https://neptunuslex.pages.dev A tribute archive of the blog written by Captain Carroll "Lex" LeFon — naval aviator, writer, and one of the finest voices in the military blogosphere from 2002 to 2012. en-us https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/happy-birthday-dad/ https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/happy-birthday-dad/ 2012-11-09T00:00:00.000Z By lex, on November 9th, 2012 From Chris(SNO)- Today is the first day I won’t be able to wish him a “Happy Birthday” over the phone via FaceTime, or the Stone-Age method of actually calling. It’s b… https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/shakespeares/ https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/shakespeares/ 2012-10-30T00:00:00.000Z By lex, on October 30th, 2012 Hey everyone! Friday November 9th is my dad’s birthday and in honor of it my mom would like to get a group together of anyone and everyone who is in San Diego and want… https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/a-mk-76-tale/ https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/a-mk-76-tale/ 2012-10-26T00:00:00.000Z Let me introduce you to the Mark 76 Practice Bomb. More commonly referred to as the Mk-76, the bomb is the mainstay of Navy flight training. First thing to know is that the Mk-76 is not really a bo… https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/tribute/ https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/tribute/ 2012-07-23T00:00:00.000Z With a tip of the hat to Virgil Xenophon, who sent me this link * to a recent tribute to our Beloved Lex. …I happened upon the blog about four years ago while looking for something to occupy my tim… https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/a-ghost-returns/ https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/a-ghost-returns/ 2012-07-11T00:00:00.000Z The war in the Aleutian Island chain in World War II was cold, storm-tossed and brutal to both sides. After a brief flurry, it became in the minds of the public a forgotten sideshow, while the worl… https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/excuses-excuses/ https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/excuses-excuses/ 2012-06-21T00:00:00.000Z Actually come in handy, sometimes! 🙂 Every single attempt to land an aircraft on an aircraft carrier is graded. The arbiters of an aviator’s performance are officially termed “ Landing Signal Offi… https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/and-sometimes-your-gauges-arent-lying-at-all/ https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/and-sometimes-your-gauges-arent-lying-at-all/ 2012-06-15T00:00:00.000Z “Trust what your instruments are saying.” “Your body will lie to you; your gauges will not.” “Believe your instrument panel, not your instincts.” “Ah, that’s all bull%^&*. Tap the gauge a coupl… https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/theres-formation-flying-and-then-theres-dissimilar-formation-flying/ https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/theres-formation-flying-and-then-theres-dissimilar-formation-flying/ 2012-05-23T00:00:00.000Z For those of us with double anchors on our wings, we were introduced to the concepts of formation flying about mid-way through the Basic phase of flight training, getting our first of a handful of … https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/whats-your-call-sign/ https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/whats-your-call-sign/ 2012-04-07T00:00:00.000Z Lex had friends far and wide. I got an email the other day from a USNA classmate, and squadron mate from his first fleet assignment. If we’re real nice to Gurns, we might get a few more sea stories… https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/low-and-slow/ https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/low-and-slow/ 2012-04-03T00:00:00.000Z AN/AVS-6 NVGs (US Army photo) Out on Lex’s site most of the aviation discussion was based around the fast movers, carrier operations, and what it was like to operate the F/A-18 in the tactical envi… https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/mig-25-foxbat/ https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/mig-25-foxbat/ 2012-04-03T00:00:00.000Z I’m sure many of you remember this . The story about the MiG is here . The MiG-25 (NATO codename “Foxbat”) first flew in 1964 and created quite a stir. She was built to counter the XB-70 Valkyrie .… https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/night-jump-3/ https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/night-jump-3/ 2012-03-30T00:00:00.000Z Here’s a video I saw over on Kerry McCauley’s Dead Reckoning site. It’s a good look at jumping out of a plane over someplace that you’ve never been to before, loaded for bear. You’ll notice that no… https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/hail-and-farewell/ https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/hail-and-farewell/ 2012-03-29T00:00:00.000Z I just wanted to add the picture of the fly by… Fuzzy’s post describes the service so well I’ll not try to expand on it, other than to say how nice it was to meet so many people I’ve only known onl… https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/never-12/ https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/never-12/ 2012-03-26T00:00:00.000Z While reading today’s Daily Lex installment for March 26th, I found myself nodding in agreement. About the flying part. About the strapping on the equipment and feeling one with the air part. Oh ye… https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/an-old-sea-story-5/ https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/an-old-sea-story-5/ 2012-03-24T00:00:00.000Z Just to help kick things off, I’ll share an old sea story. Even though I’m Army Guard now, I started my military career in Naval Aviation as an avionics technician (AT) working on the E-2B aircraft… https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/lexisms/ https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/lexisms/ 2012-03-24T00:00:00.000Z Michelle compiled a list of “Lexisms”…all those wonderful little quips of Lex’s that would pepper his posts and give it that personality. I have added a few at the top, knowing some may be a Navy-w… https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/the-war-on-women/ https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/the-war-on-women/ 2012-03-05T00:00:00.000Z By lex, on March 5th, 2012 It’s a bipartisan affair, according to Kristen Powers. Prosecution is rather spotty, however: Did you know there is a war on women? Yes, it’s true. Chris Matthews, Keith … https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/fars/ https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/fars/ 2012-03-04T00:00:00.000Z By lex, on March 4th, 2012 Which, it was right about then that I wondered if I was supposed to put my iPhone into “Airplane” mode before take-off. Back To The Archive https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/combative/ https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/combative/ 2012-03-04T00:00:00.000Z By lex, on March 4th, 2012 So, you know: Breitbart was a happy warrior. Which made those he warred against unhappy. Thus the hate, which of course he earned. By being happy. https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/all-you-need-to-know/ https://neptunuslex.pages.dev/posts/all-you-need-to-know/ 2012-03-02T00:00:00.000Z By lex, on March 2nd, 2012 About our Afghan “allies” is to be found within this Reuters headline: Anti-U.S. emotions run high at Afghan dogfighting ring At home we put professional athletes into pr…