After Juvat's post yesterday over at the Chant, I thought certain Air Force types might find this interesting. It's a long video but well worth it. Chris Bolton is a former "Crab" (RAF) Fighter Pilot who flew Phantom FG.1's from Royal Navy aircraft carriers.
In 1966, you see, the British government cancelled their new carrier, CV-01, and decided to give up fixed wing naval aviation. The Fleet Air Arm stopped training fixed wing pilots. Reality intervened and the RN was tasked with continued fixed wing deployments in ageing carriers and a concurrent pilot shortage. So the RAF were polled for volunteers to make up the shortfall, and quite a few stepped up to the challenge.
These were real glory days for the RN, Fleet Air Arm, and the Crab volunteers. It was just before my time in the US Navy, and I "grew up" hearing a lot of wonderful stories of operating with the Brits.
These images are a hoot, and say a lot about the rivalry and camaraderie that existed between the RN and USN.
Interesting that the first few photos show planes marked both "Royal Navy" and "Colonial Navy" on deck at the same time. Anybody have background on why this would be the case?
ReplyDeleteThat's the game of "zapping." Those FG.1's spent time at NAS Oceana where US sailors redecorrated them. The Marine Phantom spent a few days on HMS Eagle and emerged with an 892 Squadron tail.
DeleteActually this aircraft went u/s aboard HMS Ark Royal and could not be repaired before the Ark visited Malta. As the Maltese were not on good terms with the US at the time and US Phantoms did not fold enough to fit on the Ark's deck lift, to be hidden below deck, it had it's tail painted to be less conspicuous on the deck amoungst the RN aircraft. The only RN carrier capable of operating Phantoms was Ark Royal, although some initial trails were done from HMS Eagle, it did not have the required cooling of its deck and blast deflector to cope with the heat of the Spey engines in full afterburner for launch. The higher nose attitude of RN Phantoms caused signifiant heating of the deck, requiring additional water cooling. Prior to Ark being ready to operate RN Phantoms several operated from USS Saratoga and actually damaged the deck area around the catapult.
DeleteThat's some very cool information Unknown, Thanks! Being an American rube, I had no idea that we yanks were in bad odour with the Maltese, though considering the president and congress we had at the time I'm not terribly surprised.
DeleteIf you happen to see this and would like to touch bases (and share more RN info) give me a shout. shonny61@gmail.com
Love it. Always fun to watch the Brits in action.
ReplyDeleteDuring my exchange tour with the RCN, I was instructed (among much else) in the origin of the term "Crab" when referring to Air Farce types. The full expression is "Crab Fat"--because there is nothing as useless as fat on a crab. Army types are "Pongos"--no explanation needed or offered on that one.
ReplyDeleteI have it on reasonably unimpeachable authority (Rick Jolly, "Jackspeak") that the "Crab" and "Crab Fat" monikers go all the way back to April 1, 1918 when by imperial decree all aspects of UK military aviation were lumped together in the new RAF. The colo(u)r of the new RAF unis is said to have come from an overage of light blue cloth which had been ordered by Russia for the Imperial Guard but which the new USSR refused to pay for. The color was also said to be identical to the mercuric oxide jelly then in use for treating body lice, which was called "crabfat."
DeleteTotally cool. Thanks. It is even cooler that the RAF was founded on April Fool's day.
Delete