“Here we go, here we go, here we go!” – No, not the chant from fans at a football match, but the cries emanating from the two loadmasters of VRC-40 ‘Rawhides’ sat at the rear of our C-2A Greyhound, as they warn us we are just seconds from ‘trapping’ on board the deck of the nuclear powered American aircraft carrier – the USS Dwight D Eisenhower (CVN-69). Even with a sedate approach speed of around 105mph the Carrier on-Board Delivery, or COD as it is better known, comes to an abrupt halt in just 2 seconds. Sitting backwards and with only two very small portholes for windows, the experience is as exciting as it is terrifying. When it’s time to leave, the Cat Shot off the deck takes you from zero to 128mph in under 3 seconds leaving you hanging in your straps. A truly exhilarating experience – for us, the ride of a lifetime, but for the sailors of the Rawhides, it is merely business as usual.
