cM :: MORLEY|DIGITAL

My Grandad is a former naval aviator, having reached the rank of Captain before retiring.  He’s also got some great stories, and they’re always well written and very entertaining.  He sent me one about an incident in his early days, and I thought I’d post it up here for you to read:

The Goodyear Corsair

By  CAPT  Stewart T.  Zink,  USN (Ret)

Six hundred hours plus, into a career of more than 5000 flight hours, the ensign and his buddy Al volunteered for duty in or off Korea.  The time frame was July 1950, and the ensign and lieutenant (junior grade) were pilots in an attack squadron, VA-25, stationed at NAF Oceana, flying Skyraiders (now A-1s).  At that time, their nom de plumes were AD-1’s through 4’s, driven by the huge R-3350 engine.

Orders to ferry two AD-3’s to NAS Alameda, CA, came a week later, and the ensign and jg were so ordered, both assuming this was the “go” for Korea.  Getting personal affairs in order and saying “so long” to buddies and girl friends, the two intrepid aviators were soon airborne on their way to NAS Quonset Point to pick up the two AD-3’s.  MCAS Cherry Point was the next destination, then Lawson AFB, NAS Hensley, Biggs AFB, El Toro, then finally NAS Alameda. There weren’t any TACAN stations in those days; one had to get and be able to read maps and find things.

At Alameda there was confusion after landing, and it occurred that new orders were issued.  The intrepid two were told to get a ride to NAF Litchfield Park, find two FG-lD Corsairs (you know, the bent wing type made by Goodyear), and ferry them to NAS Jacksonville.  This was a stunning set of circumstances, but stiff upper lip, and it seemed the French needed the two birds (after overhaul, of course) in French Indochina.  A strange place called Dien Bien Phu needed defending.

Swallowing their disappointment, the crestfallen bummed a ride to the Litchfield airplane bone yard, and were told which two bent wing sets were theirs.  The aircraft inspections were mostly limited to dusting and blowing off sand to find gages, controls, and other parts that maybe should be there.  Amazingly, with some electrical help, the two engines started, permitting a long test flight for each.

So in reverse, it was Biggs, Hensley, Barksdale AFB, then NAS Pensacola.  The landing on Chambers Field, coming in over the Admirals’ housing in a Corsair was somewhat of a hairy thing–with the resulting hard landing by the ensign.  After the flight an inspection revealed no damage.

The next flight leg the following morning was from Pensacola to Jacksonville.  Preflight checks, turn ups, and takeoffs were without problems.  But, half way to Jacksonville, things began to happen to the ensign‘s steed:  the landing gear fell out of their wing wells, and the flaps sagged a bit, as the hydraulic pressure dropped to zero.  A real pickle, but there should be an air bottle under the left side of the pilot’s seat.  This bottle, if filled, can blow the landing gear all the way down and locked.  Investigation of the bottle’s status needs to proceed very soon.

The ensign’s left hand immediately seeks the air bottle’s valve handle.  Found!  Now to turn the handle . . .    Several attempts are made;  the left hand isn’t strong enough, or age and desert have frozen it.  So, one has to get two hands on the valve handle and try again.  But, the FG-1D doesn’t have a floor below the pilot’s seat, and seen well below are the bilges, the bottom of the fuselage.  The control stick is about five feet long.

The ensign explains to the jg that climbing down the stick is in order.  The jg promises to tell the ensign when the stick really needs to be pulled aft in order that a dive earthward doesn’t occur, and flight pay continues to be paid.  The ensign then shinnies down the stick into the bilges, gets two hands on the bottle’s valve handle, and BOOM! Down and locked go the landing gear, and orders are received to immediately pull aft on the stick.

The climb back up the control stick and onto the pilot’s seat is accomplished with amazing alacrity, the aircraft is re trimmed, and both intrepid pilots began breathing normally.  Jacksonville is called to ready their chain gear (arresting gear), and the ensign’s bent wing takes the chain gear without fault, ending an exciting flight.  Things do work.  Even with these Corsairs (probably), the French lost.  The ensign found out about that many years later, in Viet Nam.

All the best to you and yours this holiday season – and I wish you a successful 2008!

OK, so I was traveling all day yesterday and didn’t get a chance to post this then.  I spent a great week in Austin and I definitely can’t wait to move back.  Mostly business but a little pleasure with trips to The Salt Lick, Sullivan’s, and the myriad of bars and clubs on 6th St.

 Anyways, enjoy more of Andy McKee.