America's Early Aircraft Carriers

really top interesting this pioneer era with an impulse low run angle decline ramp on a crusader. But as my own experience here, moderators would delete your posts, because it is not about yacht and people here don't like ship at all, if were not only the 'newest cruise ships', unfortunatly. They restrict a lot the nautical thema... But I personally enjoyed seeing those pics a lot. Took the chance for saving them. If you have in hi-res could you send in my PM the link where i can download or per email? I don't like much warships, but if is something very particuliar, then i appreciate as well. It is because things like that, I should find a specific general ship thema topic would be necessary. Anyway, I hope to be kept as a particular corner those anciant pics.

That is not true and by now you should know that.

How do you figure that one?

I am sure you are not the only one who enjoys old historical items like this.

1-2. happening many times with my 'old cruise ships' posts and commentaries, even my suggestions to Carl per Email. So it was the truth with me. I hate people saying i am lieing. I don't understand that in Germany people having to proof everything, every step. If that happens in Germany a lot from own people, it is not my fault. Maybe you just do not saw, cause was not coincidence you seeing at that time. But i have to agree i became traumatic after my post 3 to at least the 30 here. Now is better, because they are asking first, before removing at all, sometimes.
3. After seeing the 1-2 facts, was my conclusion.

Kafue, those are great images to take to heart. Thank you.

Last week I passed behind the George W Bush (Norfolk) at a half mile and was amazed at where we have come. In line from her(his??) stern, it would appear she should fall over to port if a heavy-set crew member were to lunch on the port side. Would love to see the dynamics of the CG of that hull. Further, I cannot imagine any antagonistic military force looking at her and her resources and thinking, "we can break that". "Bring it on", must be the yell.

Thanks for the pictures! My late Great Grandfather became one of the first navy pilots in 1913 and was the only living WWI veteran in his state when he passed. Mr Ely was an employee and pilot at Curtiss Aircraft. After making the first takeoff from a ship, he was made an honorary member of the CA National Guard so he could claim the $500 prize made available to any NG member who made the first shipboard takeoff. My father was a Navy Test Pilot and later an astronaut, who commanded two shuttle missions. Naval Aviation is deeply ingrained in our family. Thanks again for the pictures.

A) I had no idea the old Curtiss pusher was that small!

B) That warship didn't have much beam!

Kelly Cook

Yeah I am late

Just saw this post and while I take nothing from the pilots who fly those meteors we have today, seeing those pics again (which I saw on a Navy base years ago), the first thought that came to mind was "Those guys had to have titanium semi-external spherical reproductive organs to fly those things off that ramp." (Edited for polite company) Not only were planes barely understood then but they were already trying high risk complete unknown operations. This country has it's faults, I don't ignore them, but stuff like this makes it easier to understand how we came so far so fast. Guts, ingenuity, tanacity and something (I don't know what I am not that dammed old) I think may be at least partially missing in modern DNA.

Can't beat carriers ...


The ultimate form of projecting strenght at Sea .. If i remember correctly there was those in the USN top brass that felt Battleships were still the key weaponary in the Navy though over the years Carriers has earned her stripes proved the doubters and earned there battle stars and if wasn't for the Carrier the pacific campaign would have been much different .

Again you can't fault the build quality big , robust and fast ...

The Essex class CV 13 USS Franklin was so badly damaged she was forced out of the war and still made it back to port under her own power and some period after the war she was scrapped tho other Essex classes were brought back into service for Korean War and later Vietnam .

And the most haunted US Carrier is CV-12 USS Hornet which is now a museum

Very late to the party, but hats off to Kafue for the excellent pics, including the one depicting the intrepid pilot wearing the bicycle inner tube as a life preserver--not too surprising given that early aviation owes it's beginning engineering to....bicycle repair shops! That front spoked wheel & tire look like a Schwinn.