Looking at various photos of modern US carriers, especially the Nimitz class, I don’t see the “red flag” Remove Before Flight streamers that seem to festoon USAF planes. Also I don’t see any intake covers on planes on the flight deck
Does the US Navy not use them on planes any longer?
USS Carl Vinson, December 2024
Some red streamers can be noticed as well…
USS Harry S. Truman, December 2024
H.P.
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Thanks for the pics
The first one I haven’t seen but it looks like one I have for the Eisenhower where the planes are parked like this on a “no fly” day. I would guess that on normal flight operation days they are left off since the planes on deck are basically on alert.
I haven’t found many photos of carrier planes fully armed except when in the queue for launch. I believe that planes are not loaded with missiles or other ordinance until right before a mission. Except for fuel tanks, none of the photos of planes on a carrier deck of any of the Nimitz class or the USS Ford shows waiting planes with ordinance pre loaded. All of the various pictures of planes being transported from the hanger deck to the flight deck show no missiles or ordinance loaded. Not even the wing tip Sidewinders on the F-18’s
On the USS Midway, there is an armaments hoist that goes down from the hangar deck, and another that goes directly to the flight deck, but I believe that you’re correct for modern carriers; weapons are normally brought up to the flight deck before loading onto an aircraft unless the ship is arming below for fastest launch. The hoists to the hangar deck are still there, but their most common use is to strike weapons resupply below to the armories, since UNREP would be bringing the stores aboard on the hangar deck.
USS Carl Vinson, December 2021
H.P.