CV-38 USS Shangri La P-51D PBJ-1H & F7F photos

[Taigh Ramey]

I was sorting through and putting away some books when I came across what looks like the first cruise book of the aircraft carrier the USS Shangri La CV-38.

Not long after her commissioning on September 15th, 1944 she engaged in some special flight ops.

On November 15th, 1944 a P-51D (44-14017) made three arrested landings and subsequent take offs.

I found more about this here on an interesting web site:

http://www.mustang.gaetanmarie.com/articles/naval/naval.htm

Then a F7F came aboard for the very first carrier ops for the Tigercat series.

A PBJ-1H (B-25H) also did some arrested landings and launches.

She deployed to the Pacific and fought hard until the war ended. and was in Tokyo Bay for the surrender and occupation of Japan.

She also participated in the Bikini atomic bomb tests before she came back home.

Here are some quick and dirty photos of some of the pages in the cruise book:

[lmritger]

Out-freaking-STANDING!!! That's the first closeup I've seen of the bridle attachment on the Mustang, and there are several new shots of the PBJ-1H there too.

The letter "Z" on the flight deck was fascinating... I don't think I've seen photo evidence of other carriers with their alpha codes on the deck (for instance, did the Yorktown have "RR" on her deck somewhere?).

And WTF happened to that F7F? Man, that was a hard hit!!!

GREAT photos, thanks for sharing them!

Lynn

[Holedigger]

I seem to recall reading that after the first batch of f7fs went out, they did some beefing up of wing structure due to overloading on carrier landing issues!

[retroaviation]

It would be neat to see a Mustang restored to duplicate that aircraft. It would look kinda plain-Jane until folks noticed the hook.

Gary

[Jack Cook]

The PBJ was flwon by LCDR Syd Bottomly who was awarded the Navy Cross for a 1000# bomb hit on aJapanese CV at Midway.

[Jack Cook]

He also stated that “the forward visibility was good and never gave me any problems. In fact, fighters with rotary engines such as the F4U or F6F were worse than the P-51 in that respect.” The aircraft also behaved well during catapult launches.

Those pesky Corsairs and Hellcats with those rotary engines

[Owen Miller]

........and the P-51 was flown by Bob Elder who also
received a Navy Cross for actions at Midway.

[tom d. friedman]

note the early tail configuration on the tigercat.

[Garth]

I seem to recall reading that after the first batch of f7fs went out, they did some beefing up of wing structure due to overloading on carrier landing issues!

Is it me, or does that trashed Tigercat have the bulbous radar nose of the F7F-3N??

[tom d. friedman]

garth, looks to me that you are right.