Aircraft carrier landings
Discussion
I think in the modern world a lot of the really tricky aspects of getting down onto a deck can be done by on board systems. However, getting something like any World War 2 era aircraft onto a World War 2 era carrier - especially a small escort carrier must have been a real challenge - even for those who had done it many times.
And the big jets of the 60s and 70s must have been really dicey.
At the end of the Vietnam War, a number of Vietnamese Air Force pilots who had never landed on a ship before were able to get small aircraft like the Cessna O-1 Bird Dog onto the deck safely.
And the big jets of the 60s and 70s must have been really dicey.
At the end of the Vietnam War, a number of Vietnamese Air Force pilots who had never landed on a ship before were able to get small aircraft like the Cessna O-1 Bird Dog onto the deck safely.
Wacky Racer said:
Slightly off topic, but my (late) dad worked as a young fitter on HMS Formidable in the Pacific between 1942-5, and worked on Fairy Swordfish, Albacores etc, and left me these photographs...
He is on the far left of the bottom photograph.
ref. the top picture, I take it the really skilled lads landed last, there's barely any space left for them
The second episode of 'Sailor' from 1976:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YPpAR1Swok
shows some RAF pilots landing Buccaneers for the first time on a flight deck. It seems the technique is to let them have multiple goes being 'talked down' onto the wire. Some with more success than others.
I guess the basic technique is exactly the same as a runway landing - find the touch-down point and fly down onto it. But the margins for error are much lower and you don't have the pyschological reassurance of having excess space to play with if you misjudge it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YPpAR1Swok
shows some RAF pilots landing Buccaneers for the first time on a flight deck. It seems the technique is to let them have multiple goes being 'talked down' onto the wire. Some with more success than others.
I guess the basic technique is exactly the same as a runway landing - find the touch-down point and fly down onto it. But the margins for error are much lower and you don't have the pyschological reassurance of having excess space to play with if you misjudge it.
In WW2, during the evacuation of Norway, RAF pilots landed non-hook equipped Hurricanes onto HMS Glorious. (Unfortunately the carrier was sunk before they got home)
https://www.historytoday.com/philip-weir/hms-glori...
https://www.historytoday.com/philip-weir/hms-glori...
2xChevrons said:
The second episode of 'Sailor' from 1976:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YPpAR1Swok
shows some RAF pilots landing Buccaneers for the first time on a flight deck. It seems the technique is to let them have multiple goes being 'talked down' onto the wire. Some with more success than others.
I guess the basic technique is exactly the same as a runway landing - find the touch-down point and fly down onto it. But the margins for error are much lower and you don't have the pyschological reassurance of having excess space to play with if you misjudge it.
I thought a difference was that they continue the rate of descent until they hit the deck rather than flare as when landing on land. Also throttle opened as soon as they touch down in case they miss the wire. Both must be easy to forget in the heat of the moment.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YPpAR1Swok
shows some RAF pilots landing Buccaneers for the first time on a flight deck. It seems the technique is to let them have multiple goes being 'talked down' onto the wire. Some with more success than others.
I guess the basic technique is exactly the same as a runway landing - find the touch-down point and fly down onto it. But the margins for error are much lower and you don't have the pyschological reassurance of having excess space to play with if you misjudge it.
mebe said:
I guess the biggest thing for a pilot with no experience would be the lack of practice/knowledge with the various systems (manual or lights) used to let the pilot know if he is on the correct heading and slope. Without those its probably "hope to get lucky"
They thump it down because that's better than the alternative - floating over the wires. Carrier 'planes have stronger u/cs to cope with this (which is why Seafires kept breaking)Simpo Two said:
mebe said:
I guess the biggest thing for a pilot with no experience would be the lack of practice/knowledge with the various systems (manual or lights) used to let the pilot know if he is on the correct heading and slope. Without those its probably "hope to get lucky"
They thump it down because that's better than the alternative - floating over the wires. Carrier 'planes have stronger u/cs to cope with this (which is why Seafires kept breaking)He tried to land one in the same manner as he was used to (“thump it down” as you say…) and the front nose wheel was pushed up into the fuselage.
Possibly true? Or was my friend winding me up because I don't know much about aircraft?
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