8. Tomcat Ordnancemen

Aviation Ordnancemen, better known as “Ordies,” are the proud men and women who load the bombs, missiles, bullets, and other stores on naval #aircraft and none were more proud than those who used to do so on the #f14tomcat. On this episode, former Ordies Randy Zeitler and Steve Folsom describe giving the Tomcat its claws and life in an F-14 squadron while working aboard the unforgiving flight deck. 0:00 INTRO 3:54 Randy Zeitler History 10:09 Steve Folsom History 13:07 Is there an Ordie standard? 14:26 Working on the Flight Deck 20:49 Flight Deck Team 28:01 Desert Storm 31:29 Did you work on the Flight Deck on your first launch? 35:04 Least favorite Ordnance 37:18 M-904 Fuse 41:34 War Stories 53:11 What did you like loading? 57:29 AIM-54 Belly to wing station 59:50 Hernia Bar 1:02:20 BOL CHAFF & BOL IR 1:07:50 What are you doing now? 1:26:35 OUTRO