NAS Corpus Christi 1942 ...

[Mark Allen M]

Heres a real nice photo set of NAS Corpus Christi from the LIFE archives. Really gives a good idea of how busy it was back then. A few of these images I posted before in other threads but they all belong here in this set.

Naval Aviation flight training on the Texas Gulf Coast, as recorded by LIFE magazine photographer Dmitri Kessel in late 1942.

Part 1


NAS Corpus Christi hangar ramp aerial view


NAS Corpus Christi hangar ramp aerial view


NAS Corpus Christi hangar ramp aerial view


NAS Corpus Christi hangar ramp aerial view


NAS Corpus Christi hangar ramp aerial view


Catalina off the Texas Gulf coast


Catalina off the Texas Gulf coast


Kingfisher at Corpus Christi


Kingfishers at Corpus Christi


N3N-3 seaplane trainers on the ramp at Corpus Christi


N3N-3 seaplane trainers on the ramp at Corpus Christi


NAAS Rodd Field hangar ramp aerial view


NAAS Rodd Field hangar ramp aerial view


NAAS Rodd Field ramp


NAAS Rodd Field ramp


NAAS Rodd Field ramp


NAAS Rodd Field ramp


NAS Corpus Christi hangar ramp aerial view


NAS Corpus Christi hangar ramp aerial view


NAS Corpus Christi hangar ramp aerial view


NAS Corpus Christi hangar ramp aerial view


NAS Corpus Christi hangar ramp aerial view


NAS Corpus Christi hangar activity


NAS Corpus Christi hangar activity


NAS Corpus Christi seaplane ramp aerial view


NAS Corpus Christi seaplane ramp aerial view


NAS Corpus Christi seaplane ramp aerial view


NAS Corpus Christi seaplane ramp aerial view


NAS Corpus Christi seaplane ramp aerial view


NAS Corpus Christi seaplane ramp aerial view


NAS Corpus Christi seaplane ramp aerial view


NAS Corpus Christi seaplane ramp aerial view


NAS Corpus Christi seaplane ramp


Naval Outlying Field #42


Naval Outlying Landing Field #36


Naval Outlying Landing Field #36


Naval Outlying Landing Field #36


Naval Outlying Landing Field #41 Near Laguna Larga TX south of Corpus Christi Also coded as NOLF20115

Last edited by Mark Allen M on Thu Jan 17, 2013 12:18 pm, edited 2 times in total.

[Mark Allen M]

Part 2


PBM-3 on the seaplane ramp


PBM-3 on the seaplane ramp


PBY-5A's at Corpus Christi


PBYs on the seaplane ramp


PBYs on the seaplane ramp


Seaplane training hangar at Corpus Christi


SNC-1's on the ramp at Corpus Christi


6-ship flight of SNJ's over the Gulf


SNJ-4 BuNo10153


SNJ's in the barn at Corpus Christi


SNJ's on the ramp at Corpus Christi


SNJ's on the ramp at Corpus Christi


SNJ's on the ramp at Corpus Christi


SNJ's on the ramp at Corpus Christi


SNJ's on the ramp at Corpus Christi


SNV-1 ramp at Corpus Christi


SNV-1 ramp at Corpus Christi


SNV-1 ramp at Corpus Christi


SNV-1 ramp at Corpus Christi

[Speedy]

Great photos. I spent lots of time in those same hangars and on those ramps. The N3N's and BT-13's replaced by T-34C's and T-44's, and the PBY's replaced by the Customs Service P-3's. Lots of hours running up and down that seawall too.

I wonder if those outlying fields in the later photos are the 1940's versions of Waldron and Cabiness fields to the south and southwest of NAS.

[Junkyard36]

Mark -

You've really outdone yourself with this set of photos! Thanks for posting.

I grew up in Corpus and spent a lot of time on the old sea plane ramps - as I grew older, the portion of the sea plane ramps in front of the senior officer housing was a favorite run route of mine.

Speedy -

Waldron, Cabaniss and Cuddihy Fields were very similar in construct to Rodd Field - hangars, a tower or two and some basic infrastructure. The out lying fields were spread throughout the surrounding countryside (Petronila, Goliad, etc) to provide emergency landing options for the student pilots.

Thanks,

Mike

[PropsRule]

The "Naval Outlying Fields" (love that name) look very easy to spot from the air. Was that the intent or just a coincidence? It would have been nice for a student pilot on a solo cross country to be able to find the destination fields easily.

[The Inspector]

Until I saw the rear 3/4 shot of the PBM on the beaching gear, I never realized what very narrow fields of fire the top turret gunner had.
On the same subject, whazzzup with what look like 'booster' elevators on the MARINER? needed extra muscle to make it leave the water?

[Mark Allen M]

A few photos in question state the following:

Naval Outlying Landing Field #36
Location: Near Driscoll, TX, west of Corpus Christi - also coded as NOLF 26832.

Naval Outlying Landing Field #41
Location: South of Corpus Christi - also coded as NOLF 20410.

[Chris Brame]

Hi Mark,

HOLY CRAP! First thing I think when I started looking was, OK - SNVs, SNJs, N3Ns yada yada yada; what else have they got hidden away?

Scroll down a bit and get my answer - F3Fs and SBCs in the maintenance hangar, and even better, long shots of them parked out on the ramp! Must have been hacks or target tugs by that point.

Wonder what they were doing with all the wheeled Kingfishers?

Bravo to you for digging them up!

[C VEICH]

Nice shots! I didn't know Curtiss built that many SNC's.

[Mark Allen M]

Here's additional photos from the series. Very interesting place and time. 1942 must have been quite the time to be a Naval Aviator. Lots going on.

[Mark Allen M]

BTW! there's what look to be SBD's in a hangar. I'll give a prize to the first one who finds them and can verify that they are indeed SBD's

[mike furline]

BTW! there's what look to be SBD's in a hangar. I'll give a prize to the first one who finds them and can verify that they are indeed SBD's

[Mark Allen M]

Nice one! Mike, they sure do look like SBD's don't they .... So what's you favorite Warbird?

M

[jdvoss]

Mark;

I have reviewed all of the "in hangar' photos (twice) and I DO NOT spot any SBD's. However, I did note that in the 24th photo down there is a Curtiss SNC.

BTW, if you look at Paul Freemans abandoned airfield website http://www.airfields-freeman.com (Texas- Corpus Christi) he has period sectional charts posted and there were a very large number of OLF's in the area.

[JohnCFord]

Wow! That was a very good group of photos. Lots of fun.

~J~