Recent content by BuNo02100

I believe that the flare set up was original and have pics of VMO-251 F4F-3P (BuNo 1855) and F4F-3 (BuNo 1890) with the opening, but no aux air scoop. This would indicate that the first production batch of F4F-3s had them and if i have time, I will pull out my copy of original Grumman...

Scoop was electrical/radio cooling, while the hole was for firing flares. BW

Gentlemen, as Thank you for the replies. I can only assume that my initial google searches were too specific since it did not turn up Cobra in the Clouds. I had run across the Peter Three Eight Story but was a tad apprehensive after seeing some of the comments and the fact that it seemed to...

I am hoping that some of the members with knowledge of the 39th FS and their early use of the P-38 would be willing to provide some information. My focus has been on the South Pacific and not New Guinea, so while I have an extensive library and collection of documents for squadrons in that...

Mark, That helped out tremendously. He was a pilot with No 541 squadron flying PR Spitfires. My friend will be requesting his service record so that we can dig through the ORB/F540s that are posted and appear to still be free if you register. Thanks your assistance. BW

My area of research has been USMC aviators but i have no idea the best way to get started helping out a friend. Her grandfather was a pilot in WW2 and killed in a plane crash, that much we know. We even have the accident report. But, how do we request his service record to find out which...

Have built several and I know that it is not nearly as easy as some of the online reviewers would have you believe, especially if you want to get it right. Looks as though you managed to do just that and it looks great. BW

RWGWAG, I am willing to bet that the decals are based on profiles found in the Osprey book on VF-2 aces and not an actual picture. That publication and the decals both came out before the Lexington and a few of her aircraft were found on the bottom. While there were documents that clearly...

Although this photo has been captioned as a VF-2 aircraft for years, I don't think that it is. It could be, but there are a couple of things I would like to point out. First and foremost, the caption on the photo that you posted, which appears to be the original caption, contains a pretty big...

Sounds great, looking forward to learning more.

Thank you for joining the discussion! Your grandfather was most def assigned "F-5" in the squadron organization but I am not sure anyone has been able to find anything so far that would show he flew "F-5" on 8 May 1942 when he was credited with two aerial victories. You may hold the key to...

Sorry for this wall of text, but the F4F-3 found this week (along with the other aircraft) is one of my primary areas of research, or at least an off-shoot of it. I mainly work with Marine Aviation records for the early war years with a focus on F4F operations, but the overlap often allows me...

I am going to probably have to say that F-5 was "assigned" to Noel Gayler and the kill markings and bomb mission represent his activities, not necessarily that he was flying the aircraft when those were credited. He had 4 victories prior to Coral Sea and took part in the Lae-Sal raid on 10...

That last pic posted of F4F-3 "F-5" shows not only 4 traditional aerial victories, but what appears to be a marking denoting a bomb, perhaps for action at during the Lae/Salamaua raid of 10 March 1942. VF-3 flew cover and AAA suppression and carried 100 pound bombs, which LtCmdr Thach and most...

When I get some free time tonight, I intend to dig out my reference material and records regarding the F4F-3. A couple of points that I recall off the top of my head. VF-3 had taken VF-2's spot aboard Lex from mid-January until mid-April as VF-2 rid itself of the Brewster F2A-3s it started the...