... You'll always be
older
than me. |:-) But I have some old airplanes too...
149484, a KA-6D, January 1990. The airframe was estimated to be 28 years
old back then. It was still older than me. I think it's a reef now. Got
lots of hops in the one on the stick in Grand Junction too. It used to be
a
China Lake bird. Got time in several 149 BUNO A-6E's when I was a FRP in
VA-128. I'm sure we've got time in the same jets. Scary, huh.
You get the picture. The cycle repeats itself.
Now I read that the Hornet just turned 25? Struck me as ironic that I
can't
get away from old jets (162 series BUNO's in Lot 8's now). Even weirder
to
think I'm now flying them against guys who graduated college in 2000.
Parading my stories of night Intruder traps on LEXINGTON in front of them
wouldn't even be sport any more. Can't impress these kids because most of
them don't know anything smaller than KITTY HAWK class.
--Woody