RTIC: Exhibition on USS Midway

[Romantic Technofreak]

It was my wish for 35+ years to see the orca show in Seaworld, San Diego, and Greg made that possible! What I did not know was there is USS Midway laying in San Diego Harbour, and she now is the location of an aircraft museum. Well, the aircraft are not WWII, but I am sure you will enjoy the following pictures anyway:

And it's a long way to Midway:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v475/Coridano/IMAG0028.jpg

They have: Skywarrior:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v475/Coridano/IMAG0029.jpg

Vigilante:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v475/Coridano/IMG_0460.jpg

Corsair II:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v475/Coridano/IMG_0463.jpg

[Romantic Technofreak]

Cougar:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v475/Coridano/IMG_0474.jpg

Trader:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v475/Coridano/IMAG0032.jpg

Have you ever seen a blue panther on an aircraft carrier?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v475/Coridano/IMAG0038.jpg

[Romantic Technofreak]

Down on the Midway's hangar deck, they have flight simulators and loose cockpits of combat planes you can mount. But that's - only for demonstration - what happens if Greg forgets his flash:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v475/Coridano/IMG_0455.jpg

And this is the same picture improved by using XnView!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v475/Coridano/IMG_0455-1.jpg

So forget about using a flash! You should only make a friendly face when you sit in a combat aircraft and attack somebody:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v475/Coridano/IMG_0456.jpg

[Romantic Technofreak]

Let's have a look around on the Midway.

The island and a Prowler:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v475/Coridano/IMG_0462.jpg

Skyline, northern part:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v475/Coridano/IMAG0034.jpg

Skyline, southern part and begin of San Diego Bridge:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v475/Coridano/IMAG0035.jpg

San Diego Bridge, connecting the city and Coronado Island:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v475/Coridano/IMAG0033.jpg

[Romantic Technofreak]

First time here? Scroll up please!

This is USS Nimitz with covering fenders against terrorist boat attacks. No, she is not relegated to naval reserve, she is undergoing an upgradation (learnt from Wikipedia):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v475/Coridano/IMG_0468.jpg

You can see fat things on the Midway, I mean, radial engines...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v475/Coridano/IMG_0473.jpg

Hope you enjoyed, and best regards, RT

[Wuzak]

All those pilots sitting in the cockpits.....

Man they must be bored stiff!

[Double T]

RoTech:
Great photos and thank-you for sharing them with us...

Some notes.
The North American F5A--later RF--Vigilante is one of my very favorite jet aircraft of all time. I think it's lines are absolutely beautiful.

Some minor corrections...
Your "Corsair II" is in fact a Chance-Vought F8 Crusader. "The last of the gun-fighters" armed with (4) 20mm cannon. The A7A attack aircraft had a shorter fuselage, and deleted the 20mm cannon.

The "Trader" looks to be a Grumman S-2 Tracker.

Tim

[Romantic Technofreak]

Sorry for answering late, friends.

The North American F5A--later RF--Vigilante is one of my very favorite jet aircraft of all time. I think it's lines are absolutely beautiful.
I completely agree, although I don't like its initial purpose as atomic bomber. Being romantic, I like to see it in a fictitious -and traditional- role as ship sinker using conventional bombs and torpedos... ...and its bomb bay is in a very special position, if you know what I mean... :o

Your "Corsair II" is in fact a Chance-Vought F8 Crusader.
The "Trader" looks to be a Grumman S-2 Tracker.
You should be right about the Crusader, but Trader is correct. In the picture, you cannot see the windows showing it to be the transport aircraft.

All those pilots sitting in the cockpits.....

Man they must be bored stiff!
Yes, but it must be a quite easy job! I would like to get paid for that!:)

Regards, RT

[GregP]

Great pics, RT!

We had a good time, ate well while in San Diego, and walked a LONG WAY on that ship!

[Wuzak]

Nice to see that you capture the loving embrace of a miniature sailor and his miniature girfriend as they balance on the safety railing.....

http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/9636/minithemug1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Wuzak]

The island and a Prowler:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v475/Coridano/IMG_0462.jpg


Your Prowler (EA-6) is in fact an Intruder (A-6)! Just to be picky.

San Diego looks to be a pleasant city.

[Romantic Technofreak]

Your Prowler (EA-6) is in fact an Intruder (A-6)! Just to be picky.
I admit I am not the greatest expert of post-WWII aircraft, didn't prepare well and also did not take a closer look at the labels. Sorry!

Tim, I made a mistake answering you. The aircraft looking to be a Tracker is really a Trader, I corrected it.

Great pics, RT!
Sure, Greg, especially if you consider that many of them were taken by yourself!;)

Nice to see that you capture the loving embrace of a miniature sailor and his miniature girfriend as they balance on the safety railing.....
Very good eye, Wuzak! Neither me nor Greg became aware of that sculpture. Looking for what this is, I found out it's name is "Unconditional Surrender";), inspired by a photograph known as "V-J day on Times Square". You can find this picture on Wikipedia, with the Midway in the background:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v475/Coridano/Unconditional_Surrender_statue_San_.jpg

Here is the link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%E2%80%93J_day_in_Times_Square

San Diego looks to be a pleasant city.
ate well while in San Diego
It is, Wuzak! And if you should go there, don't miss to ask Greg for the address of that certain restaurant!:rolleyes:

Regards, RT

[Wuzak]

Very good eye, Wuzak! Neither me nor Greg became aware of that sculpture. Looking for what this is, I found out it's name is "Unconditional Surrender";), inspired by a photograph known as "V-J day on Times Square".


I saw them in one picture, and then spotted them in another in the same embrace, so I got to wondering....

[GregP]

RT, I'll freely admit it ... I can't remember which pics I took and which pics YOU took. I have them all stored in a folder named "RT_in_SoCal" and have already erased my own memory chip in the camera ... so, they could all be yours even though I recall generally what scenes I found interesting.

I think I saw a German in a cockpit on the midway. I think it was YOU. I could be wrong ... :D