tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4581529699221437110.post2275768588432755900..comments2024-03-22T06:56:26.797-04:00Comments on U.S. Navy Aircraft History: Night Carrier Landings - In the BeginningTailspinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17837863895661437038noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4581529699221437110.post-80594909198158504322016-11-22T03:31:23.391-05:002016-11-22T03:31:23.391-05:00To Frank Bonansinga - RIP - Frank flew in VC-33 NA...To Frank Bonansinga - RIP - Frank flew in VC-33 NAS Atlantic City, and a good friend of Jerry Walterskirchen, and Jim Patton, both duly departed from this good Earth to the Heaven they so well deserve - having survived the rigors of carrier night landings in excellent shape! Frank used to send me the most beautiful pictures of the hummingbirds who visited his house and feeders near Palm Springs, I think it was. I flew in VC-4 NAS Atlantic City from about August 1951 to December 1953 after our team returned from Korea on the Lake Champlain. From the pilot's standpoint, we followed the LSO's paddles, and flew instrument approaches most of the time, allowing steady, safe approaches in all weather conditions, Never worried about the "approach light setting" as the engineers were par excellance in this respect! LSO's always brought us in at enough speed so we didn't stall out after the cut, in which a too-slow cut speed would allow the right wing to drop on cut, sometimes wiping out the right gear, and prop. Always figured our LSO's were somehow gifted by the ANGELS! Unbelievable people! Good article - nice to see such interest in the technicalities of the old F4U's! Amazing who one bumps into on the "Net! Frank's been gone two, three years, now.John Williamshttp://webmail.loxinfo.co.th/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4581529699221437110.post-72123992712668762132012-10-26T15:08:27.049-04:002012-10-26T15:08:27.049-04:00Hi Tommy,
Here's the approach light adjustmen...Hi Tommy,<br /><br />Here's the approach light adjustment procedure for the F4U-5 installation, simple requiring only a screwdriver. From the F4U-5 E&M AN 01-45HD-2:<br /><br />"The following procedure is used in adjusting the approach light. With the aircraft in a three-point attitude, the observer positions himself directly in front of and facing the approach light, at the same time adjusting his distance ahead of the airplane so that he lines up the upper surface of the left stabilizer with the leading edge of the of the gull section of the wing. Moving his head vertically, the observer sees the AMBER position of the approach light just as the left stabilizer drops from view below the gull wing upper skin. This indicates a properly adjusted approach light. If the approach light is improperly adjusted, the beam angle may be changed by turning a screwdriver adjustment under the light which is accessible through a hole in the bottom wing surface." <br /><br />DonDon Fentonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4581529699221437110.post-79723179225947585292012-06-05T14:22:45.036-04:002012-06-05T14:22:45.036-04:00Flew from 1949 to `1955 on two tours in VC33 a nig...Flew from 1949 to `1955 on two tours in VC33 a night AD4N and 5N outfit making 4 extended cruises. Checked out as LSO waving at night. We used christmas tree lighted suites and IR reflective suits. The paddles were reflective strips on the paddles and we also hand held two flourescent lights as paddles.<br /><br />The night angle of attack lights weren't relyed on at night that often.<br /><br /> We could pick up the LSO signals around the 90 on a good night. It worked and my 61 night landings were all with an LSO and no meat ball glide slope. Excellent article. The new guys have it easy.<br /><br />One of the blessings making night carrier landings on a pitching and rolling deck at night was we couldn't tell it and left the cut to the LSO and didn't try to chase the deck. <br /> <br /><br />frank bonansinga naval aviator Norfolk and Atlantic City in VC33.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4581529699221437110.post-1729407785297121912012-05-06T20:09:34.237-04:002012-05-06T20:09:34.237-04:00Good question, but I took the picture myself so I ...Good question, but I took the picture myself so I know it's oriented correctly. The wing was folded allowing easy access for the photo. At this point, I'm not sure that the lenses are upside down. They are correctly oriented as shown in the F3D maintenance manual illustration. The question is, when did red indicate fast as opposed to slow?Tailspinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17837863895661437038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4581529699221437110.post-8130215395583429302012-05-06T19:44:33.122-04:002012-05-06T19:44:33.122-04:00In the pic with the lens mounted upside down.
Are...In the pic with the lens mounted upside down.<br /><br />Are we certain the picture isn't mirrored or upside down?<br /><br />That sure looks like a right wing root not the left where the diagrams and schematics show it.Angus McThaghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09295013525738248801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4581529699221437110.post-4309369049738235512012-05-03T12:59:55.863-04:002012-05-03T12:59:55.863-04:00This was good before the revision, but afterwards ...This was good before the revision, but afterwards it's a lot easier to understand for a layman. Thanks so much!Logan Hartkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02000102256542356633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4581529699221437110.post-61138590801340918122012-04-29T17:31:09.228-04:002012-04-29T17:31:09.228-04:00Very informative blog, thank's for sharing.Very informative blog, thank's for sharing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4581529699221437110.post-45380190049929037012012-04-21T13:54:28.202-04:002012-04-21T13:54:28.202-04:00Cool. I learn something every time I visit this b...Cool. I learn something every time I visit this blog!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com