Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 30

Thread: Tomcat on the Big Stick...

  1. #1
    Join Date
    11-22-03
    Location
    In the Village...
    Posts
    43,954

    Tomcat on the Big Stick...

    I seldom look forward to any Hollywood movies, but I want to see the sequel to Top Gun...Latest rumors have an F-14 being removed from a museum, made operational and now perched on the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) for filming...I can't imagine the production costs on this one...This should be a great movie......Ben
    The future is forged on the anvil of history...The interpreter of history wields the hammer... - Unknown author...

  2. #2
    Join Date
    11-22-03
    Location
    In the Village...
    Posts
    43,954
    In other Navy news, USS Hornet (CV-8) has been located miles deep in Ironbottom Sound by the crew of RV Petrel...It is upright, and in a remarkable state of preservation......Ben
    The future is forged on the anvil of history...The interpreter of history wields the hammer... - Unknown author...

  3. #3
    Join Date
    08-05-05
    Location
    Deep inside the Central Scrutinizer.
    Posts
    21,024
    I'll pass. Never saw the original. Not a Tom Cruise fan..

    Love the planes though... When you say the F-14 was made operational, do you mean it was flown on board?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    11-22-03
    Location
    In the Village...
    Posts
    43,954
    Quote Originally Posted by Phillbo View Post
    When you say the F-14 was made operational, do you mean it was flown on board?
    The article doesn't say...I've seen talk about the actors doing still shots for promotion with an F-14, but it could have brought on board by crane, which is more likely...I don't know if it'll be flown from it or not...I'm just wondering what it cost the movie company to get filming rights with it and the Big Stick together......Ben
    The future is forged on the anvil of history...The interpreter of history wields the hammer... - Unknown author...

  5. #5
    Join Date
    08-05-05
    Location
    Deep inside the Central Scrutinizer.
    Posts
    21,024
    "Big Stick" ? Are you referring to the ship?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    11-22-03
    Location
    In the Village...
    Posts
    43,954
    Not just any ship......Ben

    The future is forged on the anvil of history...The interpreter of history wields the hammer... - Unknown author...

  7. #7
    Join Date
    10-22-01
    Location
    All Over
    Posts
    38,198
    My first job out of college was with a large consulting company who at the time was the sole (and may remain as such) designers of both the steam catapults and the hydraulic arresting gear.
    The guys that worked in that group said that a good operator could lay a dime on the deck at the point the nose wheel of the incoming aircraft would stop---and then prove it!
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” ---Sir Winston Churchill
    "Political extremism involves two prime ingredients: an excessively simple diagnosis of the world's ills, and a conviction that there are identifiable villains back of it all." ---John W. Gardner
    “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ---C. S. Lewis

  8. #8
    Join Date
    11-22-03
    Location
    In the Village...
    Posts
    43,954
    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Grubb View Post
    The guys that worked in that group said that a good operator could lay a dime on the deck at the point the nose wheel of the incoming aircraft would stop---and then prove it!
    A little history......Ben
    The future is forged on the anvil of history...The interpreter of history wields the hammer... - Unknown author...

  9. #9
    Join Date
    10-22-01
    Location
    All Over
    Posts
    38,198
    Very interesting Ben--thank you.

    The state-of-art system when I was there in the early 70's was beautifully simple in concept. The arresting "engine" consisted of large horizontal hydraulic cylinders below deck with multi sheaves on each end. The cable wrapped around the unit---one end of which was movable. The operator controlled the breaking force by setting the "bleed valve" orifice.

    As an aside, this system I worked on during a summer employment--and I was amazed at the freedom I had in altering it, all with over sight from some really fantastic engineers.

    The original system had been designed by another firm and it is simply an impeller inside a tank of fluid below the horizontal drum which you can see in the picture. In operation the resistance is created by the turbulence damping the rotation of the impeller.
    The prototype failed to develope enough resistance and the plane would "dead end" when all the tape played out. The designers decided to try a more viscous liquid and changed from water to oil in the tank. Their first test at Lakehurst NJ, were the test sled is, was a disaster. The cable snapped, the sled came off the tracks and ran through a maintenance building killing a worker inside.

    The Navy then gave the job of trying to salvage the concept to the company I worked for--and it pretty much ended up on my drawing board. BTW---Vietnam was still ongoing at the time.

    When analyzed the poor performance was amplified by the fact that at some point in the cycle the turbulence in the reservoir would begin to drive the impeller rather than impede it.

    The fix was rather simple. We raised the tape drum up and installed a large disc break beneath it. We then put a following arm on the tape drum which was the control for the disc break, as the arm moved in due to the decreasing diameter of the drum the breaking force would increase---to the point were it became dominate and would finish the breaking function.
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” ---Sir Winston Churchill
    "Political extremism involves two prime ingredients: an excessively simple diagnosis of the world's ills, and a conviction that there are identifiable villains back of it all." ---John W. Gardner
    “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ---C. S. Lewis

  10. #10
    Join Date
    10-21-01
    Location
    San Antonio, Tx.
    Posts
    18,387
    The processes of good engineers are fascinating. I never gave a moments thought to what it would take to arrest the kenitic force of an airplane in a few yards of travel without killing the pilot. I always thought it was just a cable stretched there. Duh.
    ...............
    “You can vote your way into socialism, but you have to shoot your way out.” — Too fundamental to have an attribution


  11. #11
    Join Date
    11-22-03
    Location
    In the Village...
    Posts
    43,954
    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Grubb View Post
    As an aside, this system I worked on during a summer employment--and I was amazed at the freedom I had in altering it, all with over sight from some really fantastic engineers.
    The base where I was stationed in Germany had the longest runway in Europe, over 13,000 feet when I was there...I remember it had a system of arresting cables, but until now I never knew what made them work...Even though we were a fighter base, it was expected to stop the heaviest cargo aircraft of the time in an emergency...At times non-military aircraft could be diverted there if an emergency was declared due to the length of the runway...While I was there a Soviet cargo plane landed there. and was confined to one end of a runway until it was repaired, and under extremely tight security I might add...

    The system you described, Dave, sounds like it works on the similar principle of a water brake such as used in a dynamometer used to measure horsepower...Thanks for the edjoomacation......Ben
    The future is forged on the anvil of history...The interpreter of history wields the hammer... - Unknown author...

  12. #12
    Join Date
    10-22-01
    Location
    All Over
    Posts
    38,198
    The system you described, Dave, sounds like it works on the similar principle of a water brake such as used in a dynamometer used to measure horsepower...
    The concept is identical.

    As another aside---we had a large (10') cut field rotary mower when I was a kid. Commonly when done using it I would back it into one of the ponds and run it to clean out the underbelly---the faster I tried to run the tractor the power demand would soar.
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” ---Sir Winston Churchill
    "Political extremism involves two prime ingredients: an excessively simple diagnosis of the world's ills, and a conviction that there are identifiable villains back of it all." ---John W. Gardner
    “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ---C. S. Lewis

  13. #13
    Join Date
    11-22-03
    Location
    In the Village...
    Posts
    43,954
    The other aircraft carrier article I posted poses an interesting question for all you antique tractor fans here...On the flight deck is parked a perfectly preserved IH tractor used as a deck tug in it's previous life...Mileage is guaranteed to be low, although some fluid changes and fresh fuel are recommended before starting...If the US Navy decided to auction this one off, where do you suppose the bidding should start?...I'm guessing it might be sold as-is, where-is with the transportation costs for the 3.3 miles back to the surface at your expense......Ben

    The future is forged on the anvil of history...The interpreter of history wields the hammer... - Unknown author...

  14. #14
    Join Date
    10-21-01
    Location
    San Antonio, Tx.
    Posts
    18,387
    How & why do the tires look still intact and fully inflated while under unspeakable pressure at that depth?
    ...............
    “You can vote your way into socialism, but you have to shoot your way out.” — Too fundamental to have an attribution


  15. #15
    Join Date
    10-13-03
    Location
    Livermore Valley near the wine grapes
    Posts
    11,672
    Quote Originally Posted by wacojoe View Post
    How & why do the tires look still intact and fully inflated while under unspeakable pressure at that depth?
    solid rubber or as we used on some of our beach cleaning tractors, water filled for traction perhaps
    "The only thing that we learn from torture is the depths of our own moral depravity"

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •