Big ship sailors on carriers, battleships and cruisers lived quite well, but got to die in big numbers when things went against them. From what I've learned about life on wartime Corvettes life was sheer misery with cramped and damp quarters, crappy food, minimal fresh water and limited rest. Many spent their entire Atlantic crossing being seasick and unable to eat.
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- Thread starter jwhc
- Start date
I have been on large Cunard liners in the Atlantic in January....climbing stairs was interesting...one second you are almost weightless and the next you are at 2 'G's. Cant imagine what it must be like on a tiny Corvette! Even on the 'liner' the chairs in the dining room were chained down, table sides folded up...and few ate...including many crew. Its hard to describe.
"Dear Mom. Hell of a day today. Bent an airplane, I'm OK. Say Hi to Dad. Love, Kazimierz"
Squadron 303? The pilot is Polish, as per his last name and the Polish insignia on the nose of the aircraft. I'd have to look to see if he flew with the Kosciusko Squadron 303.
The Wizard
CGN Regular
- Location
- Colorado Springs, Colorado USA
Corvette K-225
Dark Alley Dan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Darkest Edmonton
Two Royal Navy men attempt an amphibious landing.
Good show, lads. Carry on.
Good show, lads. Carry on.
When I get on a plane to fly somewhere, even if its a trans-Atlantic marathon flight, I settle in, and grab a book to stay awake long enough for all the safety announcement blah-blah before I doze off.
Drive onto the ferry to cross over to Van Island, I check to make sure I have my wallet and papers on me, scout out where the nearest life vest and raft stations are, make my way to the upper deck where I stay until the last possible minute (in theory to buy a few extra minutes if it starts to sink)...
There's something about big open water. The odds of me ever taking a cruise with my wife are pretty much none. She can take the cruise, I'll take a flight and meet her at the dock at the destination.
Personally, I'd avoid any cruise ship where they are playing the theme from "Titanic" as background music.
I'm toying with a cruise right now from Dubai to various points in India, the Indian Ocean and Africa. I'm hoping for a veteran's discount if I offer to man a .50 cal to repel boarders off the coast of Africa, kind of a busman's holiday so to speak.
I'm toying with a cruise right now from Dubai to various points in India, the Indian Ocean and Africa. I'm hoping for a veteran's discount if I offer to man a .50 cal to repel boarders off the coast of Africa, kind of a busman's holiday so to speak.
I was always a small boat navy man and it can get pretty wild and woolly. I remember one patrol was pretty rough, not as bad as the North Atlantic can get but bad enough. WE had to clear the forward mess because the crew was getting thrown from their bunks. Most of the crew was seasick. We would go over a wave so all you could see was the sky then you would go over the top and down then the bow would hit the next wave and you would basically disappear underwater to pop up again over the top and down through the next wave. The funnel had a panel ripped of the side that day. Some of the patrol boats had bent bows. It looked like a a giant had picked up the boat and hit it on the side of the bow leaving it pushed of centre. These were 107ft patrol boats with a crew of 21 so a bit smaller than the corvette but then we were not expected to cross the North Altantic in the middle of winter.
Sailed out of Wellington one time on a patrol boat. Steaming out at 45 degrees to the sea. Sickest I have ever been. The boat had a real corkscrew motion going on. Up, twist, down, pound as we hit the next wave, up, twist, down, pound, Man was I glad when we changed direction.
I was born in Wellington NZ. They didn't call it 'Windy Wellington' for nothing. Well called 40 mph winds light breezes!
Personally, I'd avoid any cruise ship where they are playing the theme from "Titanic" as background music.
I'm toying with a cruise right now from Dubai to various points in India, the Indian Ocean and Africa. I'm hoping for a veteran's discount if I offer to man a .50 cal to repel boarders off the coast of Africa, kind of a busman's holiday so to speak.
I think you should talk them into mounting a radar controlled 20mm instead. That way you don't have to "wait to see the whites of their eyes."
Radar guided...... how unsporting
I'd want to get close so I can hose them down with an M4, AK, maybe a PKM
Stitch their boat with a nice burst, smell the gunpowder, boiling gun oil, and watch the brass go flying
With radar-guided whatever, what's left of their boat to grapple onto, and how do you feed the yardarm afterwards
Sounds like a cool cruise though, I'd give it a go after I retire
I'd want to get close so I can hose them down with an M4, AK, maybe a PKM
Stitch their boat with a nice burst, smell the gunpowder, boiling gun oil, and watch the brass go flying
With radar-guided whatever, what's left of their boat to grapple onto, and how do you feed the yardarm afterwards
Sounds like a cool cruise though, I'd give it a go after I retire
Today in History: Amelia Earhart landed in Ireland in 1932.5 years before that Charles A. Lindbergh paved the way.Both legends and incredible fliers.
While both pilots have passed long ago planes still exist. National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC. has them on display among many other record breakers.
Few short years later regular transatlantic flights started and become common yet still very dangerous trip for ferry pilots during WW2.
While both pilots have passed long ago planes still exist. National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC. has them on display among many other record breakers.
Few short years later regular transatlantic flights started and become common yet still very dangerous trip for ferry pilots during WW2.
