[KC Jones]

For Navy carrier personnel I've got a question about the antenna-looking things protruding off the sides.

While working in Japan at Yokosuka Naval Base I was told that the antenna-looking things were for static electricity discharge.

In the States, some other Navy guy I asked said they were for low-frequency radio.

Another said they were for parking aircraft off the sides.

And yet another said for parking aircraft off the side with their rear hanging out they bolted down a plank/ramp on the deck to wheel the airplane back.

Here is a historical picture:



and here are a couple I took (they look like wires and not capable of supporting an airplane):





So my question is, what are the antenna-looking things actually for ?

Thanks,

KC

[Guest]

They might be bumpers to stop ships colliding and doing major damage...

[madcat]

There radio antennas, when flight operation are taking place they lower them like you see in IL-2 but normally they are upright.

[daman204]

They look like what we used to call long wire antennas. Just long wires that were matched for the wave length of for radio freq. We also had whip antennas that we would lower (make horizontal) when aircraft were taking off, and landing, and vertical for better transmission, and reception. As I recall, the whips were for high freqs.

[Checkyersix]

you can see the guard rails around the base of the towers, for when they are in the upright position.

[KC Jones]

Thanks a bunch guys for clearing that up. I really appreciate it !

After looking at the larger carriers, e.g. Saratoga and the Lexington I was going to ask why they didn't have those horizontal antennas.



But then on closer examination I see that there is a single vertical one on the front of the deck:



And on this one as well:



And this clearly shows the guard rail:



But a word of caution for those who park their aircraft with its' tail hanging over the side.

In my first attempt to take that screenshot in my first post I taxied up to the front near the catapults; swung my tail gingerly over the side and put my chocks in as normal to hold it there.

I was immediately "snapped" onto the catapult !

Closed down the sim and disabled Zuti which has the carrier takeoff mod embedded in it.

Went back in, taxied down; turned with tail off the end and hit chocks - same thing ! ! Got "snapped" to the catapult !

Third time I just taxied down; turned; but didn't put chocks in.

That's how I got the screenshot.

So beware, that even disabling Zuti you'll still have the Carrier Takeoff Mod in there somewhere; and no, the separate Carrier Takeoff Mod 5.3.3 is not enabled in my Generic Mod Enabler.

So again guys, my thanks to you - from an old Army man who has come to love naval carrier ops.

Take care,

KC

ps - Oh heck, hope you don't mind a "show off" picture (credit to Zeus-Cats' Straight from the Farm lessons) :mrgreen:

[BBury]

http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/carrier ... a/cv11.jpg

[KC Jones]

http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/carriers...a/cv11.jpg

Got this error - do you have another link ?

Am curious what you want to show me.

[KG64_Cnopicilin]

[quote="Verh

[KC Jones]

[quote="KG64_Cnopicilin"][quote="Verh

[BBury]

http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/carriers...a/cv11.jpg

Got this error - do you have another link ?

Am curious what you want to show me.

It was an picture of the Intrepid with the side masts in the upright position.

Go to this page:

http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/carriers/us_fleet.htm

Then click on Intrepid or Hornet, then click "During W.W.II" image and they both show the masts in upright position.

[EoW_Patton]

This is also an option when an aircraft was landing with missing gear or some one was in the they could simply jump off the side in to safety nets suspended along the side.

[KC Jones]

http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/carriers...a/cv11.jpg

Got this error - do you have another link ?

Am curious what you want to show me.

.........................

It was an picture of the Intrepid with the side masts in the upright position.

Go to this page:

http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/carriers/us_fleet.htm

Then click on Intrepid or Hornet, then click "During W.W.II" image and they both show the masts in upright position.

Thanks BBury, that satisfies my curiosity.

I had been searching Wiki and other sites.



And yes, Patton, its interesting to know about the nets.

Anyway, its been a good discussion.

KC

[Bobbo]

Go to this page:

http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/carriers/us_fleet.htm

Then click on Intrepid or Hornet, then click "During W.W.II" image and they both show the masts in upright position.

The things you learn
(from that link's USS Reprisal entry)

Reprisal
"long hull" group
CV 35
Photos: none available


Built by New York Navy. Laid down 1 July 1944, cancelled 11 Aug 1945 when 52.3% complete. Launched 1946 to clear slip. Used for explosive tests 1946-48. Inspected for possible completion as a CVA, but deemed beyond salvage. Sold for scrapping 2 August 1949 and scrapped at Baltimore 11/1949.

They blew the hull up and decided "oh, let's complete the ship" ? hock: