Strangers on the deck

[pampa14]

During WW2, either by carriage to the Theater of Operations or conducting tests for naval versions, often was possible to have the unusual sight of land-based fighters operating on aircraft carriers. The following link presents a collection of curious photos of these aircraft:

Aviação em Floripa: Estranhos sobre o deque


Hope you enjoy and I count on your visit!

 

[Capt. Vick]

I love all the pictures of the P-47's operating off the carrier deck. What is the story behind that? Looks like in one picture they are being shelled or are attacking a suspected sub contact.

 

[N4521U]

I would bet most of them are the Jeep Carriers re-suppling land based operations.....
Great stuff tho.
The Hurricane launch at night from the transport ship is one I've never seen.

 

[N4521U]

I would bet most of them are the Jeep Carriers re-suppling land based operations.....
Great stuff tho.
The Hurricane launch at night from the transport ship is one I've never seen.

 

[mikey]

what are the twin engine planes

 

[GregP]

Mostly Mosquitoes with one Hornet thrown in that you'd expect would be operating from a carrier.

Haven't seen the pic of the Mosquito with folded wings before, though. It's probably a TF/TR.37 since that had the manually folding wings and the British ASV Mk. 13B radar fitted in a bull nose.

Thanks for the neat post, Pampa14!

 

[nuuumannn]

Yep, the Mossie was a TF.37 and the Spitfires are Seafires, as are the Hurricanes, all Sea Hurricanes. The 15th image down was taken aboard the carrier HMS Argus. The P-40s were part of Operation Torch and the Mustangs are either in store being transported or the evauation aircraft for a naval variant. The 15 pic from the bottom shows Mustang Is being delivered to the British at Liverpool Docks before they went to Lockheed Aircraft Services at Speke for reassembly and testing.

 

[GrauGeist]

...or the evauation aircraft for a naval variant...

Correct!

In the first photo, which shows the navalised P-51D (EFT-51D) running up, you can see the tail-hook retracted. That particular photo was taken aboard the USS Shangri-La (CV-38) during the sea trials in November 1944. Lt. Elder was the evaluating pilot at the time.

The 20th photo down, shows Lt. Elder (same ETF-1D) recovering aboard the USS Shangri-La during the same trials I mentioned above. Same with photo #39: Lt. Elder and the ETF-51D aboard the USS Shangri-La.

The other Mustangs shown, as previously mentioned, are being ferried to theater.

However, photo #50 is not WWII, but Korean War. Those are F-51Ds aboard the USS Boxer (CV-21), departing NAS Alameda, California to the Far East, destination Korea. Date was July 1950.

 

[GregP]

Good ID, Graugeist!

 

[GrauGeist]

Good ID, Graugeist!

Thanks!

 

[GregP]

I like your avatars better, though. Wish I knew a couple of them. At least we'd both like beer.