For mkloby...

[FLYBOYJ]

This was Last week at the zoomie factory....

 

[lesofprimus]

Bet there were a few hardons running around that bird...

 

[FLYBOYJ]

I have to say, it was weird to see it fly overhead....

 

[Micdrow]

We carried a few on board my ship. Im not totally convinced of there usefullness at least on amphibious assault ships. One came close to hitting the Island while trying to land. They are neat to watch though.

 

[lesofprimus]

I bet... Was it very loud??? How loud was it in comparison to a Sea Hawk????

 

[Micdrow]

We only had them on board for a day or two for testing. They are loud. Seemed the biggest problem was for them to try and land while the ship was moving. That was in there infancy though also. Im sure alot has changed with them in the last 14 years. They just didnt seem right to have on board. Plus it made the fan tail that much more crowded. You either would have to cut down the number of harriers which we usually only carried 7 or cut down the number of transport helicopters. You could probably have two 53E's in place of one osprey. They would probably be better on the larger conventional carriers.

 

[Micdrow]

I couldnt find my image of the osprey but found this on online. It is an osprey on board the USS Saipan. Gives you and idea on flight deck space.

 

[mkloby]

Thanks Joe - nice pics! I used to fly around with them in the pattern up at Turner Field, in Quantico back in 2005. They're awesome to gawk at. They never struck me as particularly more loud than 53E's. I hear that the USAF is going to arm their CV-22s. I hope the USMC follows suit - a ramp mounted 240 just doesn't seem to cut it for me.

Their uitility is plainly evident when you compare them to the CH-46E Sea Knights. Their ability to launch air assualt missions, in terms of time, distance, and ships needed is unmatched by helos. I see a lot of people objecting to the MV-22, pointing to the CH-46's stats - yet that ship does not have the capabilities that it used to have to do weight gain, as my buddies that fly them have said. There have been several operationally successful trials aboard LHA/D's. What was your MOS, Micdrow?

 

[Micdrow]

I was one of the lonely MM'3's or machinest mates on board the USS Sapain LHA-2 for 3 1/2 years that worked in the forward engine room running SSTG (ships service turbo generators and one of the ships main engine's . I also was the number 2 nozzle man or fire figher for Repair locker 5 responsible for main space fires and backing up the flight deck figher fighter response crews. Other wise known as a pit snipe's or enforcers to those bad marines sent down to help in the engine room.

 

[mkloby]

Other wise known as a pit snipe's or enforcers to those bad marines sent down to help in the engine room.

Hehe

 

[Micdrow]

Well when we couldnt do it physically we just turned off the AC and water. Those LHA get pretty hot and stinky with none of the above. For some reason the enginers always had plenty of both.

 

[evangilder]

I love that second shot, Joe!

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Very cool pics.

 

[Gnomey]

Nice pics!

 

[Soundbreaker Welch?]

yeah.