I am glad to see that there are nearly 200 year old people here. I was setting on a mountain when the crust cooled. Just me and one other old guy (and GOD). There were few other life forms. We moved land masses for amusement. Do not think that GOD cares about politics. He is busy...

Hi, BP. Yoli here.

When I first saw your avatar I thought the airplane looked vaguely familiar.

Soooooo...I did some snooping within the family and found that, indeed, a married-in member, my older aunt's hubby, had served in a similar plane when he was a pilot in the US Navy. When I was in college I'd seen pics in his old album from his Navy days. He's a retired Commander, BTW, the same as a Lt.Col in the other branches, right?

He E-mailed me some of the pics and told me that his plane was a Douglas A3D...right? He said if it was an Air Force version plane it would be called a B-66 and would have looked a little different in the cockpit area.

He even has some films, transferred to VHS, of him and his friends flying them on and off a carrier; "The Big Gray Boat", as he calls it, and getting into some mischief during a war...Viet Nam, I think.

I love airplanes but hate to fly except in private planes...NO terrorists on those!

Have a super day.

Yoli

AKA Yolanda, The Crazy Girl In Once-Wonderful San Antonio TX.

President and Co-founder, The KKK (Kinky Kastration Koven).

Admiring Empty Baggies Since Age Fourteen Or So.

Yoli,

Your info is correct. The Air Force version (B66) had ejection seats while the navy version did not. Commander is the silver oak leaf and is a Lt. Col. I flew of a 27 Charlie class carrier most of the time waith carrier quals aboard Ranger.

Some of the Navy types also refer to the A3D/B66 as the "whale". Until recently, Raytheon had the last few flying ones operating out of Van Nuys airport. I think they had a total of six. Supposedly, they are used for antenna development and testing although I have my doubts about one that appears to be in original configuration, is painted "air superiority gray" with apparently no markings whatsoever. It occasionally leaves and disappears for a week or so before returning. The one thing you notice about them is that, compared to contemporary jets, they are NOISY. Nice to see them flying though.

The ones from Pt. Mago are "having fun". The J57 is a loud engine, but it could eat ice cubes and still fly. We lost the skipper of Hatron 2 when his whale broke the sound barrier in level flight. The verticle stablizer vanished when Bill slowed to sub-sonic. The airframe was not intended for supersonic flight. The whale was designed to carry "fat boy" nuke. CF are you in CA?

CF are you in CA?

Yes. I used to have an office at the Van Nuys airport. I could walk out the back door and be on the flight line. The whales were based a quarter mile down the line.

Some really strange things occasionally taxied out of that hanger. One of the strangest was an F-117, complete with a tailhook, in Navy markings. I was told that it was just a temporary paint job, for a movie, and that the tailhook was "just a prop". Have you ever seen any movie with an F-117 operating off a carrier in it?

coinflipper_21 (imported) wrote: Thu Mar 20, 2008 11:44 am Yes. I used to have an office at the Van Nuys airport. I could walk out the back door and be on the flight line. The whales were based a quarter mile down the line.

Some really strange things occasionally taxied out of that hanger. One of the strangest was an F-117, complete with a tailhook, in Navy markings. I was told that it was just a temporary paint job, for a movie, and that the tailhook was "just a prop". Have you ever seen any movie with an F-117 operating off a carrier in it?

Rumor has it that that "TAILHOOK" worked similar to one of those $5000.00 "ESCORTS" that New York is so famous for now. It this true?

...I didn't know that they let female bimbos fly those things...

CF,

The tailhook is real and it works. The U2 also had a working tailhook that allowed it to go into other locations. Your government will stop at nothing to protect (it). Private me if you need more data.

GOD Bless the Red White and Blue. Trust no one.

BP

CF,

Bomberpilot (imported) wrote: Thu Mar 20, 2008 9:59 pm The tailhook is real and it works. The U2 also had a working tailhook that allowed it to go into other locations. Your government will stop at nothing to protect (it). Private me if you need more data.

GOD Bless the Red White and Blue. Trust no one.

BP

THANK YOU!

...you are not as DULL as I thought you were. In fact, I think that you are pretty SHARP!