I have been encouraged to take offense at this illiberal fling against the Main Battery of the Fleet. And yet my heart, she is not in it.
Pinch has lived to see the machine that he was raised in retired, sent packing, brought low. And like most men who have experienced the loss of an unrequited love, the experience has quite unmanned him.
And who among us has not experienced such a love, yea though she be a rough, ungainly beast, full of unnecessary complexities, much given to going down (and not in a good way) not to mention her dreary habit of stalling, whether it be wingform or compressor?
Well, the Hornet pilots, that’s who have not. But still, are we not men? Have we not empathy? Shall we kick a man when he’s down? Routinely, I mean?
Well, yes, yes, and probably not.
Besides, it was a lovely gesture. Best traditions of the naval (air) service, and all that.
You just wish could have a muscle car! ( Not that the El Camino was one!)
much given to going down (and not in a good way) not to mention her dreary habit of stalling
Dang…Coke on the laptop screen again. You’d think I’d learn…
My brother had an El Camino though I doubt he ever tried to launch it such as in the photo above. Then again, maybe he did. I’ll have to ask him the next time we chat.
That door looks a little suspect. Hope it seals up at altitude.
Ya know, like the SR-71.
A second cousin of mine in Iowa had an El Camino. Started with a 305 and 3-speed automatic, ended up with a 454 and powerglide. Couldn’t haul much, two adults and the lawn mower at best, and corners were a tap-dance with the rear end constantly trying to pass the front, but from zero to oh-my-gawd that car was just stupid fast.
I gotta admit, I like the graphics in the picture. If nobody minds, I’m going to paint four deer and a cow under the drivers window on my F-250. I wonder what kind of reactions I’ll get?
– Max
Launching an El Camino reminds me, has anybody else ever seen the old Budweiser commercials featuring Kenny Bernstein and the Budweiser King dragster? Years ago there was a commercial, started out looking like a Navy recruiting ad. F-14 comes up the elevator, flight deck crew hands off and gets it into the catapult. Music builds, tension mounts… Up the elevator comes the Budweiser King top fuel dragster, 8 cylinders of pure fury rumbling. Into the line-up on the cat, hand on the deck, trigger pressed, F-14 and a top fueler at full power race down the flight deck… It was cool.
Hot Rodders have always been military supporters. Who can forget Rat Fink, arm through the plexiglass of an F-4 holding a Hurst shifter, slicks smoking and the caption, “If ya gotta go, go Navy!”
If there is one saving grace to the Internet and this whole YouTube/Google Video thing, it is that someday I shall be able to see this again.
– Max
sir, you are a very bad boy, and it’s no wonder that you’ll never hoist yer flag, with a bad attitude like that!
On the shredding of the Tomcats, I wonder how they handled The Huge Titanium Hinge-Pins of the Swinging Wings?
Oh, and don’t forget: It could have been much, much, worse; y’all might have had to put up with the F-111!
Is that a 1970 El Camino, 69 had the cut back front fenders with dual pair headlights, 1970 had dual pair headlights with the stright down front fender like the newer years. I had the 1970 same color only with the white vinyl top. Damn I miss that car.
Looks like it has a dual-purpose launch bar and tail hook on the rear differential.