Now that is just cool.
I bet the NVA was wondering "WTF?" when that landed on some AA gunner's head.
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Now here is the straight deck version, which is pretty amazing.
Was enroute to the Pacific when the war ended. More planes than an Essex, and much more deck space and heavier AA defense.
Note the galleries of single 5" 38 turrets taking all the deck edges along with quad 40s, TWO such mounts on the bow. Also, the broad stack kinda reminds me a bit of Saratoga.
She was the first deck with F8F Bearcats, and would have been in combat with them if the war had lasted another two weeks (if what I've read is accurate).
And SBC Helldivers. She had these well into the 40s.
She also wound up with Skyraiders soon, along with about anything the Navy wanted to put on her huge deck. This is NOT a "Navy T-6", it's an SNJ, the navy version with non-steerable tailwheel.
She operated ADs off Korea, just as she later operated the A-1s after they had been redesignated.
Then the Navy just went totally ape, as usually happens when foresight isn't restricted. They launched several V-2s from her deck with an interesting launcher arrangement. I can just see the object guys going nuts trying to figure out a way to get such on deck. Check the writing on the side of the V-2.
This is right outta the Twilight Zone, or an early 50s sci fi movie.
WHOOSH....apparently it worked. Man I wish I'd been around with my modern cameras back then.
Then the Navy experimented with heavier bomber types, as the new USAF was apparently getting its revenge on the battleship admirals for obstructing the creation of an independant air force. General Tooey Spatz had even asked "what do we need a navy for", since the atom bombs delivered by heavy bombers supposedly meant that carriers and even the Navy itself weren't needed. Nukes back then were too big and heavy to be carried by TBFs etc, so they had to find an atom capable bomber to fly off the decks to justify their budget. Here a new (and early model) P-2 Neptune makes a Jato take off. Note the tail gunners position, and the odd absence of a top turret. P-2s had no trouble launching from the Midway.
However, the P-2 couldn't recover on the carrier, and had to fly to a land base. This led to the AJ Savage, a twin engine nuke bomber that could operate off the Midway class carriers. This kept the Navy alive, as they had already been forced to scrap the incomplete new "super carrier" USS America (not the Kitty Hawk class one they just sank as a target) before it was half done; the funding went to the B-36. The AJ helped keep the Navy budget alive.
What's amazing is that they could launch Savages while launching fighters.
In addition to Banshees, the Midway got Panthers in time for Korea. Note the TBF modified to the ASW version, about to be craned onto the deck. also, are those cars cool, or what? Where's my time transporter?
The interesting F3D Skynight operated successfully over Korea, and scored a few Migs I believe. This is begging to be modelled.
F9F and a recon Banshee.
And don't forget the F4U-5s that served on Midway in Korea.
Lots of deck space on the original Midway straight deck.
The F3D was flight test about the same time as the F7U Cutlass on the deck of the Midway. Modelers should keep in mind that the Cutlass wasn't as successful as it was looked.
It was during this time that the Navy apparently was experimenting with the "don't ask, don't tell" concept on the Midway
. Apparently the Navy met with more success than the air force did. (I'm just messing with you Navy guys, don't throw things at me
.
The straight deck also operated the Cougar, which we also have.
Cougars and Skyraiders after Korea in the Mid 50s.
Ok, I'm done. I just wanted to show what is possible with this ship class in its varied guises. I know all the Navy guys on here have all sorts of adventures, like the above mentioned shaft warping run to the Persian gulf in the Constellation in 79. Roosevelt was taken out of service in the late 70s I think, and Coral sea operated for a while in the late 70s without an airwing due to budget cuts I believe. That could make for an interesting alternate history project. Thanks for all the work you guys do on this stuff for us. I hope to be worthy in my FMB work.
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Topic: Midway class carrier (Read 18602 times)
