Warbird Information Exchange

... "all h*ll broke lose", I should have taken that wave off" ... (note: no disrespect intended towards the veterans in these photos)

Part 1


F6F-5P Hellcat aircraft of VF-7 A in flight off the USS Leyte CV-32 near Trinidad 1946


Grumman F6F Hellcat coming in for a landing aboard the U.S.S. Kearsarge, CV-33, in 1946


F6F-3 Hellcat aircraft of VF-25 coming in to land on the USS Cowpens (CVL-25)


F6F-3 Hellcat aircraft of VF-25 landing in a not regular fashion on the USS Cowpens (CVL-25) off Hawaii


F6F-3 Hellcat aircraft of VF-31 trying to land on the deck of the USS Cabot (CVL-28).


F6F-5 Hellcat aircraft from VF-12, VBF-12 is heading toward ditching portside of the deck of USS Randolph (CV-15)


F6F-5 Grumman Hellcat aircraft of VF-9 landed on the deck of the USS Lexington CV-16 with wingtip damage


F6F-3 Hellcat aircraft of VTB-2 missing the flight deck of USS Solomons (CVE-67)


Hellcat of VF-2 USS Hornet CV-12 c 1944


Hellcat of VF-2 USS Hornet CV-12 c 1944


A F6F-3 Hellcat from Fighting Squadron One (VF-1) lost its tail in a flight deck accident aboard USS Yorktown (CV-10) on June 15,1944.


F6F-5 Hellcat aircraft of VF-23 crashed on the deck of USS Langley CVL-27 c 1945


F6F-3 Hellcat aircraft of VF-24 or VF-6 has crashed nose down on the deck of the USS Yorktown (CV-10). 1944


F6F-5 Hellcat aircraft of VF-3 crash landed. Fighter lands without tail hook. LT Henry M. Rowland from Clinton, S. Carolina, landing with 40 mm shell hole in the tail.


F6F-5 Grumman Hellcat aircraft of VF-9 landed on the deck of the USS Yorktown (CV-10) nose down.


F6F-3 Hellcat aircraft of VF-31 nose down after landing on the deck of the USS Cabot CVL-28


Hellcat F6F-3 aircraft of VF-1 on the flight deck of the USS Hornet CV-12


F6F-5 Hellcat aircraft of VBF-11 landed on its nose on USS Takansis Bay (CVE-89). 1945


F6F-5 Hellcat aircraft of VF-29 is on the nose after a barrier catch on the deck of the USS Cabot (CVL-28).

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[Thread title is ridiculous btw]

Great photos. The second photo really puts the danger to LSO's and flight deck crew on the terrors of operating near big props into focus. Having a big prop hurling towards you, or being a "passenger" as your plane heads over the side must both be horrific feelings.

Part 2


TBM-3 with Composite Squadron Eighty-Seven VC-87 from USS Marcus Island CVE-77


TBF Avenger of Composite Squadron VC 8 landing on the escort carrier Guadalcanal CVE 60 1944


TBF Avenger onboard the USS SANTEE CVE-29


TBM-1 Avenger with composite Squadron Eighty VC-80 in flight


TBM-3 Avenger with Composite Squadron Eighty-Four VC-84 CVE-93 USS Makin Island


TBM-3 Avenger with Torpedo Squadron Forty-Five VT-45 landing on the deck of CVL-30 USS San Jacinto after returning from the Kyushu Raid in Japan


TBF-1 Avenger with Torpedo Squadron Thirty-One VT-31 on the USS Cabot CVL-28


TBF being ditched off the edge of carrier deck


TBM-3 appears to have missed carrier deck


TBM-3 Avenger with Torpedo Squadron Twenty-Nine VT-29 sitting on deck of CVL-28 USS Cabot at Okinawa


TBM-3E Avenger of Anti-Submarine Squadron Eight Hundred Thirty-One VS-831 of the CVE-106 USS Block Island


TBM-3E Avenger with Composite Squadron Ten VC-10 attempting landing but left wing down on deck of CV-40 USS Tarawa


TBM-3 with Marine Torpedo Bomber Squadron One Hundred Forty-Three VMTB-143 pictured nose down on attempted landing on CVE-107 USS Gilbert Island


TBM-3 with Marine Torpedo Bomber Squadron One Hundred Forty-Three VMTB-143 pictured heading over the side of CVE-107 USS Gilbert Islands


TBM-1C Avenger with Torpedo Squadron Thirty-Five VT-35 landing on deck of CVE 28 USS Chenango


TBM-1 Avenger with Torpedo Squadron Fifty-One VT-51 shown on fire as it lands on the USS San Jacinto CVL-30


TBM-1C Avenger with Composite Squadron Seventy-Six VC-76 sitting on deck of CVE-80 USS Petroff Bay following apparent accident on landing 1945


TBM-1C o fComposite Squadron Forty-Two VC-42 crashed in to other planes on the deck of CVE-9 USS Bogue


TBM Avenger torpedo-bomber missed the hook 31 January 1945 USS Bogue


TBF-1 of Composite Squadron One VC-1 hangs over the edge of the flight deck of USS Card ACV-11 following a landing accident


TBM Avenger of Anti-submarine Squadron VS-21

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[Thread title is ridiculous btw]

The TBM from VMTB-143 "P87" that is featured in the above picture is the plane that CAF's National Capital Squadron Avenger is going to represent when the remainder of the markings are applied. A copy of the above picture is on the wall of the hangar at Jack Kosko's place in Fawn Grove. The markings will be applied by the squadron down in Culpeper.

Part 3


Helldivers over USS Essex CV-9


SB2C-3 of Bombing Squadron Eighteen VB-18 pictured in the pattern for recovery aboard USS Intrepid CV-11


SB2C-3 of Bombing Squadron Seven VB-7 pictured just after its pilot took the cut for recovery aboard USS Hancock CV-19.


SB2C-4 of Bombing Squadron Twelve VB-12 appears to becoming in too high for a recovery aboard USS Randolph CV-15


SB2C-4E of Bombing Squadron 87 VB-87 flown by LT JG H Paul Brehm pictured after taking the barrier on flight deck of USS Ticonderoga


SB2C-4E of Bombing Squadron 92 VB-92 begins to nose over after taking the barrier during recovery aboard USS Lexington CV-16


SB2C-3 assigned to Bombing Squadron 80 VB-80 suffers a gear collapse after catching a wire aboard USS Ticonderoga


SB2C-4E of Bombing Squadron 94 VB-94 pictured on deck of USS Lexington CV-16 after a landing accident 1945


SB2C-1C is assigned to Bombing Squadron Two VB-2 operated from USS Hornet during the period March-September 1944


SB2C-1C of Bombing Squadron Fourteen VB-14 pictured after smashing into 5-in gun turrets after an errant landing on the flight deck of USS Wasp


SB2C-3 of Bombing Squadron Seven VB-7 pictured after barrier crash aboard USS Hancock CV-19


SB2C-1C of Bombing Squadron Two VB-2 pictured after taking the barrier aboard USS Hornet CV-12


SB2C-3 of Bombing Squadron 82 VB-82 pictured after going over the side of USS Charger CVE-30 during training operations off the East Coast

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[Thread title is ridiculous btw]

Part 4


F4U-1D corsair aircraft of VBF-83 circling to land on the flight deck of the USS Essex CV-9 1945


F4U-4B Corsair aircraft of VMF-312 coming in to land on USS Valley Forge CV-45 1948


F4U Corsair aircraft of VF-17 is in flight off USS Bunker Hill CV-17


F4U-4 Corsair aircraft of VA-74 landing into a barrier crash on the deck of USS Phillipine Sea CV-47


F4U-4 Corsair aircraft of Fighter Squadron VF-113 snags a wire during recovery on board the carrier Philippine Sea CV47


F4U Corsair aircraft of VMTG-10 down on starboard wing on the flight deck of USS Enterprise CV-6


F4U-4B Corsair aircraft of VF-42 skidding off the deck of USS Midway CVB-41 after landing


F4U Corsair on the deck of USS Enterprise


F4U-1 Corsair aircraft of VF-17 is tripped up by a cable in landing on the deck of USS Bunker Hill CV-17


Corsair USS Shangri-La 1945


F4U Corsair aircraft of VMTG-10 down on one wing on the flight deck of USS Enterprise CV-6


F4U-1D Corsair of VMF-512 crashed aircraft aboard the USS Gilbert Islands CVE-107

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[Thread title is ridiculous btw]

Part 5


FM-1 Wildcat of VC-25 crashing the barrier while attempting to land on the deck of the USS Block Island CVE-21 1943


FM-2 of VC-70 is landing at an angle on the flight deck of USS Salamaua CVE-96 c 1945


FM-2 Wildcat creating wood chips while landing on a carrier deck


Wildcat carrier landed with turn tail


FM-2 Wildcat of VC-68 crashes into sea. Pilot is Ed Van Hise Jr c 1945

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[Thread title is ridiculous btw]

Part 6


SBD-5's of Bombing Squadron Ten VB-10 pass over USS Enterprise CV-6 prior to recovery aboard the carrier following strikes against Palau


SBD-5's of Bombing Squadron Ten VB-10 enter the pattern for landing on board USS Enterprise


SBD-3 of Scouting Squadron 41 VS-41 traps on board USS Ranger CV-4 during training operations off Bermuda


SBD-5 Dauntless of Bombing Squadron Sixteen VB-16 crashes into the barrier on the flight deck of USS Lexington CV-16 crumpling its nose


SBD-5 of Bombing Squadron Six VB-6 pictured on the flight deck of USS Intrepid CV-11

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[Thread title is ridiculous btw]

Part 7


SB2U's with Scouting Squadron Forty One VS-41 pictured in flight above their carrier


SB2U-2 with Scouting Squadron Forty-Two VS-42 pictured on the deck of ACV-30 USS CHARGER


TBD-1 Devastator of Torpedo Squadron Five VT-5 following a landing accident on board the USS Yorktown CV-5

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[Thread title is ridiculous btw]

Part 8


F8F rough landing


F8F barrier crash aboard USS Tarawa c 1948


F8F barrier crash aboard USS Tarawa c 1948


F8F barrier crash aboard USS Tarawa c 1948


F8F barrier crash aboard USS Tarawa c 1948

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[Thread title is ridiculous btw]

Part 9


Tail Hook Trouble catching the last barrier on the flight deck of the Task Force 77 carrier USS Yorktown CVA-10

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[Thread title is ridiculous btw]

Poor 102 - was this all one sequence, d'ya think?

Another great post Mark, thanks! Two that caught my eye below. In the first note the rather odd application of the tri-color camo to the Hellcat. I've seen this on Wildcats but don't recall ever seeing it on a Hellcat. And the Dauntless, what the heck happened there? Does not appear to be any prop damage at all!

their had to be plenty of spare teak wood aboard all carriers of that era when those props chewed through the decks. what were the repairmen called, carpenter's mate?? i never understood why the u.s. navy opted for teak decks to begin with!! the british had steel & armored flight decks.

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

Once again fantastic photos, Mark. Thank you for posting them.
Sure seems like a lot of props got bent on carrier landings. Which brings me to my naïve question;
Are the props repairable or junk ?