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Très belle photo

May be you could show all of us how to stand on the bow of an aircraft headed into a 40 knot head wind and take a better shot! Takes no talent to be a critic.
Great shot Phillp
Respectfully

Mr. Allison is just jealous that this guy is a better pilot than him. ;)

Seriously, this is an awesome shot, and if I remember my USN aircraft numbering correctly, the Air Wing Commander pilots that aircraft.

Miss the Prowler and the days when we had different airframes for different mission role son the boat. Now it's all grey Hornets doing everything.

Had to laugh at Bobby's remark. Let's see, fast mover ripping by at about 160, boat rocking (you've got nice 2' swells going) and wind blustering. It's hard just to stand still on the bow during air ops let alone take a non-blurry picture of a jet just as it comes off the cat at 160.

Or maybe he was just making a joke?

Firstly, congrats to the photographer - that surely is being at the sharp end of things! Secondly, I think the photo is a perfect capture of the "Jesus" moment - as in the pilot thinking "Jesus, I hope we don't get EFATO now!". I think it also demonstrates why you "don't mess with the Navy!".

Excellent photo!

Hey Boss, uuuuuuuuhhhhhh did you raise the hook??

Off topic question, prompted by the fuel probe in this picture. Why does the USAF use boom type refueling, while practically every one else in the world uses probe and drogue refueling?

Thanks, and if anyone can let me know if there is a better place to ask this question, please tell me.

Lew

Skyhawkrg...
I found this for you it explains it for you...

A single flying boom can transfer fuel at approximately 6,000 lbs per minute. A single hose-and-drogue can transfer between 1,500 and 2,000 lbs of fuel per minute. Unlike bombers and other large aircraft, however, fighter aircraft cannot accept fuel at the boom’s maximum rate. (Today’s fighter aircraft can accept fuel at 1,000 to 3,000 lbs per minute whether from the boom or from the hose-and-drogue.)2 Thus, the flying boom’s primary advantage over the hose-and-drogue system is lost when refueling fighter aircraft.

Read page 5...
https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/weapons/RL32910.pdf

Is the photo perfect? No.
I could point out a few "very minor" issues with the photo.

Does it have to be perfect?

NOT AT ALL!

The photographer clearly demonstrated the point of this photo which is... A PLANE LAUNCHING OFF CARRIER.

The smoke trail behind aircraft lends itself well to forward motion and the central subject aka the plane is still the center part of the image. The carrier and open ocean add an interesting backdrop to the photo.

That's my 2 cents.