Anybody any idea what was the last piston-engined aircraft to `take the wire` on a British carrier,and when...? and take-off...?

My guess would be Douglas Skyraider AEW.1

Although a Whirlwind HAS 7 or HAR 7 might have been the last piston engine to land on a deck, no hook involved.

This video would give rise to some claims.....piston powered aircraft making an arrested landing without a Tail Hook.....some real precision flying but I am not sure it would be considered "Hi-stress" by modern standards.

Wow ... COD, the early days!

"Mail Call"

Ken Wallis flew his autogiro off the back of the Isle of White ferry as a demo....:)
I tried to get the concept across of autogiros flying off and on fast patrol boats in littoral temperate waters ( e.g Gulf, Far East ) .The idea being that they could extend the boat's visual range and engage targets (smugglers etc.) with diversive weaponry whilst the boat caught up.

RN rep.. of course kept blindly trotting out "Winter North Atlantic" as a mantra ...............

They did, and without the benefit of hooks.

Similar to this done by the German Navy during WWII?




https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....5db001a859.jpg

The Focke Achgelis Bachstelze rotor kite was unpowered and towed on a cable aloft behind a U Boat to provide an increased circle of vision. I was surprised how many survived the War . Ken Wallis was certainly well familiar with the type.!

I believe the Tiger Club hatched a plan to try and land a couple of Turbulents on a carrier in the '60s or early '70s - think it may have been with the connivance of Pete Sheppard - but Their Warships said no...

Looks more Nike than Kriegsmarine.....:suspect:​​​​​​

Jack

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....29b0b2a1a7.jpg
RAF Calshot couldn't find a U boat for the AFEE trials of the Fa 330.

I'd guess Grumman Trader from Ark Royal in 1972, unless someone knows of a later Trader/Tracker operation

Davef68,thanks for that,and ,as I had forgotten about `cross-dressers,sorry cross-deckers`,I should actually have narrowed it a bit to `British,single-engine piston...etc...apologies for that...

Speaking of cross decking, I am aware of the UK and US forces doing so but did the Canadians and Dutch do much cross decking with the UK Aircraft carriers before they got out of the fixed wing carrier game? Argentina? (before 1992 obviously)- I am aware John Farley demonstrated G-VTOL or another Harrier on the 25 de Mayo on its way south after being sold.

Didn’t the Americans operate artillery spotting Piper Cubs / Taylorcraft off of LSTs fitted with a rudimentary flight deck during WW2?
EDITED “Reference found” https://laststandonzombieisland.com/...raft-carriers/

And/or a Hornet.

Even earlier than that, I suggest.

Jack

Too early for G-VTOL - RAF GR1 XV757 in 1969

https://scontent-lhr8-2.xx.fbcdn.net...dA&oe=62BBF239

Autogyros were trialed off an RN ship in 1942.

Gloster Meteor F3 flying from HMS Implacable June 48
 

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....b5bc520cc.jpeg
Ok it did have a specially modified landing gear and hook.

Nice photo. 2 page PDF has two poor quality photos and this: “Following deck handling trials with a Meteor prototype in 1945, two [or one?] Meteor IIIs were fitted with an arresting hook and reinforced landing gear, and used for carrier trials in 1948. The two aircraft performed takeoffs & landings from HMS ILLUSTRIOUS and HMS IMPLACABLE. The Royal Navy was impressed by the navalized Meteor, but decided to obtain the Supermarine Attacker instead.” What If Modelers ? Best Modeling Forum and Resources

2 page PDF of RAAF 77 Squadron METEORS being returned to Oz via then HMAS Vengeance Oct 1954

Just watched a documentary of “Operation High Jump” on the US PBS Channel “NOVA” program of the 1946 Byrd expedition to the antarctic.
They flew 6 R4D / C-47 / DC-3 equipped with RATO and wheel Skis off of the carrier USS Philippine Sea. ( 1 take off only ).
Other aircraft used included helicopters, Norseman ski-planes and Martin Mariner flying boats.
Anyhow an interesting film.

Phenomenal Approach
 

how about Embraer Phenom?

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zon...MB6w&fs=e&s=cl

It was for TG Maverick


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....b354b4d67.jpeg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....ff1995a48.jpeg

cheers

The glider trials I mentioned above were conducted I think by Lt Cdr John Sproule; there were one or two articles about them in 'Aeroplane Monthly' in the 70s or 80s.

I hope Ascent don't get any ideas.....

I have heard tales of Lightnings and a Vulcan doing practice approaches on RN Carriers, but nothing that low!

An F-14 Tomcat in late 1970s carried out a late wave-off approach to HMAS Melbourne [light fleet carrier] (with permission from FLYco & LSOs during/after a RIMPAC). Pics to follow....
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....938d5d94c1.jpg

I recall being told by a F104 pilot that approaches (fully configured) had been made to the Kiev when it was in the Baltic.

https://www.freightdogmodels.co.uk/w...courier_3_.jpg
HS125 was proposed as a COD aircraft for the (cancelled) RN 1960s future carriers

125, the BAe146 also; the USN carrier suitability group evaluated a 146 at PAX for the COD role.

The aircraft was flown with similar techniques as those for commercial steep approaches, but with a flare and landing target of 4ft sec +/-.

Unfortunately the aircraft was not evaluated at sea; the airfield, dummy deck evaluation was interesting.

One of our QFIs at Valley had been an RN 'Vixen pilot in previous years. On one 'KELTEX' against a carrier, he made a low approach and go-around....

....in a Gnat. Mind you, way back when there'd actually been some serious proposal to evaluate the Gnat for carrier operations - presumably the single seat version?

Hi Beags,
Indeed a Naval Verion of the "Big Wing" final growth Mk 4 (Mach 1.5") was schemed. Primarily as a single seater apparently.....

HUMOUR
Humour Over.

The Central lntelligence Agency and Overhead Reconnaissance: The U-2 and OXCART Programs, 1954-1974
https://www.docdroid.com/xbtfrRa/the...-1954-1974-pdf (66Mb)
“...There was never another Agency U-2 mission from an aircraft carrier. Although the idea of using a floating airbase to avoid political sensitivity proved feasible, the cost did not. Aircraft carriers are enormously expensive to operate and require an entire flotilla of vessels to protect and service them. The movement of large numbers of big ships is difficult to conceal and cannot be hastily accomplished, while the deployment of a solitary U-2 to a remote airfield can take place
overnight.”

Looks like someone took that idea and ran with it........ Good call IMHO

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....80cd67a030.jpg

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....278aa29a82.jpg

P-47D flown off carriers Manila Bay and Natoma Bay to the Marianas


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....a4fc6e636.jpeg

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....968a4f0672.png

But the Goshawk was designed to operate from carriers.

And it's still doing it. :)

Huzzah for a British jet trainer, subsequently modified for the use of the USN.

Which was exactly my point as the Hawk was the successor to the Gnat :ok:

I'm very happy to see so many mentions of Eric Brown in this thread having just read his book - although I have been aware of his incredible record for many years. Astonishing man and surely a candidate for the greatest pilot of all time. The book "Wings on my sleeve" is a little dry but contains some very sly and self effacing humour. It would be good to see the UK erect a statue in his memory.