Bertie

They had some kind of a hook shape on end of hose (which looked like a
garden hose) and hooked it on the lip of the scoop so water just went
down scoop. Nothing into prop.

This was of course in the summer time. Cooler Wx it was not needed.

In a prior posting there was comments on checking out in 51. Prior to
the 40 checkout, made 6-8 back seat landings in a T-6. Had to do that
prior to going solo. Probably a good technique for anyone checking out
in 40 or 51 today.

One more tonight. I spent a year as a AF Exchange Pilot with VF-23 a
F2H3 Navy Tail hook Sq.

Sitting in ready room and Exec came in and said who doesn't have their
flying time (4 hours for pay) for the month. I put my hand up and he
said ok you'll fly the Banshee tomorrow. I said is there a Pilots Hand
Book around and he said there must be and a search took place until
one was found. It was late in day so I took home and read after
dinner. Next morning a bird number was posted by my name and I got my
flying gear and went out to line and the crew chief talked me through
the pre flight. I then got in and he talked me through the starting of
both engines.

Took off and flew about an hour and a half feeling bird out (flew like
a T-33) and came in and landed (piece of cake). Taxied in to Sq
parking ramp and line chief met me and started making funny motions
with is arms. I stopped taxiing and he then picked up a chock and ran
up to bird and threw it under the wing. He then gave me the sig to
shut down which I did.

The crew chief came up kick in steps to cockpit and said the gear had
almost collapsed and the chock was in the stiff knee preventing it
from retracting. Got out and looked and strut was cocked abut 30
degrees.

After they inspected it they found that someone had left a wrench in
the wing section and it had shorted out the retract relay. My
introduction to Navy birds )


I need to go silent again. Let you and Dudley carry the load )

Take care.

Big John
********************************

On Sun, 30 Sep 2007 23:58:01 +0000 (UTC), Bertie the Bunyip
wrote:

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Wow!

The intake was the large scoop under th spinner, right? So he had to
spray against the back of th prop?