fubar57
Lieutenant General
Naval Yard??
SB2C ID please
- Thread starter NNAM
- Start date
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Puget Sound Navy Yard.
It’s been known by many other names over the years.
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
Navy Yard Puget Sound
Bremerton Navy Yard
Bremerton Naval Complex
Today it’s full title is the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility.
It’s been known by many other names over the years.
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
Navy Yard Puget Sound
Bremerton Navy Yard
Bremerton Naval Complex
Today it’s full title is the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility.
OK got it, my feeble mind thought NY - "New York"
cammerjeff
Senior Airman
- 461
- Dec 26, 2006
She had at least 1 SB2C on board in January of 1944 ref the picture below. But judging by the pictures I suspect they were taken during landing trials.
- Thread starter
- #25
True, but the "KK" was not assigned to CV-31 until 8 January 1946, and used until December 1946. So if the above a/c - KK16 - came off CV-31, the photo had to have been taken between 8 January 1946 and December 1946, when there were no Curtiss SB2Cs on board CV-31.
On completion in Jan 1945 (not 1944) the BHR worked up with CVG-16 which she then transported to Hawaii and dropped it off in April. She then worked up as a night carrier and took CVG(N)-91 to the front line.
CVG-16 included VB-16 with SB2C-4. But as noted this is all before she got the KK code.
- Thread starter
- #27
The SB2C remained in active postwar service in active duty US Navy squadrons until 1947 and in Naval Reserve aviation units until 1950. With the camera in rear cockpit, could this be a photo squadron?
Is it a camera or the gun mount without the guns fitted. Some SB2C were fitted with an armour plate above the guns with a sighting slot in it. Can’t find a photo to show it clearly just now.
- Thread starter
- #29
Looks like an Arriflex 35 mm camera
Couple of photos here on a preserved example at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Angle isn’t great but note curved top to armour plate and sighting slot.
airandspace.si.edu
Photos 5,7&8 in the sequence show it best
Curtiss SB2C-5 Helldiver
Single engine, two seat, folding wing, carrier based scout-bomber.During World War II, U.S. Navy bombing squadrons flew Helldiver dive-bombers against Japan from November 1943 to the war’s end in September 1945.
Photos 5,7&8 in the sequence show it best
This is a photo of the gun mount with the steel plate. The guns are there, but they are not easily regognizible when in stored position. IMHO this is what we see on the photo in question too.
- Thread starter
- #32
I think you may be right. So we're back to square one ... what squadron, CASU, Naval District, ATU, OTU, or Station is this a/c assigned to?
John D. Voss
Airman
- 45
- Aug 10, 2016
www.fuselagecodes.com is the USAAF index to stateside codes.
- Thread starter
- #34
But this is a USN aircraft. And, there is no "KK" in the fuselage code document.
fubar57
Lieutenant General
Volume One or Two might hold the answer.... Schaertel Publishing, Inc. -- United States Naval Air Stations of World War II - Eastern States
You and I and many othersOK got it, my feeble mind thought NY - "New York"
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
As I posted before, "KK" was a short-lived designation for CV-31, from January 1946 to December 1946, which coincides with Bon Homme Richard's involvement in Operation Magic Carpet.
Starting in January 1946, many of the still active carriers were assigned a double letter code until being put in reserve or decommissioned.
AA: CVL-26 Lake Champlain
BB: CV-4 Ranger
CC: CVL-25 Cowpens
DD: CVL-22 Independence
EE: CV-6 Enterprise
FF: CV-12 Hornet
GG: (not assigned)
HH: CV-11 Intrepid
I I: (not assigned)
KK: CV-31 Bon Homme Richard
LL: CV-16 Lexington
MM: CV-3 Saratoga
NN: (not assigned)
OO: (not assigned)
PP: CVL-27 Langley
QQ: (not assigned)
RR: CVL-24 Belleau Wood
SS: CV-20 Bennington
TT: CV-14 Tichonderoga
UU: CVL-28 Cabot
VV: CVL-29 Bataan
WW: (not assigned)
XX: CV-18 Wasp
YY: CVL-30 San Jacinto
ZZ: CVL-48 Saipan
These codes were implemented on 8 January 1946 by the USN's letter FF12-5
SaparotRob
Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII
That is a real handy spotters guide you posted there. Thanks GrauGeist. Copyright it quick!
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
I suspect the USN wouldn't be too happy about that!
There's actually an entire alphabetical list covering the other carriers between January '46 and December '46 (also under USN letter FF12-5), most being a single letter (A, B, C, etc.) but I was just focusing on the double "repeat" letters (KK in particular) for emphasis.
