Curzon tours the Kitty Hawk!

Taking off!

Two weeks ago, regular reader Eddie Beaver invited me on the first civilian tour of the USS Kitty Hawk in more than five years. I eagerly accepted—and today, Lady Curzon and I joined the “Tiger Cruise,” a tough way for the navy to say “bring your friends and family to work.”

The ship left Yokosuka Naval Base at 7 a.m. (meaning a very, very early departure from Tokyo) and the day tour included a cruise in Tokyo Bay and the Pacific Ocean, tours of the ship and life at sea, and a flight show that included a Super Hornet breaking the sound barrier. Shots of the carrier’s “birds” follow, and I’ll have more of the Kitty Hawk itself and life on board tomorrow.

“Cute kid. Did someone make sure the safety is on?”

Soaring over the flight deck.

A shot of the ‘Hawkeye’ just as the rear wheels are about to break contact with the flight deck. The plane then dropped several yards before picking up enough speed and power to achieve a proper lift-off. Although my camera speed was about 1/750, notice how the propellers’ white trails show up in the picture.

Close-up of the helicopter blade axis (while stationary).

A white sheen “shock collars” surrounds the plane as it approaches the sound barrier.

Two fighters and a Hawkeye seen from the control tower.

More photos to come, stay tuned.