The USS Randolph (CVA-15), a World War II Essex-class aircraft carrier, is seen in the Mediterranean, probably in 1954 or 1955, according to clues visible in the film from the National Archives. Some of the aircraft use the Navy's sea blue paint. Others are in the short-lived natural metal skin. The absence of an angled deck dates this film sometime before mid-1955 at the very latest.
The twin-engine propeller aircraft are North American AJ Savage bombers, with a pair of R-2800 engines on the wings augmented by a tail-mounted J33 turbojet. Sweptwing F9F Cougars and straight-wing F2H Banshees are seen. At least one of the aircraft carriers occasionally visible in the distance is listed as USS Coral Sea.
Italian military officers are identified as visiting USS Randolph in this film. Watch a Panther land, followed by the lowering of the ribbon Davis Barrier raised to prevent a wayward jet from rolling to the front of the deck, where Douglas AD Skyraiders have been parked.
USS Randolph was the primary recovery ship for John Glenn's orbital Mercury mission in February 1962. The ship served until early 1969, and was sold for scrap in 1975.
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(This is an edited version replacing the original video on Airailimages, and correcting an error in the time period when the original film was shot.)