Growing up in Virginia Beach in the 80s, I got to see loads of F-14s and A-6s, with the occasional F-4, A-7, AV-8A and pretty much everything else the Navy flew in that era. Sure your sad to see the great planes retired, but……..I’m still in VA BCH, and the Naval Aviators I’v talked to lately are pretty happy with the SH and are, to a man, convinced that they are completely unbeatable in it. You have to take that for what it is, I know, but all in all, they do seem pretty pleased with the bird.

Shame they never went for the A-6F.

HMS Brown? I saw a good movie called “Mrs Brown” about Queen Victoria’s relationship with her…..gamekeeper? ,,,,,,not sure really what he did but he took her for hourse rides…..or something…..anyways, is the ship named after him?

Witht the way the budget is starting to look, there is absolutly zero chance of the USN ordering a CVF. The Marines will be lucky if the “B” survives at all.

The Big vs Small CV argument has been going on since the 1920s.

It does seem to be bad omen………

The “B” is still VERY vulnerable right now………If the congress cant work together in the next two months and and come up with agreed on cuts, then automatic cuts go into effect……..cuts that will absolutly GUT the deff buget. I am not at all optimistic.