1962-Contin ued

31 August The passing of an era was marked at

NAS Lakehurst, N.J., by the last flight of a Navy air-

ship. The flight also marked the end of a year's service

by the two airships kept in operation after the discon-

tinuance of the lighter-than-air program for use as air-

borne aerodynamics and research laboratories in the

development of VTOL/STOL aircraft and ASW search

systems. Pilots on the last flight were Commanders

Walter D. Ashe and Robert Shannon and the passen-

gers included lighter-than-air stalwarts Vice Admiral

Charles E. Rosendahl, USN (Ret.), and Captain Fred N.

Klein, USN (Ret.). Many lighter-than-air men from

many parts of the country were on hand to observe

and to lend a hand in docking the airship after its last

flight. This ended a 45-year LTA saga that began with

the DN-l, the Navy's first airship.

12 September A Grumman Albatross, UF-2G, piloted

by Lieutenant Commander Donald E. Moore, climbed

to 29,460 feet over Floyd Bennett Field, N.Y., and set a

new world altitude record for amphibians carrying a

1,000 kilogram load. On the same day, Lieutenant

Commander Fred A. W. Franke, Jr., piloted the

Albatross to a new record for amphibians with a 2,000

kilogram load with a climb to 27 ,380 feet.

15 September Lieutenant Commander Richard A.

Hoffman, piloting a Grumman Albatross, UF-2G, set a

new world 5,000 kilometer speed record for amphib-

ians carrying a 1,000 kilogram load with a speed of

151.4 mph on a course from Floyd Bennett Field to

Plattsburgh, N.Y., to Dupree, S. Dak., and return to

Floyd Bennett Field, NY

17 September Nine pilots selected to join the

nation's astronauts were introduced to the public at

Houston, Tex. The three Navy men on the new team

were: Lieutenant Commander James A. Lovell, Jr.,

Lieutenant Commander John W. Young, and

Lieutenant Charles Conrad, Jr.

18 September A joint Army-Navy-Air Force regula-

tion was issued establishing a uniform system of des-

ignating military aircraft similar to that previously in

use by the Air Force. By it, all existing aircraft were

redesignated using a letter, dash, number, and letter to

indicate in that order, the basic mission or type of air-

craft, its place in the series of that type, and its place

in the series of changes in its basic design. Under the

system, the Crusader, formerly designated F8U-2,

became the F-8C indicating the third change (C) in the

eighth (8) of the fighter (F) series. Provision was also

made for indicating status of the aircraft and modifica-

UNITED STATES NAVAL AVIATION 1910-1995

249

tions of its basic mission by prefix letters. Thus the

YF8U-IP became the YRF-8A symbolizing a prototype

(Y) of the photoreconnaissance (R) modification of the

F-8A aircraft.

3 October Sigma 7, piloted by Commander Walter

M. Schirra, USN, was launched into orbit by a

Mercury-Atlas rocket from Cape Canaveral, Fla., and

after nearly six orbits and a flight of over 160,000

miles, landed in the Pacific, 275 miles northeast of

Midway Island. Helicopters dropped UDT men near

the capsule and it and Commander Schirra were hoist-

ed aboard Kearsarge.

SchiITa emerges from MercUlY 8 on recovery ship Kearsarge NH69950

...

Response to space stimuli is studied l10522