Space is at a premium on a carrier. To maximize it, aircraft parked on the flight deck hang over the side of the ship. In i984, the USS Midway collided with a Panamanian freighter, the Cactus. Both ships suffered extensive damage. Unfortunately, so did three F-4 Phantom II jets. Each of the aircraft lost portions of their tail sections. The optical landing system platform on the Midway is mangled by the force of the collision.
