IF I had to select a single NavAv hero it would be 'Winkle' Brown. That first Sea Vampire landing aboard HMS Ocean was heroic indeed.
The USN trialled a 'flex deck' - info in this PDF (which may not be available now at this loc):
Milestones and Developments in US Naval Carrier Aviation-Part II
http://www.robertheffley.com/docs/CV...a-35685823.pdf
QUOTE: "The U.S. Navy program had a pneumatic deck which was 570ft long, 80ft wide, and consisted of 30in diameter pneumatic tubes covered by tensioned carpet. The first and last 30ft were ramped to the basic deck, and a single arresting cable was mounted 12 to 18in above the deck. The Grumman F9F-7 Cougar, a swept-wing version of the earlier straight-wing F9F-2/5 Panther, was used. It weighed about 20,000lb, and approached the deck at 135kt. A long, straight-in approach was used about 4ft above the deck. A total of twenty-three landings were made, with the twentieth being the most severe. This test was to engage the arresting wire at the aircraft maximum height above the deck of 5ft, and at maximum design gross weight for the program. The right wing dropped slightly after the hook engaged the wire so that the aircraft hit the deck pitching nose down, but also with a 5 degree right wing down roll attitude. The right wing penetrated to 25in of the 30in pneumatic cylinders. The usual pitching bounces were accompanied by alternating left and right rolls until the aircraft came to a stop. Black rubber marks were found on the upper surface of the right wing. After three more landings the program ended.
The major difference between the U.K. and U.S. Navy Programs was the differences in the two aircraft. The Cougar was roughly twice the weight of the
Vampire, and had a pronounced wing sweep, as opposed to the straight wing of the Vampire, resulting in an approach speed that was 50 percent higher. The combination of increased mass and velocity resulted in the deck, aircraft, and pilot of the Cougar having to absorb more than three times the energy as the Vampire. USN FLEX DECK..."
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