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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

"Too Low"

A Landing Signal Officer directs a plane coming in for a landing
Description: Drawing, Charcoal and Goauche on Paper; by Lawrence Beall-Smith; 1943; Unframed Dimensions 13H X 10W
Accession #: 88-159-JU as a Gift of Abbott Laboratories
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Like an orchestra conductor, the Landing Signal Officer of an aircraft carrier leads his pilots through safe approaches and landings. Here, braced is a 30-knot wind and intent upon the approach of an incoming plane, a carrier "LSO" signals the pilot to come up a bit to improve his landing position. With his signal "paddles", the LSO warns busy fighting pilots against retracted landing gear, failure to lower landing hook, improper altitude, or any of the multitude of factors involved in landing a heavy combat plane on the rolling deck of a carrier at sea.

Topic
Document Type
  • Art
Wars & Conflicts
  • World War II 1939-1945
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  • Image (gif, jpg, tiff)
Location of Archival Materials