Sierra Hotel Blog
On October 30, 1963, Lt. James Flatley landed a 121,000-pound four-engine KC-130F Hercules on the deck of USS Forrestal — with no tailhook and no catapult. He completed 29 touch-and-go landings, 21 full-stop landings, and 21 unassisted takeoffs. The Navy deemed it too risky for regular use, but Flatley earned the Distinguished Flying Cross for what remains one of the most audacious carrier landings ever attempted.
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