USS Coral Sea - Flight Deck
1960's
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[Landing]
1960 - An F8U-1E Crusader of VF-154 flown by CDR Jim S. Swope, about to make the first trap on the Coral Sea after the ships angle deck conversion.

[Image Source - US Navy]
[Flight Ops] [Flight Ops]
[Flight Ops] [Flight Ops]
[Flight Ops] [Flight Ops]
[Flight Ops] [Flight Ops]
[Flight Ops]
1960-61 - Great photo collection of Flight OPS.

Row 1: VF-154 F-8 Crusader. F3H-2 demon.


Row 2: F3H-2 demon trapping. AD-6 Spad about to land.


Row 3: COD taking off sans cat chot. A-4D Skyhawk trapping.


Row 4: A-3 Skywarrior taxiing. Whale doing a touch and go.


Row 5: A-3 grabs #2 wire.

[Image Source - Mike Brown]
[Landing]
1961 - A-4 Scooter approaching for a landing.

[Image Source - US Navy]
[Deck]
1961 - A look at the "pack" just after a recovery.

[Image Source - US Navy]
[Launch]
1961 - Whales and Scooter launching.

[Image Source - US Navy]
[Launch]
1961 - A-3 Skywarrior launching off the starboard cat.

[Image Source - US Navy]
[Launch]
1961 - A VF-154 F-8 Crusader launching.

[Image Source - US Navy]
[Flight Ops] [Flight Ops]
[Flight Ops] [Flight Ops]
[Flight Ops] [Flight Ops]
[Flight Ops] [Flight Ops]
[Flight Ops] [Flight Ops]
[Flight Ops] [Flight Ops]
[Flight Ops] [Flight Ops]
[Flight Ops]
1960-61 - Great photo collection of Flight OPS.

Row 1: AD-1 just landed. Captain's and Admiral's Gig's.


Row 2: High-Wire with USS Rupertus DD-851. Ready for launch.


Row 3: Liberty tug. Re-spot.


Row 4: USS Rupertus DD-851 along side. VA-152 AD-1 waveoff.


Row 5: A-4 VA-153 A-4 waveoff. VA-153 A-4 trap.


Row 6: VA-153 A-4 trap. VA-155 A-4 wire runout.


Row 7: VAH-2 A-3 Skywarrior waveoff. VAH-2 A-3 Whale...beached.


Row 8: VMA-121 Scooter Go-around.

[Image Source - John Lyons]
1962- Photo Collection from Ted Hillis
[1962]   [1962]   [1962]   [1962]   [1962]  [1962]
 [1962]   [1962]   [1962]   [1962]   [1962]   [1962]  
[1962]   [1962]   [1962]   [1962]   [1962]   [1962]  
[1962]
[Launch] [Launch]
1962 - An A3D-2 Whale of VAH-2 executes an in-port launch, Yokosuka, Japan, March 8.
- Same trick a few days later with a VF-151 F3H-2 Demon, Yokosuka, Japan, March 13.

[Image Source - US Navy]
[Helo]
1962 - HUP-3 of HU-1 spotted forward as the ship plows through heavy seas.

[Image Source - Jim Sloan]
[Approach]
1965 - A busy place!

[Image Source - Randy Kelso]
[Trap]
1965 - VF-151 running out the arresting wire on a trap.

[Image Source - US Navy]
[Launch] [Launch]
1965 - VA-153 A-4 Skyhawk launch sequence. Cat crew hooking him up on the starboard cat. Cat officer shooting him off the deck.

[Image Source - US Navy]
[Launch] [Launch]
1965 - Two F-8's launching...Two different missions; VF-154 F-8 as a fighter, VFP-63 DET Delta as a Photo Recon bird.

[Image Source - US Navy]
[Launch]
1965 - Pilot's and crew preparing for a strike launch.

[Image Source - US Navy]
[Launch]
1965 - Spad launching for a mission over Vietnam.

[Image Source - US Navy]
[Launch]
1965 - Catapult crew greasing the shuttle in preperation for the next launch cycle. F-8 parked on cat getting ready for launch.

[Image Source - US Navy]
[Launch] [Launch]
[Launch]
1965 - Planes spotted for next launch cycle. Turning in to the wind for launch. Flight deck packed and ready to launch.

[Image Source - David Herron]
[Launch] [Trap]
1965 - Whale launching as a Scooter waits his turn - RF-8 photo Crusader trapping. I've never seen recovery going on with the port quarter elevator down!?.

[Image Source - David Herron]
1966-67 - Excellent collection of US Navy Photos
[1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67] 
[1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67] 
[1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67] 
[1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67] 
[1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67] 
[1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67] 
[1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67] 

[1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67] 
[1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67] 
[1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]
1966-67 - Excellent collection from Norm Palosky
[1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67] 
[1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67] 
[1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67] 
[1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67] 
[1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67] 
[1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67] 
[1966-67]  [1966-67] 
[Launch]
1966-67 - An "Able Dog" of VA-25 loaded to the gills for a bombing run over VietNam.

[Image Source - US Navy]
[Launch]
1966-67 - This VA-25 A-1 Spad must have diverted to the USS Constellation. As is tradition when another carriers plane lands on your deck, new markings are applied as a reminder of the visit.

[Image Source - US Navy]
[Launch]
1966-67 - An F-4B of the VF-154 Black Knights just after returning from a mission over Vietnam. Note the bullet holes in the nose cone.

[Image Source - US Navy]
[Taxi]
1966-67 - VA-23 Scooter taxiing forward for a launch while the ship is taking a nice roll in the sea.

[Image Source - US Navy]
[Launch] [Launch]
1966-67 - F-4B Phantom of VF-154 launching off the waist cat.
F-4B Phantom of VF-154 Trapping.

[Image Source - US Navy]
[Pack]
1966-67 - Deck packed with Spads and Scooters.

[Image Source - US Navy]
[Launch]
1966-67 - Overhead view of launch operations on the forward cats.

[Image Source - US Navy]
[Launch]
1966-67 - A-4C of VA-22 starting CAT stroke.

[Image Source - Carl Jacobs]
1966-68 - Nice collection of flight deck action from Coral Sea WestPac's.

[Image Source - Gerald Davis]
[Flight Deck]  [Flight Deck]  [Flight Deck]  [Flight Deck]  [Flight Deck] 
[Flight Deck]  [Flight Deck]  [Flight Deck]  [Flight Deck]  [Flight Deck]  [Flight Deck] 
[Launch]
1967-68 - From W.B. Cox: The
large Pod on starboard is an aps-38 search radar. The
smaller pod further outboard is an aps-19 fire control
radar. Between the two is a mounting device under the
20MM cannon for another pod that as I recollect would
contain the ammo. You can see the mount on the port
wing. An alternate small pod was for chaff dispensers.
The center pod is an aux fuel tank. There appears if
you use a lot of imagination to be a large V on the
vertical stabilizer. That would be followed by an R
for the tail code Victor Robinson. The 779 number
sequence started after I separated. I think it was a
70* that was shot down June 2 1965 off of the Midway.
The year was after that probably 66 or 67. The
plane is a Douglas EA1F ( An AD5Q when I flew in them.
) They were Full of Electronics finger printing and
jamming equipment. When all is said and done it is a
VAW-13 Zappers Aircraft.

[Image Source - US Navy]
[Approach]  [Approach]
[Approach] [Approach]
1968 - Pilot's eye view of a landing approach to the USS Coral Sea.

[Image Source - US Navy]
[Approach]
1968 - Picture of the last Navy Skyraider to ever fly a mission over Vietnam. Seen here trapping on the USS Coral Sea. This bird was an A-1J flown by VA-25.

[Image Source - US Navy]
[CVA-43] [CVA-43]
[CVA-43] [CVA-43]
[CVA-43]
1967-68 - Series of flight-ops photos.

[Image Source - Bob Kurtz]
[Launch]
1968 - F8 launching of the waist cat. Notice that the afterburner is lit!

[Image Source - US Navy]
[Spad]
1968 - Nice shot of a Spad approaching the ship for a trap.

[Image Source - US Navy]
[Approach]
1968 - Another approach for landing, probably from an E-2 Hawkeye.

[Image Source - US Navy]
[Approach]
1968 - A "Blue Tail Fly" of VA-153 about to catch the 4 wire.

[Image Source - US Navy]
[Approach]
1968 - VF-161 F-4B Phantom taxis on to Cat 3.

[Image Source - US Navy]
[Approach]
1968 - VA-25 Fist of the Fleet A-1J taxis forward.

[Image Source - US Navy]
[Approach]
1968 - E2 launching off the starboard cat.

[Image Source - US Navy]
[F-111]
1968 - July 23 - F-111B on the Coral Maru!! The Navy conducted a feasibility study to deploy the F-111 aboard carriers. However, the big planes proved to be too unwieldly for carrier operations. These experiments led to the F-14 Tomcat program going forward.

[Image Source - US Navy]

See the F-111 page here.
[Flight Ops] [Flight Ops]
[Flight Ops] [Flight Ops]
[Flight Ops] [Flight Ops]
[Flight Ops] [Flight Ops]
[Flight Ops] [Flight Ops]
[Flight Ops] [Flight Ops]
[Flight Ops] [Flight Ops]
[Flight Ops] [Flight Ops]
1968-69 - Great photo collection of Flight OPS.

Row 1: VF-161 Phantom on approach. Touchdown.


Row 2: VF-151 F-4B running out the #1 wire. The "Pack".



Row 3: A-4F Skyhawk on approach. Touchdown.



Row 4: Plane Guard Helo touching down on angle deck. Scooter launching in to the sunset.


Row 5: Making steam to get wind over the deck. Touchdown.



Row 6: CAT 3 F-4 ready for launch. F-4 off the angle deck.



Row 7: F-8 off the angle deck. F-8 climbing out as Scooter stands by to launch.


Row 8: Phantom ready in afterburners. UH-2C touching down

[Image Source - Terry Peterson]
[Flight Deck]
1968 - VFP-63 DET 43 RF-8G launches off waist cat.

[Image Source - US Navy]
1968-69 - Excellent collection from Jerry Southrland
[1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67] 
[1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67] 
[1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67] 
[1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67] 

[1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67]  [1966-67] 
1969 - Some flight deck scenes.

[Image Source - Harold L. Eckardt ]
[Flight Deck] [Flight Deck] [Flight Deck] [Flight Deck] [Flight Deck]
New 1969 - Various Pictures from Honk kong, Subic, Aboard Ship ... from Rick Graff
[Flight Deck]  [Flight Deck]  [Flight Deck]  [Flight Deck]  [Flight Deck]  [Flight Deck]  [Flight Deck]  [Flight Deck]  [Flight Deck] 
[Flight Deck]
1969-70 - A-6A of VA-35 running out the wire.

[Image Source - US Navy]
[Flight Deck]
1969-70 - Unsual shot of a crowded deck with nothing but F4 Phantoms.

[Image Source - US Navy]
[Approach]
1969-70 - A3 Whale coming in for a trap as seen from the LSO platform.

[Image Source - US Navy]
[Launch]
1969-70 - A6 Intruder going off the starboard cat.

[Image Source - US Navy]
[Launch] [Trap]
[Launch]
1969-70 - VF-161 Phantom launching off the waist cat, heading for a mission over Vietnam. VF-151 Phantom about to trap.
VF-151 Phantoms being readied with missels for next sortie over Vietnam

[Image Source - Tom Pokora]


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