Hey Old2soon

[RP#62]

I know you're fond of stoof's.  Although I've never worked on them, I've been around them most of my life.  My dad was in VS-27 once upon a time doing antisubmarine stuff, so as a kid I was able to crawl all over them on days he'd take us to the base.  As an adult, when I was working on the base, the shop next to mine was a Willie Victor outfit, but across the ramp, the SAR guys had 2 stoofs and 2 HS-1's.  My father in law was working on the SAR birds at the time and we used to borrow tools and hardware from each other and so I was always around the stoofs during their maintenance evolution.  As a result, I still take pictures of them whenever I run across them and there seems to be a lot of them in Arizona.  So....these stoofs are for you:

These are at a small airport about 10 miles north of me.  This outfit buys them from Davis Monthan and converts them to fire bombers


Saw this one at the Pima Air Museum in Tucson


This poor fellow was at the Goodyear airport west of Phoenix


And to top it off, a stoof with a roof


Enjoy,
-RP

[carolinarider09]

"And to top it off, a stoof with a roof"

Never heard it called that but we called them Wilile Fudds on the Wasp.

[RP#62]

I was debating what to call it - I've heard both.  There's was also a super stoof  (hummer, E-2) and a super stoof with a roof.

-RP

[carolinarider09]

Some pictures from the Wasp.

Willed Fudds parked and some helios warming up.



Getting ready to catch a Wille Fudd.



Almost caught. 



And caught.

[John Schmidt]

Is that for emergency arrest or normal landing for that plane? Doesn't that mess up the props...among other things?

[carolinarider09]

Emergencies only and Old2soon will have to answer about the props.  I am not sure what caused this incident.  I just heard over the 1MC (I think that was the term) about the potential for a "trapped" landing (think that is the term) and grabbed my camera.

I was an Electronics Tech, Radar Third Class at the time.  Just ran up to the outside of island to get the pictures.

[Mooskee]

We had stufs in VC2 back in 73 -77. We towed targets that looked like a wind sock. They were on a cable that reeled out about a mile behind the plane. Other people shor at the targets.

[old2soon]

      I NEVER saw a barrier landing while on Yorktown. I have seen old movies of barrier landings. NOT Sure if Yorktown ever even rigged for a Needed barrier landing. NOT an aircraft engine mechanic But my thinkin here the sudden stop for the engines Might call for both engines being replaced and the ones that came in on that landing being replaced and the maybe damaged engines being sent to a shore facility for rebuild. Along with the props for rebuild.
       RP#62 those pics Do bring back some fond memories. My first 2 tours after Boot were in S2s. I've seen vids on the "news" of those reconverted Stoofs doing the water/fire retardent drops. I've also seen pics of Stoofs fitted with turbo shaft engines. I was told at the time I seved that most twin engine planes at that time in The Navy's inventory that one of the engines was a spare cuz they Would fly on one engine. My limited hours as part time aircrew Never saw That put to the test!  I Still have scars on my legs from chains getting around on the hangar bays and flight deck from 16 point hurricane tie down. Trying to recall aircraft count on Yorktown. VS 23 & VS 25 11 S 2s each. H S 4 Det? SH3A Helicopters I believe they had 10. 4 Willy Fudds-can't recall the squadron. And 4 Marine A 4s that Sadly were hangar bay queens. And 1 Ships C O D. Man am I seeing a Huge pile of cobwebs next to my puter!  RIDE SAFE.

[RP#62]

Looks like the trapped willie fudd is coming in on one.  His left engine is caged.  I used to be an engine mech.  When we'd do sudden stoppage inspections, if the oil strainer was clean and a dial runout on the prop shaft showed it wasn't bent, it was good to go.  Prop was ok if there were no chunks out of it and it wasn't bent or leaking. 

-RP

[carolinarider09]

You know that did trigger a memory of why they had to use the barricade. It was a failed engine and therefore, if they missed one of the arresting cables they would not have the needed power to give back airborne. 

I always found it interesting when we had jets on board (which was only when we were in the Mediterranean Sea) how, when they landed they also seemed to go to full power as they hit the deck in case they missed one of the arresting cables.   

[old2soon]

You know that did trigger a memory of why they had to use the barricade. It was a failed engine and therefore, if they missed one of the arresting cables they would not have the needed power to give back airborne. 

I always found it interesting when we had jets on board (which was only when we were in the Mediterranean Sea) how, when they landed they also seemed to go to full power as they hit the deck in case they missed one of the arresting cables.   

         F M P-Full Military Power in case of a bolter-missed wire. The L S O has The FINAL say on whether or not Any bird Is Safe to recover-land. I've been on the L S O Platform during recoveries. Looks like the Planes are coming right at you! Even With the canvas wind blocker behind you-remember we Are looking aft-the extra wind from those props going to F M P IS noticeable. The engine sound of both 9 cylinder R1820-82As goiung F M P lotsa noise even with the mickey mouse ears on-ear muffs And ear plugs. Did I mention how HOT it is in The South China Sea? My rack-bunk-hardly ever dried out completely. I Sweated day or night most of the reason I lost so much weight over there even though I Was consuming LARGE Portions of chow! BUT would NOT trade that experience for ANYTHING! RIDE SAFE.

[old2soon]

Looks like the trapped willie fudd is coming in on one.  His left engine is caged.  I used to be an engine mech.  When we'd do sudden stoppage inspections, if the oil strainer was clean and a dial runout on the prop shaft showed it wasn't bent, it was good to go.  Prop was ok if there were no chunks out of it and it wasn't bent or leaking. 

-RP

      Glad you chimed in on the engine(s) and props. As an A M E-Emergency Aviation Equipment specialist-in a recip outfit Not a lot to take care of so I helped the other trades when I could. Mechanical mostly as the electronic voodoo mystery escaped me!  But when I went full time maintenance my Duties changed a Lot. Tween wrenchin flyin part time and standing watches starting to Feel like I actually Belonged there.  :cooldude:And when I made E 4 seemed like a whole nuther Navy!  And my last 5 or 6 months I was as an E 4 signed off for Q C on the S 2 Ds and Es. That Q C slot was generally at least an E 5. Good Times NOT to be repeated in this life!  RIDE SAFE.