Breaking the Deck

Col. Mike Orr, USMC (Ret.) tells the story of how the V-22 proved its potential as a COD and saved the day by delivering an urgently needed part to a carrier that had already secured from flight quarters.

In this episode of the podcast we talk to Mike Butler, program director at Newport News Shipbuilding for the John F. Kennedy (CVN 79). Kennedy is the second Ford class nuclear powered aircraft carrier and is currently under construction.

Mike shares his pride in building aircraft carriers for the U.S Navy, and talks about the improvements, efficiencies and cost savings building the second Ford class aircraft carrier.

Learn more about construction of Kennedy: https://www.thefordclass.com/cvn-79

In this podcast Admiral Mark Fox, USN (Ret.), tells the story of January 17, 1991, when he was flying an F/A-18 Hornet with Strike Fighter Squadron 81 (VFA-81, "Sunliners") off the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga (CV-60) and shot down an Iraqi MiG-21 on the opening day of Operation Desert Storm.

https://aircraftcarriermonth.com/mark-fox

A discussion of Naval Aviation pioneer Henry C. Mustin's innovation, vision and first catapult launch on Nov 5, 1915 with author, historian and Mustin descendant, John Fass Morton.

In 2021, the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) will be the first carrier to go sea with a the  5th Generation fighter aircraft F-35C. Retired Marine Aviator Lieutenant Colonel David "Chip" Berke, the first non-test pilot to fly the F-35, talk with us about the  significant increased capabilities the F-35C will bring to the aircraft carrier.

Where did the Podcast title come from?

Breaking the Deck: A podcast celebrating the important stories of aircraft carriers, past present and future. The podcast is part of the celebration of November as National U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier Month.

Karl Zingheim, historian for the USS Midway Museum, in San Diego, California talks about the history of the USS Midway and how the Museum is bringing the history of the aircraft carrier and the great work of the men and women who serve aboard aircraft carriers to life for the public.

https://www.midway.org

Historian and author, Dr. David F. Winkler, on the development of the first operational U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, USS Langley (CV 1), the early development of the aircraft carrier, and the significance of naming an aircraft carrier for World War II hero Doris Miller.

Joe Ruzicka, call sign "Smokin," is a former Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) in the F-14 Tomcat and Weapons Systems Officer (WSO) in the F-18 D/F. Joe gives a "from the cockpit" insider view of the procedures of aircraft launch and recovery on a U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier. Recommended reading: Joe's article in The Drive: "How To Land A Fighter On An Aircraft Carrier On A Stormy Night" 

Dr. Laurence M. Burke, Curator of U.S. Naval Aviation at Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, on what makes the infrastructure of the U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier unique from other Navy ships and how that infrastructure has evolved over time.