TB-25N deck launched from the USS Carl Vinson 1995

Taigh Ramey · **Posted:** Wed May 07, 2008 3:30 pm

Here is a video that I shot of the TB-25N N3155G launching off of the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) in August of 1995.

Check out how close the tail skid came to the deck. I believe that the B-25 pilots had a secret bet as to who could get off the deck in the shortest distance. Needless to say these guys won. It made the hair on the back of my neck stand up to see them hanging on the props climbing up out of ground effect (deck effect?). WOW :shock:

I shot the event with a WWII Army Bell and Howell model 71Q Eyemo 35mm motion picture camera. I had the film processed and put on video. Sorry about the time code information on the bottom as this was a quick video clip taken from the edit copy a while ago. I have the rest of the film stored away and I will dig it out and post the rest later. I have shots of all three B-25's that launched that day as well as the two Corsairs and the Albatross. I even have a shot as an F-18's wing went over my head on the waist cat in full afterburner. Spots of JP-4 hit the lens of the camera. It was an awesome day, and week, to say the least.

Col. Rohr e-mailed me to say that he was also on the Carl Vinson as were several other Wixers. We should get all our photos and videos together and come up with our own documentary of the event.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6LuAJ3LEsk#GU5U2spHI_4

kwajwreckdiver · **Posted:** Wed May 07, 2008 3:50 pm

That's a great video! Umm...minor correction, though- the ship's name is USS Carl Vinson.

I was on the Vinson from August '93 to Jan. '97, so I was there that day. That was without a doubt the best week of my four years in the USN. That week was what we called the "Pineapple Cruise"...LOL.

I took a bunch of pictures, and the ship made a video of the event that the crew was able to get, but unfortunately my pictures and the video are in storage back in the U.S. Oh, and we also had a mini-cruisebook for the event.

I'd love to help with your project, but I won't be back stateside until late this year at the earliest, maybe even early next year. But let me know how the project goes- at the very least, I'd love to get a copy of the documentary. If you're still working on it when I'm back stateside, I'll dig out my pics, video, and cruisebook and loan them to you.

Cheers!

Dan

51fixer · **Posted:** Wed May 07, 2008 3:54 pm

Taigh Ramey wrote:

Here is a video that I shot of the TB-25N N3155G launching off of the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vincent (CVN-70) in August of 1995.

Check out how close the tail skid came to the deck. I believe that the B-25 pilots had a secret bet as to who could get off the deck in the shortest distance. Needless to say these guys won. It made the hair on the back of my neck stand up to see them hanging on the props climbing up out of ground effect (deck effect?). WOW :shock:

I shot the event with a WWII Army Bell and Howell model 71Q Eyemo 35mm motion picture camera. I had the film processed and put on video. Sorry about the time code information on the bottom as this was a quick video clip taken from the edit copy a while ago. I have the rest of the film stored away and I will dig it out and post the rest later. I have shots of all three B-25's that launched that day as well as the two Corsairs and the Albatross. I even have a shot as an F-18's wing went over my head on the waist cat in full afterburner. Spots of JP-4 hit the lens of the camera. It was an awesome day, and week, to say the least.

Col. Rohr e-mailed me to say that he was also on the Carl Vincent as were several other Wixers. We should get all our photos and videos together and come up with our own documentary of the event.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6LuAJ3LEsk#GU5U2spHI_4

I had just moved to PA to work for Ed Shipley prior to the cruise to HI. I did the annual insp and then he took the FG-1D BU 88303 to CA to qualify and then do the cruise.
I also had the pleasure to go out when the 1st launch was done to commemorate Doolittle's raid with 3 B-25s out of North Island. It is quite the experience to see a launch off of a carrier.
Rich

Taigh Ramey · **Posted:** Wed May 07, 2008 4:02 pm

Hey Dan,

Thanks for pointing out my error. I have fixed it :oops:

How cool that you were there. I would love to see your photos some time. I heard that there was a pineapple cruise book for the trip. Do you know where I can get a copy of one? I will gladly pay whatever it takes to get one. Do you think any of your old Chucky V buddies might want to part with one?

I am looking forward to seeing your pictures and videos whenever you get back. I will make a copy of what I have for you. Just let me know where to send it.

Thanks Dan,

Taigh

kwajwreckdiver · **Posted:** Wed May 07, 2008 4:12 pm

Hey Taigh,

I honestly don't know where to obtain a copy of the pinapple cruisebook. It was a limited-run print, and if I remember right, it sold out on the ship fairly quickly. But I could be wrong on that.

Here's an idea- you might try going to the website for the USS Carl Vinson. I think they have a email link for the Public Affairs Officer. It's worth a shot to send an email and inquire as to where they might have old copies, or what they do with them.

I've lost contact with all my old shipmates since I got out in '97, so there's no way I can ask any of them. Sorry that I can't be of help there.

"Chucky V"...LOL!!! Been years since I heard that nickname! :lol:

Another nickname we had for it was "Hotel 70".

I'd love to have a copy of what you have. I'll send you a PM with my address here on Kwajalein. I will of course pay you for materials, time, and shipping costs.

Cheers!

Dan

Taigh Ramey · **Posted:** Wed May 07, 2008 4:25 pm

Thanks Dan, I will try the PAO folks.

Taigh

rwdfresno · **Posted:** Wed May 07, 2008 6:07 pm

51fixer wrote:

I also had the pleasure to go out when the 1st launch was done to commemorate Doolittle's raid with 3 B-25s out of North Island. It is quite the experience to see a launch off of a carrier.
Rich

I believe the initial 50th anniversary Doolittle launch reenactment was 2 B-25s 44-30748 "Heavenly Body" and 44-29199 "In the Mood." There were the 2 backup aircraft which also had the crews train and that was 44-30801 "Executive Sweet" and 43-28204 "Pacific Princess." They trained at Point Magu.

I was a part of the group that organized that commemoration and was on USS Ranger deck as well. Actually I don't know if you remember but they did a re-enactment of pulling the props through and loading with bombs and I was one of the guys in the re-enactment.

After the launch off of North Island we did a commemorative flight down the coast to Pebble Beech and overflew General Doolittle's home and dropped flowers off the coast. I was in "Pacific Princess." The flight landed at Santa Barbara Airport along the way for a stop. Upon taking off "Executive Sweet" developed an engine fire and had to turn back and land at Santa Barbara. My father was actually on board when that happened. Apparently a piece of burning matter actually fell off the aircraft and landed in a field at the end of the runway and started a pretty big grass fire. The crew and my father who organized the flight had to Charter a King Air fly them up to Fresno because the commemorative event was going to be finished up by a dinner dance in a hangar in Fresno. The B-25J 45-8898, that is now "Axis Nightmare" but was then owned by Vern Rayburn and was painted in RAF markings as well as TB-25N 44-30606 "Tootsie" were also along for the flight.

I was also involved in the subsequent launch that Bill Klaers organized on the USS Carl Vinson. I attended the carrier qualifications at Alameda Naval Air Station as well which was very interesting. I believe Anthony Lewis, an aviation videographer has quite a bit of professionally shot video of the qualifications and the launches. I know in particular I was standing next to him when he was filming near the TBM when it nosed over during the qualifications and tore up the prop and runway.

Anyone who is interested in making a documentary on that may want to contact him and see if he is interested in contributing. He directed the documentary "Doolitte: The Final Mission" which was a documentary about the 50th anniversary Doolittle re-enactment and the Doolittle Raider Reunion and memorial flight that we held in Fresno as a tribute to Doolittle the year that he passed away.

Ryan

Mark Clark · **Posted:** Wed May 07, 2008 7:28 pm

Taigh,

Thanks for the post. I was in the B-25 N3155G. An unreal experience.We had a fantastic week over there. Thanks to Wally Fisk, the pilot and owner for making this one of my greatest experiences.
WE did it all. COD arrested landing, stayed overnight on the ship, saw a number of cat shots off the deck. I was able to walk on the ramp at Wheeler Field and see the divits on ramp from the Japanese shells on the way to Pearl Harbor Dec 7. l The morning after we go there we woke up to the view of Diamond Head from the deck of a modern atom powered floating city !. The contrast of the B-25's and the other WW2 birds was really neat.

Shay · **Posted:** Wed May 07, 2008 7:36 pm

http://www.navsource.org/archives/02/70.htm

Shay
____________
Semper Fortis

Chicoartist · **Posted:** Wed May 07, 2008 9:08 pm

I was there a bit later (in October - for Fleet Week 95) as part of a book project with an author friend of mine, and our contacts at Alameda gave me a video of the carrier launch/quals called, End of WWII Commemorative - Carrier Launch - United States Navy - Yankee Air Museum - Pearl Harbor/Barber's Point/Oahu, Hawaiian Islands -- USS Carl Vinson August-September 1995. Lots of interviews and footage. I also got the commemorative book called "Chronicles", which has a lot of pics as well.

While there, we flew out on a helo to meet the USS Abraham Lincoln returning from WESTPAC 95, and rode the ship in as she docked after her six month tour. I recall that "Cellblock 72" was extremely dirty overall after her long tour (and she had a HUGE 'ding' in the side from an UNREP collision :shock:

), and the "Chuckie V" was extremely clean having been scrubbed down - looked like it just came out of a giant wash rack.

That week was/is my only trip to California - I can say that I've been OVER and UNDER the Golden Gate Bridge, but never on it! :lol:

We shot tons of video and took albums of pics. Some of the pics ended up in my friend Chuck Self's USS HORNET history. Fun time.

Wade

Taigh Ramey · **Posted:** Thu May 08, 2008 3:04 pm

Here is a shot of the carrier with the Warbirds aboard that Shay posted a link to:

The photographer, Irwin Malzman, was kind enough to let me post his photo directly. He sent me a couple more as well which I will post later.

He said he was a news helicopter pilot and that he took this shot off of Waikiki early in the morning before the launch. You can see where they were lining up the support equipment to make a barrier for the spectators.

Mark can you pick yourself out?

I will always owe Lynn Hunt a big debt of gratitude for taking me along as a part of his crew for the Albatross. Thanks Lynn!

Shay · **Posted:** Thu May 08, 2008 3:11 pm

Yeah navsource is funny about hot linking. I tried posting that picture yesterday. Then when that failed I tried posting the link to the picture, still no joy. So I just linked to the whole section.

Still a great shot. Had to be a thrill of a lifetime to launch a Warbird from an aircraft carrier. Wonder if the Corsair drivers would have been up for an arrested landing?

Shay
____________
Semper Fortis

Taigh Ramey · **Posted:** Thu May 08, 2008 4:21 pm

Funny how the photo showed up in the preview. No problem as I posted a copy on my web site. I will edit the link above as well.

Here is another shot from Irwin that gives a great view of the Warbirds on the fantail:

Thanks again Irwin!

Mark Clark · **Posted:** Thu May 08, 2008 4:40 pm

Taigh,

Great shots but it is hard to see me on the bridge looking over the captains shoulder. He said he needed some help running the ship so I said I would be happy to help !!!

Taigh Ramey · **Posted:** Thu May 08, 2008 5:09 pm

Mark,

So that's what was going on...I thought they were intentionally zig zagging or practicing evasive maneuvers! :wink:

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TB-25N deck launched from the USS Carl Vinson 1995

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