SB2C ID please
- Thread starter NNAM
- Start date
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cammerjeff
Staff Sergeant
The only reference I have says the KK markings were only used on Planes Flown off of CV-31 USS Bon Homme Richard January - December 1946.
But I do not know if that is what the KK markings indicate.
But I do not know if that is what the KK markings indicate.
IMHO the big letters+number (alphanumeric code) on the fuselage have been used for stateside units. I remember discussing something similar on this forum years ago - maybe I'll find it, but I can't remember what code is KK.
Old thread is here - it's mostly about training units.
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
KK indicate the Bon Homme Richard, the 16 is the individual aircraft number is my guess.
When I was in the USNR our planes were all coded that way
fubar57
General
Someone here posted a link to training unit codes but I can't find it or Google it
IMHO KK on a/c from Bon Homme Richard is a tail code used after 1946. The "Beast" on the photo is clearly from an earlier period.
fubar57
General
Correct. The second one 
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
Can we be sure of that?
The new Visual Identification System (the period you are talking about) was established AFAIR on November 7. 1946. The old national insignia was used until January 17, 1947.
So no, I'm not 100% sure.
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
Just a guess - normally you have units assigned to a carrier, in this case it seems this aircraft is assigned to the carrier. I'm wondering if it was assigned to support a reserve or augmentation unit, just into 1947 before the insignia change??
Check the Appendix I'm attaching below - it was in my "home library" and probably is downloadable form the net. Some of the conundrums with the tail/fuselage codes are explained there (in a way). As you will see the Visual Identification System was changed on December 12. 1946 and the codes assigned to carriers were reassigned to air groups.
I still believe the a/c on the photo is from an earlier time, resp. using an earlier system for non-carrier based squadrons.
cvairwerks
Staff Sergeant
Wonder if it's being used as a test support bird. I don't think the rotatable Yagi antenna is stock and it appears that the back seater has a camera mounted instead of the normal guns.
- Thread starter
- #15
"CV 31 left San Francisco October 29, 1945 and steamed to Pearl Harbor to undergo conversion for troop transport duty. From November 8, 1945 to January 16, 1946 she made trans-Pacific voyages, returning servicemen to the United States. Bon Homme Richard then reported to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for inactivation and was placed out of commission in reserve January 9, 1947." So, unless the "KK" was used on Bonnie Dick a/c before October 1945 ... ? And the Appendix 23 - Visual Identification... does not have a "KK."
On 27 July 1945 the system of aircraft markings for the US Pacific Fleet changed from one of geometric shapes to one of single or double letters. I have all the codes issued to carriers up to the last carrier completed in Oct 1945 (CVB-42 Franklin D Roosevelt). None were allocated the code KK. Bon Homme Richard was allocated SS for her and her Carrier Air Group (Night) 91. That CAG only operated Hellcats and Avengers. She remained operational in the Pacific until arriving in San Francisco on 20 Oct 1945.
Most likely KK relates to a wartime US based training unit.
Most likely KK relates to a wartime US based training unit.
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
KK was assigned to CV-31, Bon Homme Richard, on 8 January 46 and used until December of that year.
The majority of the double "K" codes were ATUs:
KA - ATU 200
KB - ATU 100
KC - ATU 400
KD - ATU 102
KE - ATU 801
KK was the only double K specifically assigned to a carrier group, even if for a brief time.
Since the Bon Homme Richard was beig used for transport duty, during the time period of November '45 through January '46, it's most likely that her air groups were used for training.
The majority of the double "K" codes were ATUs:
KA - ATU 200
KB - ATU 100
KC - ATU 400
KD - ATU 102
KE - ATU 801
KK was the only double K specifically assigned to a carrier group, even if for a brief time.
Since the Bon Homme Richard was beig used for transport duty, during the time period of November '45 through January '46, it's most likely that her air groups were used for training.
- Thread starter
- #18
As best I can tell, the Bon Homme Richard's air group, CVG (N)-91, did not fly SB2Cs at the end of Sept 1945. They went to San Francisco, regrouped, and went to the east coast, disestablished in 1946. For a few weeks, thru Oct. 1945, CVG (N)-52 was also aboard - they didn't have SB2Cs either. They ended the war based at Alameda, and were disestablished in December 1945.
The Bonnie Dick's activities and movements between 16 Jan 1946, when she completed her Magic Carpet trips, and 9 Jan 1947 when she was in reserve seem to be a bit of a mystery. Some sources talk of her "decommissioning" on the latter date, others of her "deactivation" on that date. Is there a difference? And is the 9 Jan 1947 date correct?
A crew association website puts her decommissioning date as 31 July 1946 at Puget Sound NY.
There is a photo in the NARA archives dated to 9 Jan 1947 showing her tied up at Pier 91, Seattle, Washington with Essex, Bunker Hill and Ticonderoga. It clearly shows that by then her armament had been cocooned for preservation. That suggests she decommissioned at an earlier date.
CVG(N)-52 had been shore based at Barbers Point, Hawaii at the beginning of Sept 1945 with 23 F6F-5, 15 F6F-5N and 18 TBM-3E aircraft for VF(N)-52 and VT(N)-52. It had been earmarked to go aboard Enterprise when she completed her repairs in time to participate in Operation Olympic. It caught a ride back to the US on the Bon Homme Richard as that ship returned home to refit for Magic Carpet operations.
A crew association website puts her decommissioning date as 31 July 1946 at Puget Sound NY.
There is a photo in the NARA archives dated to 9 Jan 1947 showing her tied up at Pier 91, Seattle, Washington with Essex, Bunker Hill and Ticonderoga. It clearly shows that by then her armament had been cocooned for preservation. That suggests she decommissioned at an earlier date.
CVG(N)-52 had been shore based at Barbers Point, Hawaii at the beginning of Sept 1945 with 23 F6F-5, 15 F6F-5N and 18 TBM-3E aircraft for VF(N)-52 and VT(N)-52. It had been earmarked to go aboard Enterprise when she completed her repairs in time to participate in Operation Olympic. It caught a ride back to the US on the Bon Homme Richard as that ship returned home to refit for Magic Carpet operations.
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
Puget Sound NY?
