Beign a hardened O-level warrior I saw a few dumb/interesting things happen on a flight line or flight deck.

Walk across an active runway: did that
Nuggets falling off tall helicopters: saw that
A person get slapped back 10 feet from the static discharge of a helicopter: Heard of that

Any other amusing stories anyone would like to share?
No helo vs. jet talk. That'll get you owned by the helo guys

We had a brandnew 1st LT get so excited to pilot his 1st flight on one of our AH-1J's that he started to lift off with the Plane Capt still standing on the skid making sure the cockpit was closed up.

While on the FDR I saw a squidly plane capt mistakenly call for the GTC105 to output starting air pressure and the hose that wasn't properly secured to the F4 beat the livin shiat out of him.

This really wasn't funny, but on the same carrier while on the hanger deck packed in real tight, during a GQ I saw a tall squidly run head 1st into an A7's tail plane and split his noggin wide open. The loud "bang" reverberated throughout the entire hanger bay. He lived but had a heck of a scar..

I was both O & I level at different times so I got into all kinds of situations
Not to mention that I was responsible for an NC10's 6-71 Detroit diesel to run wide open for approx 5 minutes, on it's own oil because the valve cover was off due to me changeing out the injectors, one of which jammed wide open....
Ahem, cost me a nice little 30 day assignment to mess duty

Us 'ordies' running our S.A.T.S. loaders up and down the line...full throttle.
Now, this was in the daze of the 'loaders having manual transmissions...
Removing the speed governors helped a tad.
OrdO (usually a Gunner) gets involved is a hoot!

Squadron SafetyO (usually a butterbar) gets ticked...

Then, there's the 'tow tugs'...

quote:

Originally posted by Volfandt:
during a GQ I saw a tall squidly run head 1st into an A7's tail plane and split his noggin wide open. The loud "bang" reverberated throughout the entire hanger bay. He lived but had a heck of a scar..

i just laughed so hard at that i woke my wife up, lmao.
pete

ywe had a guy in our flightline shop turn one of those huge paper garbage bags upside down and wear it. he cut holes for his arms and a slit for his eyes...stood at the top of the ramp and for some reason kept yelling "GIVE IT TO ME SHIPMATE" to any squiddies that walked past..... after a couple, some chic is walking by and he does it again.. she kneed him in the nuts so hard he was doubled over, lmao.. .gave over for him.

gave it to him, she did.
Pete

Almost like sending the 'noobs' to S-4 with the proverbial 'shopping list'...

From 'afterburner igniters' to 'buckets of propwash' to 'spools of pre-rolled flight line, 'cans of pressurized backblast'...

Amazing how many fell for it...

my favorite was the exhaust sample... send a nugget out to the line with a garbage bag...priceless!!
pete

My favorite one was go get a can of pneumatic fluid.
THe funnist one I remember was a F/L nugget sent to me to get a fellopian tube.
Ah, the memories?!!?

Hoffy1951,

Glad to see another Ordie here. You reminded me of a few things when you spoke of the SATS loaders. The governor was removed on mine as well. I took the aluminum covered styro foam ends from the Zuni rocketpods and cut them out to make them to looked like MAG wheels and mounted them on the SATS loader. We could fly at times with that thing.

I didn't like wearing the Mickey Mouse hearing device as I wanted to hear the A4-s when they were moving. One day, I was instructed to wear them or else. Well, it was a damp misty overcast day and I was zipping around with a 2000lb bomb and didn't hear the jet coming around the corner. SLAMMED on my brakes and the 2000lb bomb goes slidding towards the Jet and all I remember is the look on the Pilots face when the bomb chocked his Jet that was fully loaded for a Mission. Needless to say, I wasn't the most popular Ordie in his eyes that day. I had a good SNCOIC and some how he kept me from getting in allot of trouble. I didn't have to wear the Mouse ears after that.

How about the ASH Receivers, or the Vortex Generator Servicing Fluid, or 100 yards of Flight Line, or the Keys to #5. I hada Air Wing Recruiter who gave me a heads up on all of these....lol

quote:

Originally posted by fuseman:
Hoffy1951,

Glad to see another Ordie here. You reminded me of a few things when you spoke of the SATS loaders. The governor was removed on mine as well. I took the aluminum covered styro foam ends from the Zuni rocketpods and cut them out to make them to looked like MAG wheels and mounted them on the SATS loader. We could fly at times with that thing.

I didn't like wearing the Mickey Mouse hearing device as I wanted to hear the A4-s when they were moving. One day, I was instructed to wear them or else. Well, it was a damp misty overcast day and I was zipping around with a 2000lb bomb and didn't hear the jet coming around the corner. SLAMMED on my brakes and the 2000lb bomb goes slidding towards the Jet and all I remember is the look on the Pilots face when the bomb chocked his Jet that was fully loaded for a Mission. Needless to say, I wasn't the most popular Ordie in his eyes that day. I had a good SNCOIC and some how he kept me from getting in allot of trouble. I didn't have to wear the Mouse ears after that.

At least you weren't assigned the job of readjusting the fins on the MK25 Practice Bombs...using a ball pein hammer and a 4 x 4 wood block.

Tom...

Howz about...

Gallon cans of pre-mixed Yellow/Black Safety Paint for the Hanger floor...

Boxes of pre-cut and pre-painted grid squares...

Bicycle tire pump and guage to reinflate/check pressure on the CO's aircraft tires?

Trying to find the windshield wiper arms on a A6 windscreen, and you have two wiper blades...

Decks of cards...one card on the pilot's seat...usually the Ace of Spades (if the pilot was not popular), Joker (the noob), King (CO)...and so forth...

Lit cigars to test the infared seeker on a missle...we actually had a couple of noobs fresh out of 'A' school try it...'according to my instructor'...

Took a couple of Inert MK81s (250# bombs), and painted/stenciled them 'real'...had a couple of 'noobs' test their expertise on the 'structural integrity of a bomb casing' by 'tapping' the casing with a mini sledge. The OrdO did the painting...

Mind ya...this is over 34 years ago...

If it wuzzunt for us 'ordies'...Marine Aviation would be just another scheduled airline...

The man, the myth, the LEGEND Lcpl Foote

quote:

Originally posted by davecerami1965:
The man, the myth, the LEGEND Lcpl Foote

hah, that's awesome.

i (used to) think about taking off with a phrog all the time & wondered how far we'd get before we got smoked.

I personally think the legendary Lcpl Foote should be a sticky.

+1

Foote is whether they want to admit it or not, every enlisted aviation Marine's hero.

When I was stationed in El Toro guy's used to talk about it and I thought it was BS. After I got out I learned of the "interweb" and how to research.

looks like Mr Foote has done well for himself...

Howard A. Foote, Chief Technology Officer
In 1994, Mr. Foote enlisted in The United States Marine Corp., and served as a jet mechanic and plane captain for A-6E Intruders. Mr. Foote is qualified as a pilot in 25 different types of aircraft, including Russian military fighter aircraft and RAF military aircraft as well. From 1989 - 1992, Mr. Foote was privately educated by the world leading Aeronautical Engineering Professor, Svenn Ridder of the Swedish Institute of Technology. It was here where Mr. Foote worked on an advanced flying wing design in Swedish wind-tunnel facilities, to successfully design an advanced flying wing configuration vehicle; the vehicle used Microwave Power Transmissions to power the aircraft instead of conventional fuel. Mr. Foote received a patent for this unique aircraft design. The configuration is considered state-of-the-art, even after 12 years since test completion. He has been contracting with Jet Propulsion Laboratories-NASA since 1991. Mr. Foote holds many patents for advanced aircraft design, complex systems architecture, orbital power stations, and electric fuel cell technology. Mr. Foote has become one of the most progressive aeronautical engineers today.

Tom...
That bio on Mr. Foote has one glaring error...

Mr. Foote enlisted in 1984, not 1994, as posted.
It's a wonder that has not been addressed to his company.

quote:

Originally posted by 53ninja:
+1

Foote is whether they want to admit it or not, every enlisted aviation Marine's hero.

When I was stationed in El Toro guy's used to talk about it and I thought it was BS. After I got out I learned of the "interweb" and how to research.

Back in the days I kept every newspaper article about foote, because I knew back then that people would throw the bull$hit flag when I told the story years later.

Lost all my military $hit to Katrina,, thank God for the internet.

I told this story at a MCL meeting. Guess what happenned? You guessed it,, somebody threw the bull$hit flag!!

Here's to you Foote,,,, youre a legend.

Maybe we should start in the Barraks as a Header Thread The Unsung Hero's of the Marine Corps. We vote them in through a polling of yes or no....