Ramp strike F7U Cutlass USS Hancock (0/1)

"Bruce R" wrote in message
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"Greasy Rider" wrote in message
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I received this message today from someone who was the

The ole Cutlass was something else and this particular sequence was on
the Hancock and the pilot was the XO of VF-124 and went over the side
in the cockpit and never survived.The LSO was Ted Reilly and he made
it OK.The hook spotter/talker jumped clear over the rail and was
picked out of the sea OK, later.The other LSO's leaped into the net
and rolled away OK.Seven of the arresting gear people in the catwalk
all escaped with minor injuries.From what info I have the pilot was a
former VP driver and as evidenced he got way behind the power curve to
say the least .



Explain "VP Driver" to me.....


Bruce,

Patrol squadron have designations like VP-2, VP-42, etc. So during
accident's historical timeframe, a VP driver flew multi-engine land based
aircraft like the P2V; or, maybe a seaplane such as a P5M. In other words,
the pilot had transition to an underpowered single piloted fighter from a
plane where looking to the left he saw a row of engines and looking to the
right he saw a row of co-pilots.

Wayne
HP-14 "6F"
http://www.soaridaho.com/Schreder