[ QUOTE ]
Chris,
Do you know the purpose for this demonstration? Just Ford
haters, or something more to it? I can't imaging the USN
taking a car on a carrier for this purpose unless it was
for a photo op or something.
Steve
[/ QUOTE ]
I told you I would find the truth, here are three cloudy memories and photo evidence !!
I was there for that launch. From my vantage point on the front of the waist cat, I took a full series of photos, from preparation, to traveling down the catapult, to the short air flight and water impact. It was a Ford Falcon that the Enterprise Weapons Department used to drive around Olongapo. In 1978 as the ship was leaving the PI to return to the States for an extended overhaul. The vehicle was no longer needed and was given a "burial at sea".
Posted by Rick in MI
This photo is not from a TV show. It's not doctored. It really happened. It's not a "test". The US Navy may not do this any more, but they certainly did it that day!
I was stationed on the ship, and I was there on the flight deck. I took photos. The ship was the USS Enterprise, and we were leaving Subic Bay for the last time before an extended yard period. It was in late 1978.
It was a Dodge.
Posted by I was there in West Michigan'
"I was on the Cat crew that shot it. It was a '67 Plymouth Valiant. This picture is taken from the cruise book for the Enterprise WETPAC '78 cruise. I'm in a second picture in the book. The stories above are correct. It was the parts car for Heavy - 1, the Vigilante squadran. And they were being decomisioned upon return to CONUS. It was a POS so none of the other squadrans would buy it. This idea was thought up where all good ideas are thought up - in the Subic Bay O club. When this pic came out with the terrorist quote, I was able to hook up on line with the then LTJG who thought it up and sold it to the Big E skipper, after everone else in the chain of comand said no. The Skipper said do it! What Balls.
Posted by Curt in Florida
"In spite of all the "I was there" info on the type of car, none of the above is totallt correct. It was a 1963 Plymouth Savoy, as identifiable from this pic:
http://members.cox.net/dragnd/plymouth01.jpg