Tyche
Copyright© 2020 by Old Man with a Pen
Chapter 122
The AD-1 is ideally arranged to carry passengers. As designed, the aircraft was to replace three other carrier standards ... the Grumman TBF, a torpedo bomber with a three person crew, the Douglass SBD ... two crew, and the Curtiss SB2C ... two crew.
Three aircraft, seven crew, replaced by one aircraft and one crew. Aircraft carriers are notoriously over crowded. It’s much easier to hangar one airplane and bunk one pilot than three aircraft three pilots and 4 aircrew.
While design was going forward it was a matter of record that torpedos are inadequate compared to bombs. So ... the torpedo bay and its complicated bay and doors was eliminated ... but the space remained.
Adam had plenty of room.
Because the AD 2 had tandem seating, Raul had plenty of room ... with a view, the bubble canopy drawn from the T-33 trainer made the AD look like a prop fighter. The original single seat teardrop canopy looked ridiculous.
It’s almost an up and down from Bud to Marcos... 39 miles. The climb out to my designated altitude was not quite 10 minutes ... halfway there. 10 minutes down and landing. Colonel Joe, shook my hand. And we were off to Kelly in San Antonio.
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