Questions tagged [us-navy]

Questions on the air wing of the United States Navy.

Filter by
Sorted by
Tagged with
10 votes
1 answer
970 views

What capabilities have been lost with the retirement of the F-14?

As in the title. Ideally, I am looking for a study in the public domain that would summarize the US Navy's loss of capabilities with the disappearance of the Grumman F-14 Tomcat. I will also accept an ...
AlphaCentauri's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
263 views

Why do the arresting gear cables need to be pushed/ guided back?

Also, what is the yellow metal stick officially called?
aerojetman62's user avatar
25 votes
2 answers
5k views

Slanted Brown Rectangles on Aircraft Carriers?

What are the rectangles adjacent to the arresting gear on Aircraft Carriers? Are they service hatches? https://www.kastalon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/ford-emals-3.jpg
aerojetman62's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
152 views

Do the Blue Angels use their #7 aircraft for photography during rehearsal flights?

I recently had the privilege of watching the Blue Angels fly their rehearsal for an airshow performance, and I noticed that an additional aircraft would often fly a very loose formation with the ...
Ralph J's user avatar
  • 49.8k
2 votes
0 answers
173 views

Why does the EA-18G not have a gold-lined canopy like the Prowlers have?

I noticed on the Growlers that they have a clear canopy compared to the gold lined canopy of a Prowler, Which protects pilots from radiation. If the Growler doesn't have a Gold lined canopy that does ...
Enzo C.'s user avatar
  • 185
3 votes
1 answer
177 views

Do EA-6B Electronic Countermeasure Officers focus on one task at a time?

I was wondering do the 3 Electronic Countermeasure Officers on the EA-6B all focus on doing the same task at once? Or does each of the ECO have a specific task assigned to them on the mission that ...
Enzo C.'s user avatar
  • 185
1 vote
2 answers
1k views

How are the landing lights of the legacy F-18 Hornet seen before landing on the carrier?

The LSO will be able to see the nose gear landing lights to make sure that the aircraft's angle of attack is at $8.1^\circ$ if the aircraft is "on speed". Are these lights (all 3 of them) ...
George Geo's user avatar
  • 2,101
10 votes
1 answer
5k views

Why does the Blue Angels C-130 ‘Fat Albert’ have loadmasters?

In the Blue Angels FAQ it states that Fat Albert is made up of 7 crew, two of them being loadmasters. Why would you need loadmasters for a demonstration aircraft?
Jake S.'s user avatar
  • 109
3 votes
2 answers
1k views

What are these ramps on the back of the USS Midway?

Can anyone explain the purpose of these three ramps on either side of the stern on the aircraft carrier the USS Midway?
asb1230's user avatar
  • 638
12 votes
8 answers
5k views

What kind of injury would force a Navy EA-6B pilot to stop flying and take a desk job?

Currently, I'm writing up a character bio for a game, where the character is a former naval aviator who becomes a JAG Corps lawyer who can be quite active during investigations and combat. I've been ...
Reverend Speed's user avatar
12 votes
5 answers
5k views

What is this radial-engined US Navy aircraft in Iceland?

My parents are traveling in Iceland and sent me a few pictures of an old radial-engined aircraft. It has "United States Navy" markings on the side, "Keflavik 17131" on the tail, ...
Ashley Strout's user avatar
6 votes
3 answers
3k views

Why was the F-14 retired 15 years ago while the contemporary F-15 is still operational?

The F-14 and the F-15 were designed in almost the same years and each one was at the top of its own "compartment" (respectively, US Navy and US Air Force). However, almost 15 years ago, the ...
Luca Detomi's user avatar
  • 1,992
1 vote
1 answer
1k views

How are carrier landings graded?

I'm an aspiring naval aviator (preferably a Hornet or an F-35) and a DCS player. Here's a question for any former navy aviators or LSOs. What would get you a good or bad landing grade on the carrier? ...
Emmet H's user avatar
  • 370
16 votes
2 answers
2k views

What aircraft are parked in this naval air station?

In May 2020 I saw C-130 Hercules on a naval air station in Ventura County, California. Later, I decided to use Apple Maps so that I will remember what I have seen. Apple Maps showed some C-130 ...
KTDD's user avatar
  • 467
2 votes
1 answer
398 views

What were the common crew ranks on WWII US Navy flying boats and bombers?

I have been trying to figure this out for some time, but have not had much luck elsewhere. I have found info on USAAF bombers, and what ranks the crewmembers often had, but nothing for larger navy ...
Jazzyamx's user avatar
  • 133
18 votes
1 answer
4k views

What is this board given to a pilot in World War II?

What is this board given to a pilot in World War II?
Peter Kay's user avatar
  • 183
16 votes
1 answer
3k views

Does an aircraft carrier have a VOR onboard?

I wouldn't think so due to the impracticality of VOR on a moving platform, but aircraft still need to navigate to the aircraft carrier. Would the radial shift around as the boat rocked around? The ...
user46251's user avatar
  • 347
11 votes
2 answers
3k views

What is this US Navy airplane seen at Westover AFB?

This Navy aircraft was at Westover AFB in either 1987 or 1990. Type unknown.
tom37's user avatar
  • 265
8 votes
1 answer
4k views

Do U.S. aircraft carriers still include a Marine Corps squadron?

When I was in the 3rd Marine Air Wing back in the early 70s, there was one Marine Corps squadron on each navy aircraft carrier, but on some shows I've seen recently (mostly on the Smithsonian Channel) ...
BillDOe's user avatar
  • 1,624
3 votes
1 answer
3k views

Can I join the Navy after a corrective eye surgery and still be a Naval Aviator?

I currently do not pass the requirements for uncorrected distant visual acuity according to the Navy physical standards document. However, if I were to receive eye surgery to correct my vision before ...
wow1881's user avatar
  • 33
8 votes
2 answers
10k views

F/A-18E and F/A-18F Rhinos: What's the difference?

The answer to this question seems intuitively obvious: One is a single seat strike fighter while the other has two crew stations. But is that all? When it was under development I judged that the E ...
Romeo_4808N's user avatar
  • 72.9k
8 votes
1 answer
2k views

What is the aircraft loss-rate from Nimitz-class aircraft carriers?

What is the aircraft loss-rate from Nimitz-class carriers? That is, what proportion of sorties result in the loss of the aircraft for reasons other than enemy action? I was prompted to ask this ...
Crosbie's user avatar
  • 543
12 votes
4 answers
7k views

What are these aircraft at the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake?

What are these 12 aircraft at the co-ordinates 35.677323, -117.676903? I recognize the F-111 and C-130, but not the others. Source: google maps
anonymous's user avatar
  • 3,564
11 votes
1 answer
2k views

Why don't the US Navy Blue Angels fly Super Hornets?

The US Navy demonstration team has been flying the legacy Hornet for a long time and I was wondering why don't they use the Super Hornet? The legacy Hornet is over 30 years old and showing its age. I ...
ebrohman's user avatar
  • 978
58 votes
9 answers
20k views

Why was the P-51 Mustang not adopted by the U.S. Navy?

I've heard from many WWII aviation hobbyists and WWII vets that the P-51 was essentially the pinnacle of U.S. piston-engine fighter design; it was fast, maneuverable, long-range, well-armed, allowed ...
KeithS's user avatar
  • 22.7k