Recent content by RWGWAG

Where would I be able to find a roster of VS-41 pilots/aircraft assignments Circa 1940 or 1941? I’m trying to model Ed Rector’s SB2U-2 before he went on to fame with the AVG. Thanks.

This Navy photo shows an Enterprise Wildcat taking off on 24 February 1942, the day of the Wake Island raid. According to Lundstrom, McClusky was flying F-1 that day, and this photo shows an F4F-3 with a black 1 on the starboard side of its cowling. It also does not have the larger national...

I would guess that McClusky’s new mount was 3973. By looking at Lundstrom’s “First Team”, and the consequent BuNos for the lost aircraft on 7 December, I think 3973 was either F-1 or F-12. Anyone know of the second F-12’s BuNo?

I actually thought of the doing the same thing with Gray’s aircraft that day, presumably F-13/3920, that should’ve received quite a few holes. I need to find a VF-6 report that says which aircraft he was in that was damaged and landed last. Anyways, I’ve seen some Chitose/4th Kokutai A5M4s on...

Hmm. So if Ramsey’s F-1 was 4031, it probably had the exact markings as it did when O’Hare flew it for his MoH mission, just with the 5 painted out of the 15 and without Felix. IIRC VF-2 had another F-15 that wasn’t 4031 because Paul Baker was lost in it and 4031 survived the battle.

Could it be possible that Ramsey had his aircraft with the updated national insignia markings? He reported flying in “Wildcat One” on his evening CAP mission on 7 May per page 132 Phil Keith’s book Stay the Rising Sun: The True Story of the USS Lexington, Her Valiant Crew, and Changing the...

Thanks to both! I haven’t seen many pics of VF-2 aircraft at all besides some F2A-2s. I wish there was more photography out there of VF-2. To digress, I have also tried looking for pics of the VF-2 F2A-3s, specifically Ramsey’s assigned aircraft, but have only seen a couple of...

I found a decal sheet from Starfighter Decals showing F4F-3 4031 as the aircraft flown by LCDR Paul Ramsey, VF-2 CO, during the Battle of the Coral Sea. The sheet has a profile that shows that “LCDR. RAMSEY” was below the cockpit. I haven’t seen F4Fs with names besides some for publicity...

Sure thing! VF-151 had 150447 as NL-107 for the ‘66 Constellation cruise.

Roger that. What’s the date on that photo? I’m thinking 150634 may have been loaned to 151 just for the ‘65 cruise. The photos I’ve seen of 150634 with VF-161 show it with the old warning symbols that extend onto the splitter plate, which I think was discontinued around ‘67.

This is from the ‘65 Coral Sea cruise book showing NL-107. No confirmation on the BuNo, although most sources point to 150634 having a black radome in ‘65.

Possibly, but where did the BuNo originate from? Someone’s logbook? I haven’t seen any photo showing a kill as to why 150634 was credited. Maybe it was a replacement that was either loaded or offloaded at one point during the cruise?

Hi all - first off, I hope this is okay to post because it isn’t WWII related, but I see questions about other modern aircraft so I think it’s allowed. Anyways, I was curious as to why F-4B NL-107 BuNo 150634 is credited with a MiG-17 kill while being flown by Dan McIntyre and Alan Johnson of...

I have read many dates on which the letter tailcodes replaced the g symbols on Navy aircraft in 1945. I’ve seen 24, 25, 27, and 28 July 1945 as the date they were ordered. My question is, on 24 July 1945, was VF-88’s CO Malcom Cagle’s F6F-5 wearing the g symbol or letter tailcodes? He was...

Hi all — I was looking into Roy Rushing’s aircraft as McCampbell’s wingman for the famous 24 October 1944 mission. I have no idea if he was in an F6F-3 or F6F-5 although I’m heavily leaning towards the latter based off all available info (ie. no VF-15 mixed sections of -3s and -5s). I also have...