I recall a landing we completed on USS Enterprise in Tonkin Gulf. (I
was C-1A aircrew). The ship didn't have the 4-wire strung, and there
was terrific wind over the deck. The LSO wasn't real practiced on the
cut lights for aircraft that actually cut the throttles, and he gave
pilot the cut lights just a little too early. We settled to the deck
and coasted to a halt. The pilot actually elected to utilize brakes
instead of waiting to catch the wire. The tail hook barely engaged
the 3 wire. Yellow shirt told me we barely lifted it off of the deck.

Regards,

On Wed, 21 Feb 2007 10:16:39 -0800, "W. D. Allen"
wrote:

Just finished Jim Armstrong's book, "From POW to Blue Angel", about
Commander Dusty Rhodes, who introduced the Blue Angels to jets. Interesting
book, especially for old naval aviators.

But, here's a question for tail hookers of half a century ago. On page 282
Armstrong writes, "...a Twin Beech landed [on the USS Philippine Sea
returning to CONUS from Korea in early 1951] with a welcome COD load...."
I'm guessing he is referring to an SNB. Does anyone know if SNBs were ever
used for COD deliveries on carriers in the early 1950s? If so, were they
reinforced for tailhook landings? I know a C-130 has been landed on a Kitty
Hawk class carrier, but doubt an SNB could be make sturdy enough to do the
same.

Looking forward to some answers from those who know.

WDA

end



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