I think i flew with this pilot.....

[kid purington]

         
                       When he was a Seawolf....

[P. Albertine]

USS Macon was actually the first aircraft carrier built by the Navy...it was a Blimp (airship), the aircraft could be launched for surveillance..  strange story in similar line, the Air Force is working on a flying aircraft carrier, large aircraft ..assume C5 could be outfitted to carry 4 drones, launch, recovery, re-arm and refuel...   just like the end of the 'big battle ships', might be witnessing the end of the big carriers...cost, flexibility etc.  

[Richard King]

Yes Paul. I read that about the Air Force aircraft carrier a couple days ago and remembered this Macon blimp or dirigible (sp?). It was in an old movie with the little airplanes flying up to it and hooking on. It seems like they could be lifted up into a hangar bay. Pretty cool idea but not sure how successful it was.

[P. Albertine]

The airship apparently went down in high winds of Point Sur CA. ...only 2 deaths of 76 on board,

[kid purington]

[kid purington]

                              ...Curtiss F9C-2 "Sparrowhawk" fighter hook'n on to her trapeze..
                                             .Photo from inside (ZRS-5) Macon hanger..

[Roger Ek, Seawolf 25]

At the decommissioning of the last Blimp squadron in the Navy they had an air show at Lakehurst. One of the pilots decided to do a high speed pass and a wingover. At mid-field he pulled up and the blimp just folded ahead of the cabin. It mushed to a stop with that giant speed brake, unfolded itself and the blimp went over to its tethering pole by the south hangar.

The maneuver was described as a bagover.

Hey, you can't make this stuff up.

[BRADBURY]

can remember when the doors where shut sometimes it would rain inside the abh school did not like it