"1080 HD" footage from 1962. Flying off of USS Shangri-La in the Med. Looks like 50 or 70 mm stuff.



Willie on the Cub site found and posted this.

That’s some remarkable footage, almost 60 years old, very cool

Carrier landing have got to be awesome for an adrenaline junky! Narrarator sounds like Burl Ives!

Keith, as much as carrier landings are cool, this is my favorite part.






Debbie and I had the privilege to stand on Vultures Row and watch the air wing depart one morning. The afterburner thunder reverberating through the body as they strain at the leash is just awesome!

Brad, Thos are awesome pictures and you were lucky to be able to witness it! Strange to say, but being around the military for roughly 30 (wife and my service combined) I never witnessed a carrier launch. 5 years in Okinawa hearing various fighters and especially Harriers fly over husing on nearly a daily basis really never got old to me. I still get that swelling of pride whenever they are flying within ear shot.

Some aircraft carrier trivia. Someone correct me if I don't have the facts straight.

The jets are held back by a hold back bar while the engines are revved and waiting for the catapult. The pilot salutes the shooter when he/she is ready to go then the shooter has the catapult released. Some bars have a built in release, some are shearable and disposable. The shearable ones can hold the power of the jet engines but will break when the power of the catapult is added.

Also the landing catch cables have a maximum life number of catches, then they just throw them overboard.

Here's a photo of an S3 Viking shearable holdback release and a tail hook. It's the pinkish thing and as you can see, has been sheared. It's given to the pilot as a memento of their first carrier launch.

Wow, that's some incredible footage!