Warbird Information Exchange

Always more ...


FG-1D Corsair of VMF-124 the BullDog Squadron shipboard fighters stationed on Guadalcanal 1943


F4U-1 Corsair aircraft of VMF-214 taking of at Espiritu Santo 1943


Brewster F2A Buffalo VMF-211 25 July 1942 on board USS Long Island


Four FG-1D Corsairs of VMF-213 MCVG-9 in flight from USS Saidor CVE-117 near Hawaii 1945


Orote Peninsula airstrip on Guam


F6F hellcat on Peleliu


F6F-5N VMFN-541 on the west end of the engineering area of Falalop The squadron is part of MAG-45


FG-1D Corsairs of VMF-113 on the ground at NAB Omura Japan 1945


F6F-5N Hellcats of VMFN-541 flying over Japan 1945

_________________
“Knowing what’s right, doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right.”

Marine Avengers ...


Grumman TBF-1 of Marine Scout Bombing Squadron One Hundred Thirty-One (VMSB-131) pictured in flight at Cactus.


TBM-3 Avenger of Marine Torpedo Bomber Squadron Two Hundred Thirty-Two (VMTB-232) pictured in flight over Okinawa.


TBM-3 with Marine Torpedo Bomber Squadron One Hundred Forty-Three (VMTB-143) from CVE-107 (USS Gilbert Islands),


TBM-3E Avengers of Marine Torpedo Bomber Squadron Six Hundred Twenty-Three (VMTB-623) pictured in flight.


Three (3) TBM-3 Avengers of Marine Torpedo Bomber Squadron Two Hundred Thirty-Two (VMTB-232)


TBM-3 Avengers of Marine Torpedo Bomber Squadron Two Hundred Thirty-Two (VMTB-232), Marine Air Wing Thirty-Two (MAW-32), pictured in flight over southern Okinawa


TBM-3 Avengers of Marine Torpedo Bomber Squadron Two Hundred Thirty-Two (VMTB-232) pictured in flight approaching the coast of southern Okinawa


Seven (7) TBM-3s with Marine Torpedo Bomber Squadron One Hundred Forty-three (VMTB-143) on CVE-107 (USS Gilbert Islands),


Seven (7) TBM-3s with Marine Torpedo Bomber Squadron One Hundred Forty-three (VMTB-143) on CVE-107 (USS Gilbert Islands),


Three (3) TBM-3Es with Marine Torpedo Bomber Squadron One Hundred Thirty-Two (VMTB-132) from CVE-109 (USS Cape Gloucester),

_________________
“Knowing what’s right, doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right.”

More Marine Avengers ...


TBM-3 Avenger of Marine Torpedo Bomber Squadron Two Hundred Thirty-Three (VMTB-233) pictured being tied down on the deck of the USS Black Island (CVE-106),


TBM-3 Avengers of Marine Torpedo Bomber Squadron Two Hundred Thirty-Three (VMTB-233) pictured being tied down on the deck of the USS Block Island (CVE-106),


TBM-3 of Marine Torpedo Bombing Squadron 242 (VMTB-242) of the Fourth Marine Air Wing pictured on Iwo Jima's newly captured Motoyama #2 airstrip


TBM-3 Avenger of Marine Torpedo Bomber Squadron Two Hundred Thirty-Three (VMTB-233) pictured at Matsuyama Airfield, Formosa,


TBM-3 Avenger of Marine Torpedo Bomber Squadron Two Hundred Thirty-Three (VMTB-233), from USS Block Island (CVE-106)

_________________
“Knowing what’s right, doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right.”

Marine SBD's ...


SBD-6 of Marine Scout Bombing Squadron Two Hundred Thirty-One (VMSB-231) in flight over the Pacific


SBD-6 of Marine Scout Bombing Squadron Two Hundred Thirty-One (VMSB-231) in flight over the Pacific.


SBD-6 assigned to Marine Scout Bombing Squadron Two Hundred Thirty-One (VMSB-231), in flight over San Diego, CA.


SBD-5s assigned to Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 231 (VMSB-231) pictured in flight somewhere over the Pacific.


26-SBD-5 assigned to Marine Scout Bomber Squadron One Hundred Forty-Two (VMSB-142)


Marine SBD's over Guadalcanal


SBD Dauntless dive bombers pictured during a training flight near the Marine Corps Bombardier and Air Gunners School at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) El Centro, California, c 1944


SBD Dauntless dive bombers pictured during a training flight near the Marine Corps Bombardier and Air Gunners School at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) El Centro, California, c 1944


SBD Dauntless dive bombers pictured during a training flight near the Marine Corps Bombardier and Air Gunners School at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) El Centro, California, c 1944


SBD Dauntless dive bombers pictured during a training flight near the Marine Corps Bombardier and Air Gunners School at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) El Centro, California, c 1944


SBD Dauntless dive bombers pictured during a training flight near the Marine Corps Bombardier and Air Gunners School at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) El Centro, California, c 1944


SBD Dauntless dive bombers pictured during a training flight near the Marine Corps Bombardier and Air Gunners School at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) El Centro, California, c 1944

_________________
“Knowing what’s right, doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right.”

Marine SB2C's ...


SB2C-3, probably of Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 333 (VMSB-333)


Two beat-up Marine SB2C Helldivers flying in formation over the Pacific.

_________________
“Knowing what’s right, doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right.”

More Marine flying machines ...


Marine F4U-1A Corsairs of VBMF-331 with bombs on strike over Marshalls


John Glenn flying his VMF-155 Corsair, 1943


F6F-5N Hellcat of VMFN-533 near Ie Shima Okinawa 1945

These photos below were posted here a while back showing "Marines Dream's" major prang.


F4U-1 "Marines Dream" prang


F4U-1 "Marines Dream" prang


F4U-1 "Marines Dream" prang


F4U-1 "Marines Dream" prang

_________________
“Knowing what’s right, doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right.”

And a few more Marine F4F's ...


F4F-4 Wildcat fighter aircraft of VMF-441 on the ground at Nanumea, Ellice Island (Tuvalu) 1943


Marine Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat


White 77 of VMF-221 which was used by Lt James Elms Swett to down 7 Val dive bombers and a probable over Tulagi on 7 April 1943

_________________
“Knowing what’s right, doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right.”

Here are some gems from my trip to the National Archives Still Picture Research Room last December while researching for my book- Lucky's Life by Donald Larson (now available on Amazon)

TBF planes of 1943 and 1944 - Munda Field and others - enjoy



80-G-57256 TBFs lined up at Munda looking west 6 Dec 1943



80-G56475 Loading bomb on TBF 28 October 1943 Squad no 18 Burea no 23987




80-G-80154 Grumman TBF-1 7 May 1943


80-G-295284 TBF-1 at Munda with damaged wing as result of Japanese AA fire Oct 1943




80-G-57269 TBFs landing at Munda after strikes on Bougainvill 6 Dec 1943





80-G-464123 TBF1 in flight Oct 1951



80-G-57251 TBFs lined up at Munda 6 Dec 1943

And one more:



Gunner Benjamin Wynn Wright of Jacksonville, Fl, Pilot Lt. William (Lucky) Rudolf Larson of Hanks, North Dakota, and Radioman Richard (Wag) Clayton Wagner of Watertown, South Dakota on the wing of an Avenger at the Bomber Strip at Munda Airfield, November 12, 1943. Picture from Lucky's Life by Donald Larson

Are those painted on gun ports on the TBF-1s?

Hi Gemmer,

Yes, several pictures of TBFs at Munda during that period indicated painted on guns (3) per wing. Must have been a tactic against the Japanese. Good eye for detail.

Regards,
Don

These photographs are from my new book - Lucky's Life. Here's a picture of the cover. Available on Amazon and you can get a signed copy of the paperback from the author directly at luckyslifevc38@gmail.com. Thank you.