PBS series - Carrier

[Old Michael]

I'm finding this to be an oddly fascinating documentary. I was USAF, and I can't imagine how

it must have been to live on a little floating Air Base, in such close quarters.

Anyway, it's good stuff, and way better than American Idol.

(Gotta do something while I wait for ride reports from SFO.)

 

[Hit the Road Jack]

I found out the hard way that's it's much more fascinating on TV than it is in person! Especially after 8 months! I went aircrew on P3's after that ordeal.

I'm sure the newer nuke boats are alot nicer than the old USS Coral Sea, where I worked on the roof as an A6 plane captain during the Cold War.

 

[Old Michael]

I found out the hard way that's it's much more fascinating on TV than it is in person!

I was figuring that.

I KNEW you were old as hell! Weren't you and the Coral Sea both launched in '46? haha ha.

The Nimitz was commissioned in 1972.

I'm guessing it was night and day.

 

[painman]

Have to agree Michael. The series is pretty cool. My cousin who is like my brother is a Chief in the Navy and I got the privilege of doing a Tiger Cruise on his ship at the time the USS Constellation. I flew up to Seattle and they bused us up to Everett Wash. and we boarded ship and sailed to San Diego. It was total bliss, armed forces day for a week up close and personal.

Of note, we saw or heard of at least one fist fight everyday. 5000 crew and another 1000 plus guests, pretty crowded, but we got to eat in good company and lots of it. And we got to do several things shown in the series right along with the sailors. It was like being in the service for a week.

I especially enjoyed the engine rooms, 4 total, with 4 boilers and 4 nuclear backup systems, and 4 screws, because for several years I had worked in Alameda ship yards as a rigger then welder but had never got to sail on the vessels I worked on. I had fun, steered the ship, watched F-18's and F-14 Tomcats launch from 50 ft. away, and Navy Seals do rescues, and watched artillery launched from a destroyer escort right next to us at night while sitting in the Admirals chair on the bridge. Yea baby. PM. <><

 

[jmarran]

I work for CSC (main sponsor I think) and received emails about it, but didn't really read them. However, the subject lines put enough of a bug in my ear that when I saw the program was on while surfing through channels I started watching. Now I'm kind of hooked on it. I just find it interesting, especially now that there are so many young women working on the ships, to see how everyone adapts and works with each other. Plus it's in HD and even some crappy stuff just seems better in HD.

 

[artistonFJR]

I was a green shirt on carriers for several years... it was FANREAKINGTASTIC!! Many people have glory days that can easily be eclipsed by future events, but this is a life experience that is hard to top. The life was hard but exciting, days were long but usually highlighted by action and noise and POWER! I felt like an action hero every time I stepped on the deck. It's not the same for everyone, but I didn't have time to worry about them, I had planes to launch and recover. What an amazing place and time.

C

 

[brazos parker]

I've only caught a few episodes of this series but am hoping it replays so I can see them all. Many things in the episodes I've seen have impressed me. One is how young most of the crew is and what great responsibilites they are given at such a young age.

My hat's off the the carrier crew.

 

[Old Michael]

One is how young most of the crew is and what great responsibilites they are given at such a young age.

That's exactly what struck me watching it.

And of course, sadly, it's the same thing that strikes me when I read the casualty lists each week.

 

[TriggerT]

Every time I see something on the carriers, I just marvel at the fact that their flight deck is as large as the piece of property I own.

 

[artistonFJR]

The whole 10 part series is available from pbs.com... I will be ordering it... $39.99. Not a bad price. Keep in mind, folks, the next generation of carrier is under construction. While not larger, it will be more advanced. The next ship (GHW Bush) will incorporate a large number of changes, the next one (CVN-21) will have even more. Then they will no longer resemble what you see in this series. One of the significant changes is the launch and recovery systems for the aircraft. We are talking mag-lev and automatic systems. The ship will be essentially one big electronics-powerhouse.. all major systems will be electric, and it will be faster, slightly stealth (as far as a 97 thousand ton vessel can be) and have a higher rate of aircraft sortes. They will also be sporting some fine new birds.. the f-35 (in two versions, maybe 3). My era will be "old school", and the cold-war will be a lesson in their history class.

Most info online is VERY outdated when it comes to CVX, or CVN 21, so take most of it with a grain of iodized salt...

C