The pictures in the Gallery were donated to this Website by Richard A. Kirsch, PH3, USNR Many were snapped by himself, and others by his Photo Lab Crew..
The pictures in the Gallery were donated to this Website by Richard A. Kirsch, PH3, USNR
Many were snapped by himself, and others by his Photo Lab Crew..
Photos marked with the † are from the Hancock Photo Lab Photos marked with § by Richard Kirsch
View of the Golden Gate Bridge §
The Hancock arriving San Diego at Point Loma - North Island from Bremerton with a contingeant of crew member's cars which were in transit to new Home Port at San Diego †
The Hannah leaving Pt. Loma for...
Crew Member's cars being transferred to San Diego. § Other pictures of the cars are available in the Middle Years Gallery
Rich Kirsch, Ken Groom, along with the skeleton crew of the Hancock, left Bremerton in December of 1954. They stopped long enough to cut a beautiful 60 foot Evergreen, which they affixed to #1 Elevator, decked out with lights. When they arrived in San Diego on Christmas, they raised the Elevator and it appeared as if the tree was growing out of the Flight Deck. Ken Groom also captured a picture of the tree..
Click Picture for Ken Groom's picture of the Christmas Tree
The Hannah returning to Port under the Golden Gate Bridge
The Hancock with following Plane Guard on shakedown cruise after refitting and recommissioning †
A great arial view of the Fighting Hannah - pre-1956 Hurricane Bow and Angle Deck Notice the men on deck, a F7U-3 Cutlass on the catapult, and a Cougar readying.
In the Beginning, the F7U Cutlass was the first twin engine Jet with afterburners to be launched from our Deck - we were not prepared. The first launch produced dangerous conditions when the wood deck caught fire.. later a steel plate was installed before the Deflector Shield. Here you see Firemen spraying water to cool down the Deck to avoid a fire. I was scalded from the Steam while standing at my Photo Station attached to the Island Structure. Read my story in my Oral History here.
A F7U-3 Cutlass at full throttle for Launch † Can you still hear the roar?
A F7U-3 Cutlass getting the 'high sign' from a yellow shirt †
The Cutlass was the first carrier-based jet with afterburners †
A Launch Sequence † Top left AD5s, right Panther bottom left and right - cougars
Lifting a Cougar aboard dockside using crane †
Cougars on Port side elevator §
Mixed deck of Spotted Douglas AD-5's and F9F Cougars on the rear flight deck §
"Prepare to launch the Jets!" §
Grumman S2F-1Tracker leaving the deck †
Crash of a Douglas AD5 which missed arresting gear but caught first wire barrier †
Douglas F3D-2 Skyknight 'night fighter' § All-weather carrier-based Fighter Pilot & Radar Observer Tail hook is down on approach.. "We didn't see too many of these" - Rich Kirsch
A McDonnell F2H-3 Banshee on approach §
In the cockpit sits one very rattled pilot... †§
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The Hannah Galleries