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[AG-51_Razor]

Another possible explanation for the Midway class might be to give more clearance while un-repping. I would be willing to bet that on the Essex class, whenever an oiler or ammo ship was along side, the elevator was folded up. The same might hold true for the Midway class.

[zdragon]

These ships had a look that will never be matched again.  Very interesting lines to them which give them unique character.  I find it amazing how they came up with all the modifications for them to meet the jet age and got them to work well.  They put a lot of miles on those ships.  I was disappointed because I lived in San Diego and moved right before the midway came down to become the museum and I really enjoy going and seeing history like that.

[ANDYTOTHED]

bump

[ANDYTOTHED]

Yet another bump. I feel it necessary, due to the large number of heavy carrierborne aircraft that are struggling at best with the Essex generation.

[western0221]

My Midway hasn't progressed any in this 2 years.

I don't give up her, but in these days I'm thinking...
Forrestal or Enterprise are more needed than Midway.
Because of Midway never operated F-14, Forrestal and Enterprise carries F-14....

[Whiskey_Sierra_972]

My just 2 cent....

- Midway is the best option if we compromize the Tomcat over a little smaller ship in a class that have a greater number of cruise in the Vietnam War and resamble the SBC you have done , moreover apart the Tomcat the class have anyway had all the naval planes of the '70!
Another point is that you have started something about....

- Forrestal have anyway used the Tomcat starting only from middle '80 and all Forrestal ships toghether have done only 4 war cruise in Vietnam's waters....

- Enterprise is a single class ship with abou 6 cruises in Vietnam waters....

- Kitty Hawk class is still resambling the SBC and have had all planes with a greater Vietnam cruises (17 cruises for the class)....

IMMO: Midway or KittyHawk....

[Sleepingdragon]

The F-14 COULD have operated from the Midway, as it was (somewhere) in the requirement when first issued around 70 (give or take a yr). I remember reading a bit about that in some of the articles In "Proceedings" magazine in the mid 70s when I subscribed to it (the US Naval institute's mag). There was some kinda criticism of it being only able to operate from too few carriers (and some other silly crap that anti-defense critics who know nothing of the subject matter made - some things never change), and it also came up again when there were some arguments regarding the Navy's aquisition of the F-18 in the mid 70s, that these arguments were being used from various sides of the readiness issue. I don't know if they ever flew off the Midway to prove the point, but they could have fully loaded with AIM-54s and external tanks, according to the articles I read at the time. Those mags are stashed in a bldg somewhere, or I'd get them out.

I think it's a good idea to go ahead and make the Midway, since it would give the F-4s a realistic platform as well. I do know that the Navy never operated them from Essex class CVs, although I have no idea if htey could have or not; they were able to fly the A-3D/KA-3D, though it had a horrid accident rate.

Your time is yours of course, and we all appreciate any work you do on this subject, but I for one would build a snowman in your honor if you did finish the Midway with the big deck. Please note I said "DECK". 

[Type83Fighter]

Since it seems that the F-14 that was being created does not exist, is there a possibility this can be finished as the requirement for a large post-war carrier is not needed ATT?

[zdragon]

Tomcats could fly on and off of the midway class and did so a few times for carrier qualifications for its pilots and rios.  Even when they were carrier qualifications, the tomcats could not use afterburners because the JBDs could not handle them even after they were upgraded for the hornets.  Another reason why they never could be operationally deployed on the midway, coral sea, and FDR was because of its size.  It would not fit in the hanger bays and would take up way to much room on the flight deck.

Just some vids of tomcats qualifying on the Coral Sea
part1
part2
part3

[Sleepingdragon]

I never knew that. THis is the first film of this I've seen, very interesting. The deck on the Midway was so much larger and overhung so much that I think they could've kept a small number on the deck, if htey wanted. Interesting that these are A models wiht the lousy engines.