US Navy Crash Stats

[MIflyer]

I started reading a book, "Rescue Pilot.' It starts with some very sobering statistics.

For the year 1956

Carrier Jets Destroyed: 599
Carrier Jet Fatalities: 148
Annual Hours Flown: 790,399
Fatal Accident Rate per 100K Hours: 75.78

Helos destroyed in crashes: 97
Helo Fatalities: 22
Annual Hours Flown: 165,295
Fatal Accident Rate per 100K hours: 58.58


1957 and 1958 were a little better, with 530 and 541 carrier jets lost in crashes and 103 and 108 helos lost in crashes.

Just think. That is a total of Over 1100 carrier jets total lost in the years 1956 and 1958, and 289 people. And there was not even a real shooting war going on.

No wonder they built so many jets in the 50's; they had to.

 

[ThomasP]

I may be misremembering, but I think 1954 was the worst year for crashes - including USN, USAF, and USMC. Again if I am remembering correctly, there was one month in 1954 with ~400 crashes.

 

[Barrett]

Today people forget that mixing swept-wing jets with straight-deck carriers was um challenging. I've called it the most challenging task that humans have ever performed.
That's why about that same time the USN was convinced of the RN's angled deck concept which, with landing mirrors and steam catapults, likely saved carrier aviation from all but antisubmarine wor.

 

[EwenS]

Three British inventions revolutionised carrier flying in the mid-1950s. And both the RN and USN worked closely together to bring them into operational service.

Angled deck
On 7th Aug 1951 Captain Dennis Campbell first presented his angled deck concept. The following month her mentioned it to a USN delegation who showed immediate interest. At the same time Eric 'Winkle' Brown was being briefed on it before taking up an exchange posting at Pax River.

Jan/Feb 1952 RN flew approaches to an angled deck painted on deck of trials carrier Triumph. She was deemed too small for touch & goes.
May 1952 USN flew touch and goes on an angled deck painted on deck of Midway.
Sept-Dec 1952 Antietam refitted with a rudimentary angled deck for trials
May 1953 Antietam visits U.K. to demonstrate it to RN
Aug 1953 RN sought quotes for modifying Albion with an angled deck while still building
Oct 1953-April 1954 Centaur (completed Sept 1953) was refitted with an angled deck
By Spring 1955 Ark Royal, Eagle, Centaur, Albion & Bulwark are all fitted with interim angled decks of 5.5 degrees (max possible without major structural mods)
USN formulates plans for SCB-125 mods to Essex class to incorporate the angled deck. CV-38 Shangri La has her SCB-27C conversion, begun in Oct 1952, extended to incorporate SCB-125 and re-enters service in Jan 1955, as the first such angled deck conversion.

Steam catapult
The steam catapult was developed from 1944 onwards in Britain with a prototype installation on HMS Perseus in 1949. Trials are run through to March 1952 with the ship spending Jan/Feb 1952 in US waters giving demonstrations to the USN. In 1950 the RN modify the design of Ark Royal to incorporate 2 steam catapults.

The first carrier operational carrier fitted with steam catapults (which were built in Britain) was USS Hancock which completed its SCB-27C refit in Feb 1954.

Mirror landing sight
The concept of the mirror landing sight was first presented in Dec 1951. It was then trialled by the RN ashore and afloat on the trials carrier Illustrious in 1952-53. The first permanent system was fitted to HMS Albion ion completion in May 1954. The USN began trials with its first set in Aug 1955 on the USS Bennington.

All 3 together
1955 was an important year. It saw the completion of the first 3 carriers to incorporate all three innovations in a single ship:-

HMS Ark Royal Feb 1955
USS Forrestal 1 Oct 1955
HMAS Melbourne 28 Oct 1955