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USS Midway, San Diego and MGs

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Steve_S

Steve_S

Yoda
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I've been out of town on business in San Diego. Yesterday I spent the afternoon aboard USS Midway which is a relatively new attraction for the city.

We loaded our equipment with a huge forklift up onto the hanger deck of the ship, except for a car we were shooting which went up on a crane. Then that section of the hanger deck raised up to the flight deck where we were working.

On board were many types of aircraft including a Mig (23?), F4 Phantom, A-6 Intruder, F-14 Tomcat, TBM Avenger and many other aircraft and helicopters. I also got to wander around below deck and see a few sites the public doesn't get to.

I didn't have much of a chance to take photos but here are a few snapshots...

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Today I was at another location north of San Diego. There, I spotted a familiar car near the parking lot. It was a silver '59 MGA. I left the owner a note on the windshield to say hello and went on my way. Later that day we went to another location a few miles away. The same MGA was parked there when I arrived! I figured the owner must be on our crew, but no one knew whose car it was.

While we were working I looked over and saw a bunch of guys in the engine bay of the MGA. I walked over to the car and it turns out that the car being at both locations at the same time as us was a complete coincidence. I talked with the owner, and with another guy who had just walked up before me to say that he also has an MGA. What are the odds? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

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Beautiful coastline of San Diego...

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This was not an everyday job. I wish it was though! San Diego is a great place and it was a real treat to see Midway. If you ever make it to SD, I recommend taking a tour of the ship. And a short walk away is the complete opposite... a famous sailing ship, The Star Of India.
 
Oh I have seen the The Star Of India boy that brings back some memories.
 
[ QUOTE ]
... Mig (23?) ...

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[/ QUOTE ]The aircraft with the red star on the tail appears to be an F/A-18 Hornet, painted to look like a Mig. I would guess it's an ex-aggressor squadron (VFC-12 maybe?) adversary.

Definitely got to get down there! Thanks for the post!


/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
PC.
 
You know, that could be. Do F18s have folding wings? This one does, you can see them folded up. Here's a higher resolution version of the aircraft...

(I was in such a hurry I never looked at the thing up close, but in the photo I now notice a US mark under the cockpit and Navy written on the engine)

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[ QUOTE ]
...Do F18s have folding wings? ...

[/ QUOTE ]Absolutely, it’s a Navy thing.

An that’s absolutely an F/A-18. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/patriot.gif


PC.
 
I also forgot to mention... when I was driving between locations, I saw a late model yellow MGA make a left turn, then drove by a parked 70's MGB GT. Then I pulled up to the beach and saw that same silver MGA. La Jolla is an MG mecca! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
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