Never flew on/off the CVE Block Island but flew AFs on/off CVE's Siboney,
Kula Gulf, and Gilbert Islands. As I remember, the AF was advertised as the
largest single recip. engine A/C ever.

"Boomerang" wrote in message
...
Prior to Flight Training in '53, I had been a black shoe OOD in USS Block
Island (CVE-106) and had become used to flight ops for a couple of years
involving the AF-2S and AF-2W, each of which had to wiggle and crab even
to taxi by the island they were so big - probably the largest carrier
aircraft in use in those days on the narrowest, shortest CVE decks. As a
result, bringing an SNJ aboard the CVL USS Monterrey seemed like having
deck to spare, but how soon we forget...looking at the video brings it all
back.