Ground Crew Collection (page 5)

Sailors direct a C-2 Greyhound on the flight deck of USS George H. W. Bush
Atlantic Ocean, April 17, 2013 - Sailors direct a C-2 Greyhound from Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40 after landing on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush

The onload of the X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System
November 26, 2012 - U.S. Navy Sailors assist with the onload of the X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman

Aviation Boatswains Mate directs the pilot of an AV-8B Harrier II
East China Sea, January 30, 2009 - Aviation Boatswains Mate directs the pilot of an AV-8B Harrier II aircraft as it prepares to launch from the amphibious assault ship USS Essex

Chief of Naval Operations passes through the rainbow sideboys
Arabian Sea, January 18, 2011 - Chief of Naval Operations passes through the rainbow sideboys aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln

Boatswains Mate signals to an Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter
Korea Strait, March 21, 2006 - Boatswains Mate signals to an Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter to land on the flight deck of USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19)

Soldiers rappel from an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter
Gulf of Oman, September 9, 2013 - A member of Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 2 rappels from an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter onto the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S

Sideboys salute the commander of Naval Air Force Atlantic
October 16, 2012 - Sideboys salute the commander of Naval Air Force Atlantic aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower

An MV-22B Osprey lands aboard the amphibious transport dock ship USS Mesa Verde
June 17, 2010 - An MV-22B Osprey lands aboard the amphibious transport dock ship USS Mesa Verde (LPD-19). Mesa Verde is part of the Nassau Amphibious Ready Group supporting maritime security

An Aviation Boatswains Mate directs a French E-2C Hawkeye abord USS Theodore Roosevelt
Atlantic Ocean, July 19, 2008 - An Aviation Boatswains Mate directs a French E-2C Hawkeye during combined French and American carrier qualifications aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS

n F / A-18C Hornet launches from USS Dwight D. Eisenhower
Arabian Sea, August 23, 2012 - An F/A-18C Hornet launches from the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69)

Sailors fight a simulated fire drill on the flight deck of USS Enterprise
Arabian Sea, April 9, 2012 - Sailors fight a simulated class bravo fire during a fuel station fire drill on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65)

Aviation Boatswains Mate directs a CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopter onto the flight
Philippine Sea, November 8, 2009 - Aviation Boatswains Mate directs a CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopter onto the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Essex during the air combat element fly-on

Maintence personnel prepare to refuel an F-22 Raptor
Maintence personnel from the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, prepare to refuel an F-22 Raptor

Sailors man the forecastle aboard USS Mesa Verde
February 4, 2013 - Sailors man the forecastle during a sea and anchor detail aboard the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19) as the ship departs Norfolk, Virginia

Aviation Boatswains Mate directs an E-2C Hawkeye on the flight deck
February 28, 2013 - Aviation Boatswains Mate (Handling) directs an E-2C Hawkeye on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis

Shooter signals for the launching of an EA-6B Prowler
Pacific Ocean, February 8, 2012 - Final checker signals for the launching of an EA-6B Prowler on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis

Sailors push an F / A-18C Hornet in preparation for flight operations
October 30, 2012 - Sailors push an F/A-18C Hornet in preparation for flight operations aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower

Aviation Boatswain Mate directs a C-2A Greyhound on the flight deck aboard USS Ronald
Pacific Ocean, January 15, 2005 - Aviation Boatswain Mate directs a C-2A Greyhound during flight operations on the flight deck aboard USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76)

Boatswainas Mate signals to a French Armee De Terre SA 380 Puma helicopter
Pacific Ocean, June 28, 2013 - Boatswainas Mate signals to a French Armee De Terre SA 380 Puma helicopter as it takes off from the amphibious dock landing ship USS Pearl Harbor

Boatswains Mate signals the pilots of an SH-60B Sea Hawk helicopter
Atlantic Ocean, January 28, 2012 - Boatswains Mate signals the pilots of an SH-60B Sea Hawk helicopter to take off from the guided-missile cruiser USS Vicksburg

A Sailor directs an E-2C Hawkeye to the catapult aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower
North Arabian Sea, May 2, 2010 - A Sailor directs an E-2C Hawkeye to the catapult aboard the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69)

A U. S. Navy SH-60B Seahawk helicopter is refueled on the flight deck of USS Thach
June 21, 2011 - A U.S. Navy SH-60B Seahawk helicopter is refueled on the flight deck of the guided missile frigate USS Thach (FFG 43) during Southern Seas 2011 in the Pacific Ocean

Crew chief marshals a C-5 Galaxy aircraft
Bandanaike, Sri Lanka - Crew chief marshals a C-5 Galaxy aircraft that landed at the international airport supporting Operation Unified Assistance

An F / A-18C Hornet lands on the flight deck of USS Abraham Lincoln
Arabian Sea, July 11, 2012 - An F/A-18C Hornet assigned to the Blue Blasters of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 34 lands on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln

Contractors prepare to hoist the X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System
November 26, 2012 - Contractors prepare to hoist the X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator to the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman

Shooters aboard the USS George H. W. Bush give the go-ahead signal to launch an F / A-18
Atlantic Ocean, March 15, 2010 - Shooters aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) give the go-ahead signal to launch an F/A-18 Super Hornet

U. S. Navy commander salutes as he passes through an honor guard of flight deck crewmembers
August 10, 2010 - U.S. Navy commander salutes as he passes through an honor guard of flight deck crewmembers, known as rainbow sideboys, after arriving aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72)

An AS-332 Super Puma helicopter during a vertical replenishment
Indian Ocean, January 24, 2012 - A landing signalman aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey, signals an AS-332 Super Puma helicopter during a vertical replenishment with

Aviation Boatswains Mate gathers a fuel hose on the flight deck
February 21, 2014 - U.S. Navy Aviation Boatswains Mate gathers a fuel hose on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman

An MH-60s Sea Hawk helicopter lowers cargo to the flight deck of USS Bonhomme Richard
Gulf of Thailand, February 18, 2013 - An MH-60s Sea Hawk helicopter lowers cargo to the flight deck of the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6)

Aviation boatswains mates refuel an AV-8B Harrier jet aircraft
Philippine Sea, September 20, 2012 - Aviation boatswains mates refuel an AV-8B Harrier jet aircraft on the flight deck aboard the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6)

Helicopters fire flares as jets fly in formation above the flight deck of USS Abraham
Atlantic Ocean, August 2, 2012 - Helicopters fire flares as jets fly in formation above the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72)

Aviation Boatswainas Mate carries a fire hose during a fire drill
Arabian Sea, January 13, 2012 - Aviation Boatswainas Mate carries a fire hose during a flight deck fire drill aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis

An MH-60S Sea Hawk approaches the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge
Atlantic Ocean, February 4, 2013 - An MH-60S Sea Hawk approaches the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge

U. S. Air Force airmen prepare for a B-1B Lancer to launch
January 24, 2012 - U.S. Air Force airmen prepare for a B-1B Lancer to launch during Red Flag 12-2 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada

A shooter signals to launch an F / A-18E Super Hornet aboard USS Nimitz
Pacific Ocean, November 12, 2012 - A shooter aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, signals to launch an F/A-18E Super Hornet from the ships flight deck

A U. S. Air Force B-2 Spirit is inspected by ground crews
February 10, 2014 - A U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit is inspected by ground crews during exercise Red Flag 14-1 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada

Sailors push a T-45C Goshawk on the flight deck of USS Ronald Reagan
Pacific Ocean, July 16, 2013 - Sailors push a T-45C Goshawk training aircraft from the Redhawks of Training Wing 2 into a maneuvering position on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Ronald

An EA-6B Prowler launches from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz
Gulf of Oman, July 12, 2013 - An EA-6B Prowler launches from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz

A CH-46E Sea Knight takes off from the flight deck of USS Essex
February 13, 2011 - A U.S. Marine Corps CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter takes off from the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD-2)

A CH-53D Sea Stallion sits on the flight deck as another prepares to land aboard
July 6, 2010 - A U.S. Navy CH-53D Sea Stallion helicopter sits on the flight deck as another prepares to land aboard amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

AH-1Z Super Cobra helicopters land aboard USS Essex
Philippine Sea, September 28, 2011 - AH-1Z Super Cobra helicopters land aboard the forward deployed amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2)

An E-2C Hawkeye on the flight deck aboard USS Nimitz
Indian Ocean, June 4, 2013 - An E-2C Hawkeye gets ready for take off from the flight deck aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz

An MH-60S Sea Hawk picks up supplies from the flight deck of USNS Bridge
Arabian Sea, December 12, 2012 - An MH-60S Sea Hawk picks up stores from the flight deck of the Military Sealift Command fast combat support ship USNS Bridge (T-AOE 10)

F / A-18 aircraft prepare to take off from the flight deck of USS Enterprise
Atlantic Ocean, February 2, 2012 - An F/A-18F Super Hornet and an F/A-18C Hornet prepare to take off during flight operations aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise as part of exercise Bold

Sailors give launch approval for an EA-6B Prowler aboard USS John C. Stennis
South China Sea, September 2, 2011 - Sailors give launch approval for an EA-6B Prowler aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74)

Airmen prepare to chock and chain an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter
Sasebo, Japan, January 26, 2012 - Aviation boatswains mates prepare to chock and chain an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter to the flight deck of the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Essex

An X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System makes an arrested landing
Atlantic Ocean, July 10, 2013 - An X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator completes an arrested landing on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77)

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"Ground Crew: Unsung Heroes of the Skies" From assisting fast jet flood relief efforts to refuelling and re-arming Spitfire fighters during World War II, ground crews have always played a crucial role in aviation. In times of crisis, like the RAF Fast Jet assisting flood relief efforts from the air, these dedicated individuals ensure that aircraft are ready for action. They work tirelessly behind the scenes to maintain and prepare Chipmunk aircrafts of the G. U. A. S (Glasgow University Air Squadron) or McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom 67-0223. Even during wartime, their importance cannot be overstated. As depicted in an unknown creator's photograph from Malta in 1942 (1944), R. A. F and can be seen refuelling and re-arming Spitfire fighters amidst bomb-shattered hangars. Their bravery and resilience shine through as they clear up wreckage inside those devastated structures. Their expertise extends beyond combat situations too. The Leigh Light, a powerful carbon arc searchlight used for spotting U-boats, showcases their versatility and adaptability in different roles within aviation. The challenges faced by they are not limited to just maintenance tasks but also include logistical feats such as manhandling a French Spad fighter through snow-covered terrain to reach safety inside a hangar. Their contributions extend beyond individual missions; they play pivotal roles in historical events as well. A black-and-white photo captures British 12, 000-lb armor-piercing earthquake bombs being loaded into Lancaster bombers during World War II - weapons that would ultimately sink the German battleship Tirpitz. Whether it is Tripolitania or Sidi Barrani during c1942-1943 (1945), R. A. F Ground Crews continue to demonstrate unwavering dedication even under challenging circumstances.