TBF Ready To Trap

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Thu Aug 14, 2008 8:44 pm

The CVE's deck looks a bit on the small side :shock:

The Inspector · **Posted:** Sat Aug 16, 2008 2:15 am

maybe, but those true heros operated TBM's off those postage stamps in vertical seas in the Atlantic for a long time, my hat is off to them for A) finding that cute little potato (no e) chip in a blender, then B)deciding 'hey, why not" Brave dudes!! as were the sailors on those tubs-

JDK · **Posted:** Sat Aug 16, 2008 2:24 am

The Inspector wrote:

maybe, but those true heros operated TBM's off those postage stamps in vertical seas in the Atlantic for a long time, my hat is off to them for A) finding that cute little potato (no e) chip in a blender, then B)deciding 'hey, why not" Brave dudes!! as were the sailors on those tubs-

Yup. Amazing. Oh, btw - the Royal Navy and the Royal Netherlands Navy chose to do the same job with open cockpit Swordfish off of even smaller 'carriers' - some American built - in the Atlantic. Escort carriers and MAC Ships - Merchant Aircraft Carriers.

The Dutch land on - note radar could be fitted, but not a canopy. :shock:

MV Empire MacKendrick

There are few limits to courage.

The Inspector · **Posted:** Sat Aug 16, 2008 11:59 am

OK, who's going to post a photo of the RN launching a Sopwith off of a barge? And who's gonna top that with a photo of one of the 'car top' airshow routines? Ely off the Pennsylvanias turret? THe CONVAIR XFY vertifighter concept?
Lets get small----

SaxMan · **Posted:** Sat Aug 16, 2008 9:46 pm

That's the USS Marcus Island in the picture (CVE-77). She was one of the carriers in Taffy 2, which assisted in the defense of Taffy 3 in the Battle Off Samar. One of her TBMs scored a torpedo hit on a Japanese heavy cruiser, most likely the Chikuma . Other planes from her airgroup strafed battleships and scored multiple bomb hits on another cruiser.

The two airgroups that were embarked on Marcus Island were VC-21, from 7/1/44 to 2/6/45 and VC-87, 2/14/45 - VJ day. I'm not familiar enough with the markings to know which group (if this TBM was actually from Marcus Island) came from.

JDK · **Posted:** Sat Aug 16, 2008 9:56 pm

The Inspector wrote:

OK, who's going to post a photo of the RN launching a Sopwith off of a barge?

Good idea - Don't have a lighter-launch photo, but how's about these?

http://www.navy.gov.au/spc/history/avia ... camel.html

Incidentally, some guys just didn't re-find their launch ships. Lost at sea. What a way to go.

Apologies for the thread drift.

The Inspector · **Posted:** Sun Aug 17, 2008 12:43 am

..and were earlier versions of the guys who flew the HURRICATS

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