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THE DOUGLAS Skyhawk, with 3OO gallon external wing tanks and in-flight refueling capability, has particularly adapted itself to carrier life as, of course, it was designed to do. During recent months, the A4D-2 has been fully evaluated and tested by Attack Squadron 12 aboard the USS Forrestal in the Mediterranean. The increased range and staying power afforded by the configuration helped account for better than four hour simulated strike flights. For a single engine, single piloted aircraft, these routine operations broke endurance records for jets. Most encouraging of all, was the relatively small decrease in performance due to replacing the 15O-gallon standard equipment by the larger tanks. In-flight refueling was instituted on an operational basis by VA-12 on all long navigational flights. The Operations Officer, LCdr. W. H. Sells, had pioneered in one other facet of this art - qualifying all pilots in night air- to-air refueling. The progress from buddy store malfunctions on almost every flight, which were recorded right after the squadron had embarked in July, was dramatically demonstrated on 7 October 1958. During the NATO Exercise Crescent Hinge, seven out of seven buddy stores performed their functions without a hitch. This reliability continued. Aboard the Forrestal, VA-12 also helped inaugurate the standby tanker, ready to be shot off with a full fuel load to aid an unfortunate cohort sweating out his Charlie time because of a low-fuel state. But the bread and butter operations were the long-range flights. As the world’s smallest carrier-borne aircraft, the ‘mighty mite’ more than holds its own, in the specialized light attack field, states the squadron CO, Cdr. C. A. Pendleton. It’s the little bird’s ease of handling in the air as well as on the flight deck that has evoked sharp praise from pilots and plane handlers alike. Simplicity of design and an on the ball maintenance crew accounted for availability approaching 80% during VA-12’s recent deployment as part of CVG-10. However, extra effort usually pays off. During the same month that 705 flight hours were recorded during 16 operating days, the squadron received an AirLant commendation for an above average re-enlistment rate. |