The plane fell off the carrier!

[Bubbette]

Oops!

I know this isn't funny, but is sounds funny,.
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Florida -- A U.S. Navy jet rolled off the side of an aircraft carrier Tuesday after making a successful "arrested landing," the Navy said.



http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/...lation.rescue/

[moggie]

Can't have been THAT successful then!

"This is the first fixed-wing aircraft to be lost during Operation Iraqi Freedom, although helicopters have been lost."

Not counting our Tornado that the US shot down, then

"This is the last deployment for the USS Constellation before it is retired from the fleet."

Can we have it when you've finished with it, chaps?

[rivetjoint]

Maybe the fact that the Tornado's wings swing back and forwards made him think its not fixed wing?

[kbf1]

Didn't you hear? The Tornado flies because the wings flap like a RAF pilot who's just found out he isn't spending his deployment in a 5* hotel....

INCOMING!!!!!

[moggie]

Not fair - I was always prepared to rough it in 4*. still 5* above where you would risk bumping into Pongoes!

[Zoom]

Truckies only, kbf1. Tents for the real fliers.

[Yeller_Gait]

Tents may be for the "real" flyers, but given the option, I will take the hotel every time

[Anyface]

If you want to be a real flier try using a ship instead of a runway. It moves up and down and is never where you saw it last. And there's never any chance of 5* accommodation either.

[Audax]

Back to the original post, we managed a similar incident in the Falklands. If I remember rightly, a SHAR on QRA (or whatever it was called on a ship) was spotted on a bit of deck where the friction course had worn a bit thin. Carrier felt the need to turn quickly and despite shouts from mate in the cockpit of 'Please Don't Do That' the need to turn was paramount. End result, SHAR slipped off deck and mate bangs out.

This was from the pilot himself, we looked after him on ASI for a couple of days as he moved back north after the fightning stopped.

Mermory is a touch hazy after all these years but I think that was the story.

[RFCC]

I saw a training film many years ago, which documented the loss of a Buccaneer off the Ark Royal (or Eagle?). Apparently it was brought up onto the deck and wasn't chocked properly. The ship moved and a perfectly serviceable Bucc rolled over the side! Explain that away!

Can anyone on this forum verify that?

[Archimedes]

According to Tim Laming's book on the Bucc -

XT269 (S2)... 809NAS (031/R) Rolled off deck of HMS Ark Royal 15/02/72. Not recovered.

I also recall seeing a film at the FAA Museum - this was of what I presumed to be a Bucc S1 (it was painted all white) 'slipping off the deck' as part of the carrier exhibit. IIR correctly my suspicion was aroused by the fact that the film showed that the cockpit was unoccupied (and it looked as if the aircraft was given a shove by a deck tractor...) but the commentary went on about the crew being rescued. I had the impression that this was a training film. My memory may be playing tricks on me though, so if anyone can paint the proper picture...