Warbird Information Exchange

Last night I was lent a collection of photographs from a photographer who flew missions in PBJs with VMB 433 at the tail end of the war. I will eventually be putting up a web site but, as there are literally hundreds of photographs it will take a while.

Here is a sample from the top of the stack of pictures -

HOLY $&^@!

Those are incredible! Thanks for posting..looking forward to more!

SN

That last picture, is that Rabaul? Those 25's look like "C" models?

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tracers work both ways

I had a neighbor that flew PBJ's in VMB-413. He was a very cool dude.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

Man, those are great. We have some folks here with great interest in PBJ's. They are gona wet themselves.
Thanks for posting.
Robbie

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Fly Fast Make Noise!

Fantastic! Looking forward to seeing all the photos. Just to clarify - is it VMB-433 or VMB-443? The subject title and the body differ. My Dad flew at the end of the war for VMB-433. The photograph of MB-07, "Fuzzy Fotos, Inc." is rare indeed. The reason you don't see much in the way of nose art on Marine bombers is that higher command considered that to be defacement of government property. With the end of hostilities, enforcement of that rule apparently faded. Here are two PBJ's from VMB-433 to illustrate:


PBJ-1J's, "The States or Bust," and in the background, "The Snail Tail."


PBJ-1J adourned with several names.

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Cheers,

Craig

Facebook Groups:

U.S. Marine Corps Sikorsky HRS / CH-19 Helicopter Database
U.S. Coast Guard Sikorsky HO4S / HH-19 Helicopter Database

I would guess either New Britain or New Ireland based on the history I found below. Unless of course since he was in the photographic group he printed strike photographs he found interesting...

Most of the strike photographs and base photographs are labeled 'Somewhere in the Pacific July 1945'...

VMB-443 (The Wildcats).
VMB-443 was commissioned at MCAS Cherry Point on 15 September 1943 and transferred to MCAAF Camp Lejeune on 20 October to continue training. In mid-January 1944, the air echelon and some of the ground echelon went to Naval Auxiliary Air Station (NAAS) Boca Chica, Key West, Florida for torpedo training and tactics and then moved to MCAS El Centro in February in preparation for overseas assignment. The ground echelon sailed from San Diego on 18 May 1944 and arrived at NOB Espiritu Santo in June; one month later, the ground echelon moved to MCAF Emirau and joined the flight echelon which arrived on 13 August. VMB-443 began flying both day and night missions against Rabaul and other bypassed Japanese installations on New Britain and New Ireland Islands until moving to Titcomb Field, Malabang, Mindanao, Philippines Islands in August 1945 after the war had ended. C.O.s: Lt Robert C. McConnell, 15 Sep 43; Major Alton D. Gould, 16 Sep 43 to 13 Oct 43; LTC Dwight M. Guillotte, 13 Oct 43 – 21 Mar 45; LTC Alton D. Gould, 21 Mar 45 – 16 Aug 45; Maj Earl E Anderson, 16 Aug 45 to date of surrender.

Sorry, the subject line was in error unless memory from last night is wrong (I was pretty blissed out when I went through the stacks of pictures.

I *believe* it is VMB 443 and will verify that when I get home tonight.

The majority of the pictures are of him around camp and being a tourist but, there are a number of plane pictures as well.

*****EDIT 18:50*******

I was wrong, it *IS* VMB 433. It says so right on his log book which I am scanning now...

Sorry.

I know that both the fifth and sixth photo have made it to print. Photo number five is in Scutts', Marine Mitchells in World War II, on page 22. Here, it is credited to the Millington Collection. Bob Millington was a pilot with VMB-413 and I would guess it is very possible he received copies of the above photos. My Dad has my other VMB dedicated books at the moment, so I can't say what book contains the sixth photo, but I recognize it as being published.

I'm looking so forward to you posting the other photos that I just may wet myself.

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Cheers,

Craig

Facebook Groups:

U.S. Marine Corps Sikorsky HRS / CH-19 Helicopter Database
U.S. Coast Guard Sikorsky HO4S / HH-19 Helicopter Database

Craig,

Thanks for the info about 5 and 6, I suspect as much but wasn't sure. My wife is out of town for the next 3 days so, I plan to be a scanning fool at night so maybe you won't need to buy stock in Depends.

If, as I post, people have any information about the pictures or people, please let me know so I can add it when I put up the site. Also, if anyone knows, or can suggest a place that would want scans of everything when I'm done I'd love to hear it since I don't want this to be lost.

Scan Everything...loose nothing...Scan everything, I know I'd love to see all of it..them, these pictures are great!

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Kind Regards,
Gary Lewis
J.A.F.O.

Most of the PBJ/B-25's are earlier, pre H/J models with the top turret mounted at the waist, but it looks like they have a field-modded, single gun tail gunner position.

Anyone shed any light on this?

hahnej,

Yes, both B-25 C's and D's and PBJ-1C's and PBJ-1D's recieved field modifications to their tail positions. Here's a couple of copied photos to illustrate:

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Cheers,

Craig

Facebook Groups:

U.S. Marine Corps Sikorsky HRS / CH-19 Helicopter Database
U.S. Coast Guard Sikorsky HO4S / HH-19 Helicopter Database

with the exception of The States or Bust photo, I would venture that all of the aircraft appear to be Delta models in the States or Bust photo, it appears that the turret has been removed from both aircraft.

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Kind Regards,
Gary Lewis
J.A.F.O.

Well, I scanned about 250 pictures last night...

I start with his log book -