Last month, I was fortunate enough to participate in a "Tiger Cruise" on the USS Nimitz. The Nimitz was returning home from an eight month deployment to the Pacific, and participation in Operation Iraqi Freedom. My son is an aircraft ordinanceman (he builds and loads bombs) with VFA-41 -- The Black Aces fighter squadron.

During the five days I was on board, I was able to watch launch and recovery operations and an airpower show. These images are from that trip.

In Figure A, an F/A-18F Super Hornet gets the signal to launch. This was the first deployment for the Super Hornet.

FIGURE A

An F/A-18F Super Hornet gets the signal to launch. This was the first deployment for the Super Hornet. Click picture for a larger image.

In Figure B, an F/A-18C Hornet clears the deck during launch operations.

FIGURE B

An F/A-18C Hornet clears the deck during launch operations. Click picture for a larger image.

In Figure C, an E2 Hawkeye radar plane makes a low flyby pass. One of several support aircraft, the E2 provides tracking for Hornets, Prowlers and Vikings.

FIGURE C

An E2 Hawkeye radar plane makes a low flyby pass. Click picture for a larger image.

In Figure D, an F/A-18F Super Hornet from VFA-41 pushes the envelope.

FIGURE D

An F/A-18F Super Hornet from VFA-41 pushes the envelope, seen here on the wings, approaching the speed of sound. Click picture for a larger image.

In Figure E, an F/A-18C Hornet comes in for a recovery. The hook captures one of four arresting cables.

FIGURE E

An F/A-18C Hornet comes in for a recovery. Click picture for a larger image.

For me, this was the experience of a lifetime. The men and women on the Nimitz work in extreme conditions and are away from family for months at a time. The professionalism and pride they showed gave me a new appreciation for our military might. I can't imagine anyone believing they could win a battle against us.

About this series This week, we're running fifteen articles celebrating the anniversary of flight across all our magazines. Be sure to read them all; they are each quite exceptional: Read The twelve seconds that changed history by Mardell Haskins. Read An out of this world experience with Burning Blue by Dave Spragg. Read The Centennial by Marilyn Dash. Read Thanks, Wilbur and Orville by James Aronovsky. Read The Oshkosh Fly-In by Dennis Deery. Read The spirit is born by Kathy Walker. Read 99 years and 350+ days by Matthew Justice. Read First flights by John I. Williams, Jr. Read The British Chairwoman's Challenge by Mardell Haskins. Read The Wonder Machine by Stephen Till. Read Faster than the sun by Mick Moignard. Read Tiger cruise by Jon Canfield. Read The age of romance by Mardell Haskins. Read Aviation firsts by Mardell Haskins. Read The World War II years and beyond by Mardell Haskins. And read my editorial Celebrating flight across the years and across the magazines. Next week, we resume our regular coverage.

Jon Canfield is a photographer and digital imaging expert and can be reached at jon@joncanfield.com. For more images from the Tiger Cruise, visit his website at http://www.joncanfield.com