eBay: Grumman Avenger

[Snautzer01]

part 1

 

[Snautzer01]

part 2

 

[Bullo Loris]

Really good quality this pictures!, really good post mate...

 

[diddyriddick]

Very cool pics! I've never seen the last one(no turret); was that a common version and what role did it play?

 

[Capt. Vick]

Very cool pics! I've never seen the last one(no turret); was that a common version and what role did it play?

That was an early COD aircraft. (Carrier Onboard Delivery)

 

[Snautzer01]

this role

 

[N4521U]

FANTASTIC pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Wayne Little]

8)

 

[wheelsup_cavu]

Cool pics.
Love the messages on the bombs.


Wheels

 

[MFH]

Great pics! I've never seen these before.

I'm being hopeful, but those could be off USS Essex!

I see some at least one early F6F-3 (white 30) with the fairing over the inboard 0.50s, and I don't see the prominent black stripe that USS Yorktown (CV-10) had on her flight deck:

The SBDs have large white numbers on their vertical stabilizers, which are very similar to what I have in my late uncle's Saga of the Essex cruise book.

The TBFs themselves are very interesting: there is at least three apparent two-color TBFs spotted (see the light colored wings?), there are at least two versions of the tri-color scheme; the national insignias look like post-14 August 1943 versions (looks like a blue surround instead of red), and most interestingly (to me), the white stripes from the windscreen forward to the engine cowling.

Is that an aiming stripe?! I've never seen that before on any TBFs!

Other potential candidates could be USS Intrepid with CVG-6 (VB-6 still had SBDs) or USS Lexington (CV-16) with CVG-16 (VB-16 still had SBDs), but most VF-16 fighters I've seen had the "Pistol Packin' Airedale" insignia painted in front and below the windscreen, so I don't think it's the Lady Lex.

And if memory serves, there weren't too many TBF missions launched with torpedoes, so it might be Essex's Bunker Hill's strike on Rabaul on 11 November 1943 or the raid on Truk on 17 February 1944. According to the cruise book VT-9 only launched 42 torpedoes, which would be just over two full squadron strikes.

FWIW, Life printed the first picture in the second post backwards (see the text on the bomb). And the leading edge of the horizontal stabilizer in the middle of the image looks like it ran into another plane or a gun mount or something!

 

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[Wurger]

 

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[Wayne Little]

Didn't know they used them...

 

[Snautzer01]

Wake Island

 

[Wurger]

 

[Gnomey]

Nice shot! Thanks for sharing.