Made to promote flight deck safety, this Vietnam era film “Hazards of the Flight Deck” features footage shot aboard USS Forrestal (CVA-59). It was made in 1967, the same year that the ship suffered a terrible fire that cost 134 lives. It is unclear whether the film predates the fire, or was made in its wake. At 1:15, an A-4 Skyhawk is shown on the deck of the Forrestal, and at 1:21 is an F-4 Phantom. At 8:14 a flying dumptruck, the A-1 Skyraider, is seen. At 2:12, a closed circuit television system shows a Skyhawk landing. At 2:20, a Douglas A-3 Skywarrior tail 142662, breaks the wire and sails off the deck of the carrier. Many in the crew became casualties as a result of the incident, and the film examines the safety risks and policies that help ensure flight deck safety. These include at 5:15, a look at the issue of safe handling of rockets and missiles. (The fire aboard Forrestal in 1967 was due to mishandling of a Zuni rocket by a member of the deck crew.) At 11:10, SH-2 Seasprite helicopters are shown in use on the flight deck. At 12:21 the arresting cable is seen moving across the flight deck. At 13:04, another A-3 Skywarrior accident is seen. At 13:19, another flight deck accident is shown, this one involving what appears to be a Grumman F9F Panther. At 13:30, a jet tumbles off the flight deck into the sea. At 13;40, a North American FJ-2/-3 Fury crashes into parked aircraft. At 14:00 the narrator repeats the admonition that crew members should reduce their exposure on the flight deck. At 14:48 LOX or liquid oxygen is shown being used to service aircraft, and the risk of fire described. At 15:50, nighttime operations are shown and a discussion of the use of red illumination to promote night vision. At 16:30, a coffee cup is filled by a crew member going on night duty.
The USS Forrestal (CV-59) superseded Shinano of World War II vintage as the largest aircraft carrier ever built by full load displacement and was the first to specifically support jet aircraft. The ship was affectionately called “The FID”, because James Forrestal was the first ever Secretary of Defense, FID standing for “First In Defense”. This is also the slogan on the ship’s insignia and patch. She was also informally known in the fleet as the “Zippo” and “Forrest Fire” or “Firestal” because of a number of highly publicized fires on board.
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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
