Antietam (CV 36) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 25 text:

Because Skyraiders can gain flying speed in their 500 foot run, only in an emergency are catapults used to launch them. Less personnel are involved in their takeoff than in a jet launch. Plane captains handle the wheel chocks, check wing locks. Plane directors bring them into takeoff position, the Flight Deck Officer gives them the go signal. The engine is revved to a deafening 2,500 horsepower, brakes released, and the plane is gone. G-ATHERING SPEED Qleftj , plane races past deck edge elevator. Cock- pit is left open on takeoff for quick escape in case accident occurs. PAST THE ISLAND Qbelowj , past the forward gun mounts, this AD has attained full speed half Way through its run. LIKE AN AWKWARD BUT POWERFUL BIRD. A SKYRAIDER SPRINGS OFF THE CARRIER.

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? 1' 4 is 591 , si 1-,, A FOREST OF FOLDED WINGS, Skyraiders and Corsairs jam the after flight deck waiting to take off. Engines are warmed up half an hour before takeoff. ATTACK BUMBERS ARE LAUNCHEIJ Attack Squadron 728 flies Douglas AD Skyraid. ers, the fleetis workhorses. These are the planes that carry the big punch-two 20mm Wing can- nons, rockets, up to 6,000 pounds of bombs, or deadly napalm. In this six-month tour of duty, the Skyraiders dropped over 5,000,000 pounds of destruction on troop concentrations and trans- portation facilities. The five AD's flown by composite squadrons ll and 35 have special functions to perform. They carry complex electronics gear for anti-subma- rine patrol, and night missions. One or two crew- me11 are carried to operate the electronics gear. PLANE CAPTAINS Qleftj wait signal to pull wheel chocks as pilots check full throttle performance just before takeoff. ' . ,QA .,-,2.f'vff'47g Q' ,- - N.,,qA'v4p '51 44 1' . J:-.1 v 1916- 5 f vgazia .:,. 956197 ' J.-X 5 f ,xxff,.f-j1j5f ,.?y f -' '. n j ' misfit? L .A ,, .gm-. if LP, , M 'fl Tiff' '. Q 3? V ' 'Zi-1325 Qfial. ,- I , 'I A , fi, ff fl il' - -, Arf ' I 47: ffgfg ' -3- 1.' -Q11-':' ,Qi .-f . '-44::44:-'g'r- , jf' g?l?J, -wa V U W kt. ...,ri NNXN M .W .K K x .iiti , X A x '?fi!'nBj,T-5 1 , 1 ,Z :Is ' 7' S !.Zjf'f --1 314. S U, X thT63-DI,H'lG- RUN 500 feet from the forward end of the flight k -' ' -,'l ' . . ' wa- - ' e S tall Wheel 0011168 up off deck quickly. Pilot has applied P0 20 before releasin br k A d 8 H CS an starting run. , . i. . ,. ,, ,. ..-A -f ii , 1. , ,,. E,gj'1 HM, y,'f,1,,,,ffg,gp,'.U,M,y iw, 1 , , ,H X: X V! I 1'1 ' v.- 1.,.,.,..,. nll

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MAP BUNDLE IS HANDED TO A CORSAIR PILOT BY PLANE CAPTAIN. ' SPREADING THE GULL WINGS While parked aft, F4U pilot makes pre-flight checks. FIGHTERS TAKE UFF Most dependable all purpose aircraft the Navy has ever had is the FLLU Corsair. ln ten years of Hying for the Navy the F411 has been changed only slightlyg fundamentally it is the same plane that first saw service over Guadalcanal in 1942. Like the AD it is an all purpose plane, flying as a lighter or an attack bomber. The Corsair carries nearly 3,000 pounds of bombs, rockets and napalm, and is armed with fifty caliber machine guns. VF 713 flew over 10095 of their assigned missions in FLLUS for a total of 4,165 combat hours. Four F4Us, fitted with special equipment, were operated by Composite Squadron 3 on night heckler missions. MOVING UP to takeoff position, pilot spreads his f1ghter's wings. Plane director, near wing, directs pilot on to the next plane director.