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Last Updated: Mon Jan 27 11:18:09 UTC 2014







 CV-41 USS Midway / CVW-5

Photographic Essay APA-PE-2010-0501



by Dr Carlo Kopp
Text © 2010 Carlo Kopp
Photographic and lineart images © 1981 - 2010 Carlo Kopp
 


CV-41 USS Midway at anchor off Fremantle (© 1981 - 2010 Carlo Kopp).


The last decade of the Cold War saw increasing US Navy deployments into the Indian ocean, reflecting decreasing political stability in the strategically important Persian Gulf region. A byproduct of cruises to Gonzo Station was that US Navy CVBGs would visit Fremantle on the return leg of cruises from the Indian. This photo essay was produced by the author in 1981, when the USS Midway visited Fremantle for several days returning to its home port of Yokosuka in Japan.

The
CV-41 USS Midway was the lead vessel in the 45,000 tonne Midway class, followed by the CV-42 USS Franklin D. Roosevelt, and CV-43 USS Coral Sea. This class of aircraft carrier is unusual both in design and longevity, as the Midway served from September, 1945, until April, 1992.

The hull design of the Midway class is derived from the cancelled 1940s Montana class BB, itself intended to replace the Iowa class BBs. The intent was to produce a heavily armoured attack carrier capable of surviving many more hits than the then primary design, the Essex class. The result was in 1945 an unusually large and well hardened carrier, which also contributed to the
service longevity of this class.

While the Midway class was not large enough to embark the air wing size of the later Kittyhawk, Enterprise and Nimitz class supercarriers, it was often argued to be the most survivable USN carrier class, due to its armour providing some measure of protection against Soviet supersonic ASCMs.

The USS Midway has been preserved as a floating museum in San Diego, California.

Notes:
  1. Carrier Air Wing Five @ CV41.org
  2. USS Midway Museum @ http://www.midway.org/
  3. Carlo Kopp, Carriers in the Indian, Australian Aviation, March, 1982.
  4. Note this is the period when the USN transitioned from Vietnam era grey/white camouflage to wraparound low contrast grey.
  5. Imagery: Exakta VX500 / Meyer-Optik Görlitz 50mm f2.8 Auto Domiplan, Kodachrome 25 and Ektachrome 64, scanned using Nikon 5000ED, retouched/corrected/cropped and reduced.

(Wikipedia image)



CV-41 USS Midway at anchor off Fremantle (© 1981 - 2010 Carlo Kopp).



CV-41 USS Midway departing Yokosuka in 1991 (US DoD).



CV-41 USS Midway and CV-62 USS Independence moored at Yokosuka in 1991 (US DoD).


MDC F-4S Phantom II / VF-151 Vigilantes / VF-161 Chargers


The USS Midway carried two squadrons of the potent F-4S Phantom II to provide fleet air defence and strike capability in high threat environments. Due to its small flight deck size, the Midway could not carry the larger F-14A Tomcat.




















MDC RF-4B Phantom II / VMFP-3 Detachment




The USS Midway hosted a detachment of Marine Corp RF-4B Phantoms for imaging reconnaissance.



Grumman E-2C Hawkeye / VAW-115 Liberty Bells



The Grumman E-2C Hawkeye remains the primary ISR platform for US Navy air wings.




Grumman A-6E/KA-6D Intruder / VA-115 Eagles



The Grumman A-6E Intruder was the primary strike platform in the 1980s air wing.





Hughes AN/AAS-33 TRAM (Target Recognition Attack, Multisensor) DRS turret stowed.



Above, below: KA-6D tanker aircraft, critical to air wing operations.



Grumman EA-6B Prowler / VAQ-130 Zappers / VAQ-136 Gauntlets



Equipped with the highly effective Eaton/AIL ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System, the EA-6B provided support jamming for strike packages and fleet defence.




LTV A-7E Corsair II / VA-56 Champions / VA-93 Ravens


The A-7E Corsair II was introduced to the fleet during the Vietnam conflict and served with distinction until the end of the Cold War.





Texas Instruments AN/AAR-45 FLIR pod used for night attack profiles.




Sikorsky SH-3G Sea King / HC-1 Fleet Angels Det 2



The SH-3 Sea King was employed as the plane guard helicopter, but also performed SAR/CSAR.








Imagery Sources: © 1981 - 2010 Carlo Kopp





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