1961-Continued

shooting star superimposed on the traditional aviator

wings of the respective services.

8 December The landing field at NAS Anacostia,

Washington, D.C., was closed at 0500 hours, all

approach procedures were terminated and air traffic

facilities ceased operation. Thus, ended the career of a

station unique for the variety of its operations and

services, and in terms of continuous operations, the

fourth oldest in the U.S. Navy.

14 December Installation of the Pilot Landing Aid

Television system (PLAT) was completed on Coral

Sea, the first carrier to have the system installed for

operational use. Designed to provide a video tape

of every landing, the system was useful for instruc-

tional purposes and in the analysis of landing acci-

dents making it a valuable tool in the promotion of

safety. By early 1963, all attack carriers had been

equipped with PLAT and plans were underway for

its installation in antisubmarine carriers and at shore

stations.

30 December An HSS-2 helicopter flown by

Commander Patrick 1. Sullivan and Captain David A.

Spurlock, USMC, at Windsor Locks, Conn., bettered its

old three-kilometer world record at 199.01 mph.

1962

1 January Three new Fleet Air Commands were

established under Commander, Naval Air Force

Atlantic, one with headquarters at Keflavik, Iceland,

one at Bermuda and the other in the Azores.

17 January First air operations were conducted by

Enterprise as Commander George Talley made an

arrested landing and catapult launch in an F8U

Crusader. Although three TF Traders of VR-40 had

taken off from her deck on 30 October 1961 to trans-

port VIPs to the mainland after observing sea trials,

Commander Talley's flights marked the start of

Enterprise fleet operations.

23 January The last of 18 F8U-2N Crusaders

VMF(AW)-451, arrived at Atsugi, Japan, from MCAS El

Toro, Calif., completing the first transpacific flight by a

Marine Corps jet fighter squadron. Stops were made at

Kaneohe, Hawaii, Wake Island, and Guam and air

refueling was provided by GV-l tankers. The flight

was led by Lieutenant Colonel Charles E. Crew, com-

manding officer of the squadron.

UNITED STATES NAVAL AVIATION 1910-1995

245

24 January Two Navy F4H Phantom II fighters, des-

ignated F-ll0A by the Air Force, arrived at Langley

AFB, Va., for use in orientation courses preliminary to

the assignment of Phantom's to units of the Air Force

Tactical Air Command.

26 January To overcome deficiencies disclosed

during operation of ships equipped with surface-to-

air missiles, the Chief of the Bureau of Naval

Weapons designated an Assistant Chief for Surface

Missile Systems who was to head a special task force

and direct all aspects of surface missiles within the

Bureau and to act with the Chief of Naval Personnel

and the Bureau of Ships on matters involving these

Bureaus.

5 February An HSS-2 Sea King became the first heli-

copter to exceed 200 mph in an officially sanctioned

trial. Piloted by Lieutenant R. W. Crafton, USN, and

Captain Louis K. Keck, USMC, over a course along the

Connecticut shore from Milford to New Haven, the

antisubmarine helicopter broke the world record for

15 to 25 kilometers with a speed of 210.65 mph.

L. K. Keck and R. W Crafton NH69960