Picture of the day.

• Mar 11, 2025

• #25,401

Greg Boeser

2nd Lieutenant

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Jul 29, 2016

Minnesota

Mike Wenger said:

Hope the ball turret-gunner was seated next to the engineer!

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Assembly ship, so war weary and disarmed. They were used to assist in formation assembly after take off. Once the unit was formed, the assembly ship would return to base.

 

• Mar 12, 2025

• #25,402

F

Frog

Staff Sergeant

1,286

3,434

Jun 11, 2021

France

Mike Wenger said:

Hope the ball turret-gunner was seated next to the engineer!

Click to expand...

As a general rule, assembly ships had only a limited crew for flying and navigation, hence no gunner as the ship returned to base after formation completed..
However, as exception to the rule, according to Wiki, there were instances when Spotted Ass Ape flew to Germany with the 458th formation.

 

• Mar 12, 2025

• #25,403

MiTasol

1st Lieutenant

7,412

13,289

Sep 19, 2012

Aw flaming stralia

I take it those are lights or strobes or flare dischargers to assist other pilots in locating the aircraft in the middle of the I

 

• Mar 12, 2025

• #25,404

Airframes

Benevolens Magister

63,312

13,014

Aug 24, 2008

Cheshire, UK

Yes.

 

• Mar 13, 2025

• #25,405

cammerjeff

Staff Sergeant

1,212

2,851

Dec 26, 2006

Belleville MI

80 years ago 3-11-1945 the USS Randolph CV-15 under repair at Ulithi Atollwith the Vulcan class repair ship USS Jason (ARH-1) alongside. Damaged caused by a Yokosuka P1Y Ginga "Frances" kamikaze attack.
The ship was able to resume operations just 16 days later.
source kamikaze hole Randolph (CV-15) 13 March 1945 80-G-344531

 

• Mar 13, 2025

• #25,406

Gnomey

Globetrotting Surgeon General

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Good shots!

 

• Mar 14, 2025

• Thread starter
• #25,407

syscom3

Pacific Historian

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12,133

Jun 4, 2005

Orange County, CA

Curtiss A-12 Shrike

 

• Mar 14, 2025

• Thread starter
• #25,408

syscom3

Pacific Historian

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12,133

Jun 4, 2005

Orange County, CA

"The skipper wants to talk to you".

An SB2C that nosed over while landing on USS Shangri-La (CV-38), 13 March 1945

 

• Mar 14, 2025

• #25,409

MiTasol

1st Lieutenant

7,412

13,289

Sep 19, 2012

Aw flaming stralia

Durn it - someone invented those curved blades way back then. I guess they worked as poorly as most of the more modern versions.

 

• Mar 16, 2025

• #25,410

Gnomey

Globetrotting Surgeon General

Staff

Mod

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London / Southsea / Royal Deeside, UK

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Nice shots!

 

• Friday at 10:18 PM

• Thread starter
• #25,411

syscom3

Pacific Historian

15,032

12,133

Jun 4, 2005

Orange County, CA

SNCAO CAO.600 French Navy carrier torpedo bomber, first flown 21 March 1940. Never entered service.

 

• Friday at 10:21 PM

• Thread starter
• #25,412

syscom3

Pacific Historian

15,032

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Jun 4, 2005

Orange County, CA

The Curtiss Wright 21 Interceptor Fighter demonstrated in flight at St. Louis on March 21st 1940.

 

• Friday at 11:09 PM

• Thread starter
• #25,413

syscom3

Pacific Historian

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Jun 4, 2005

Orange County, CA

A P-38G Lightning of the 55th Fighter Group, 338th Fighter Squadron based at RAF Nuthampstead, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom, Jan-Apr 1944.

 

• Saturday at 8:01 PM

• Thread starter
• #25,414

syscom3

Pacific Historian

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Jun 4, 2005

Orange County, CA

SBD-4 & SBD-5 Dauntlesses join USAAF as A-24A Banshees at Douglas Aircraft Co's El Segundo Plant, Mar 16 1943. Note
two experimental XSB2D-1 torpedo bomber prototypes against the back fence 3 weeks before its maiden flight. In back
is the Chevron Refinery. Also note the possible blimp located at the center top.

 

• Saturday at 8:59 PM

• #25,415

GTX

Brigadier General

17,421

59,012

Dec 18, 2015

USS Franklin (CV-13) heading to the Brooklyn Navy Yard, April 28, 1945 following the damage sustained on March 19, 1945. Note aircraft engine on deck.

 

• Saturday at 11:20 PM

• #25,416

SaparotRob

Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII

16,395

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Mar 12, 2020

Long Island, NY

syscom3 said:

SBD-4 & SBD-5 Dauntlesses join USAAF as A-24A Banshees at Douglas Aircraft Co's El Segundo Plant, Mar 16 1943. Note
two experimental XSB2D-1 torpedo bomber prototypes against the back fence 3 weeks before its maiden flight. In back
is the Chevron Refinery. Also note the possible blimp located at the center top.

View attachment 822461

Click to expand...

Took my ancient eyes a while to spot them. Nice catch.

 

• Sunday at 9:05 PM

• Thread starter
• #25,417

syscom3

Pacific Historian

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12,133

Jun 4, 2005

Orange County, CA

A British bomber of the Vickers-Wellington type which was shot down by German anti-aircraft guns on the shore of the North Sea on March 23, 1940. One
man of the crew was killed in the burning plane, another was hurt and four were only slightly injured. German soldiers stand by the wreck.

 

• Monday at 2:18 PM

• Thread starter
• #25,418

syscom3

Pacific Historian

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Jun 4, 2005

Orange County, CA

Imperial Japanese Army airmen salute prior to taking off for a bombing mission during the Sino-Japanese War on March 24, 1940 in China.

 

• Monday at 2:18 PM

• Thread starter
• #25,419

syscom3

Pacific Historian

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Jun 4, 2005

Orange County, CA

Imperial Japanese Army Type 97 Command Reconnaissance aircraft, Mitsubishi Ki-15 fly during the Sino-Japanese War on March 24, 1940 in Nanjing, China.

 

• Monday at 8:03 PM

• #25,420

N4521U

Plastic Pirate

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Nov 1, 2009

Miranda, NSW

GTX said:

USS Franklin (CV-13) heading to the Brooklyn Navy Yard, April 28, 1945 following the damage sustained on March 19, 1945. Note aircraft engine on deck.

View attachment 822509

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Bad to seem a world away from the madness of the war!