PA's Planes

[big bend gyrene]

Many of you probably read the thread I posted on the December 7 anniversary of Pearl Harbor, and noticed I paid tribute to PA Futch's subsequent Marine Corps aerial combat duty. Just wanted to follow up and share some pics of the planes PA flew. Just as many of us lust over the muscle cars of the late 60s and early 70s, I've always thought these planes the absolute most beautiful of all, especially the F4U Corsair. Hope you enjoy the pics and that they help further the appreciation in the amazing service PA offered in the pacific.

The F4U Corsair...

F4U Corsair.jpg (153.43 KiB) Viewed 4240 times

Here's a link with more info and photos of the Corsair.
http://www.warbirddepot.com/aircraft_fi ... u5-fal.asp

The TBF/TBM Avenger...

TBF Avenger.jpg (196.23 KiB) Viewed 4240 times

TBM Avenger.jpg (124.83 KiB) Viewed 4240 times

Here's a link with more info and photos of the Avenger.
http://www.warbirddepot.com/aircraft_at ... ohnson.asp

PA, seriously... you're a REAL hero!

[FUTCHCAIRO]

HEY BBG, THOSE ARE SOME GREAT PIC OF THE OLD PLANES I FLEW IN WW 11 . I WAS IN THE CANAL RAID, MADE 4 ATTACKS. THE TBF WAS THE FIRST WE HAD, THEN CAME THE TBM, GREATLY IMPROVED. IT WAS THE HEAVEST SINGLE ENGINE AIRCRAFT WE HAD . THE BEAUTIFUL PART WAS THE FACT THAT THE TBM AND THE 4U COST LESS THAN $75,000 EACH TO BUILD. THE 4U WAS A DOG TO LAND AND TAKE OFF OF THE CARRIERS BUT NEVERTHELESS A VERY STRONG WELLBUILT AIRCRAFT. THE ENGINES WERE PERFECT ON BOTH , THE 4U HAD ENOUGH TORQUE IN THE ENGINE YOU COULD TURN THE PLANE WITHOUT HYDRAULICS WE HAD AS REGULAR CONTROLS. THANKS FOR POSTING THOSE PICTURES, BRINGS BACK MANY MEMORIES.
PA THE OLD MAN OF THE SEA SEMPER FI

[Good Times]

Wow PA. The F4U is my favorite WWII fighter. The Japs called it Whistling Death if I remember right.

That huge prop caused problems with the length of the landing gear in the original design. They were to long to hold up to the rough carrier landings. They would buckle. So they curved the wings, shortened the gear and it worked. Plus I just think it looks cool. That's one sweet ride.

[Juan]

Great pics!!! Pa, you have my greatest respect and admiration for your service. My uncle flew a P38 in WWII.... he crashed and didn't make it.. I never got to meet him but my mother gave me his wings and I moounted them on a plaque picturing a P38 with his name, rank, unit and date he died.... Salute to you too Uncle Don.

[DixieReb]

Man, I just love those old WW2 planes! Both times I visited the Air Force Museum up in Warner Robbins, Ga. I always spent the most time just looking at the old war birds. And I build models of them. Thanks for your service, Pa.

[sundown]

The Chance Vought F4U was the plane Boynton got most of his kills with. It came on the scene during or right after the Guadalcanal campaign.

[FUTCHCAIRO]

HEY JUAN, YOUR UNCLE WOULDN'T HAPPEN TO BE RANDEL TUTTLE, I FLEW COVER FOR HIM BACK TO GUAM AND WHEN HE LANDED THE 38 DUG IN INSTEAD OF SLIDING DOWN THE RUNWAY, CAUGHT FIRE AND HE WAS DEAD WHEN I GOT BACK TO HIM. HE WAS GREAT PERSONAL FRIEND TO ME, IT WAS HARD TO WATCH WHAT HAPPEN TO RANDEL.
PA THE OLD MAN OF THE SEA SEMMPER FI

[FUTCHCAIRO]

HEY SUNDOW, DON'T KNOW HOW PAPPY EVER HIT ANYTHING, HE WAS SO DRUNK MOST OF THE TIME HE HAD TO HAVE HELP TO GET IN THE COCKPIT, ONE CRAZY NUT, HE COULD REALLY FLY THAT 4-U. HE FLEW MOST OF HIS MISSIONS OUT OF LAND BASED STRIPS, I DO NOT REMEMBER EVER SEEING HIM ON ANY OF THE 3 CARRIERS I WAS ASSIGNED TO.
PA THE OLD MAN OF THE SEA SEMPER FI

[Barhopr]

My grand mothers brother Clarence Kelly, was in the 8th Air Force and a belly gunner on a B17. His plane went down in the North Atlantic and his body was never recovered. They tell me there is a memorial for the crew in Holland somewhere and my grand mother passed away, never being able to go see the memorial. As a child I always wanted to be able to take her to Holland to see it, even as a young adult I wanted to be able to take her on that trip. Clarence or "Junior" as everyone in the family called him was the youngest in a family of 6 children-the baby. Being the baby of the family all of the girls doted on him and were not happy in the least when he decided to enlist. He was assigned to the belly gun because he was a fairly small/thin fella of about 120lbs and could fit inside the turrent. The best I can remember, Junior's plane went down sometime in December and it never failed that my Grand Mother would always be very melancholy around Christmas. On Christmas eve she would always listen to the song " I'll be home for Christmas" and cry a little for her long lost baby brother. I still wish I could have taken her on that trip before she died.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIq-jqm4Vdg[/video]

[Juan]

HEY JUAN, YOUR UNCLE WOULDN'T HAPPEN TO BE RANDEL TUTTLE, I FLEW COVER FOR HIM BACK TO GUAM AND WHEN HE LANDED THE 38 DUG IN INSTEAD OF SLIDING DOWN THE RUNWAY, CAUGHT FIRE AND HE WAS DEAD WHEN I GOT BACK TO HIM. HE WAS GREAT PERSONAL FRIEND TO ME, IT WAS HARD TO WATCH WHAT HAPPEN TO RANDEL.
PA THE OLD MAN OF THE SEA SEMMPER FI

....
No PA, his name was Lt. Donald J. Ellis....439th Fighter Squadron.. Like your friend, he also died in a crash landing...but he was in Tunisia, N. Africa at the time.

[2DB]

I have such respect for those who served during WW 2. You guys truely are the greatest generation in my opinion. My Dad served but he died we i was 2 unfortunately I can't remember him. I served 7 years in the Corps myself worked on Phantoms but the F4U Corsair has always been my favorite. I am new to the forum but there seems to be a lot Gyrines out there. Semper Fi

[FishWithChris]

The Corsair is my second favorite plane of WWII. I've had several models of it growing up; absolutely gorgeous.

With little bit of bias, my favorite is the SBDIII Dauntless. My family flying history (though Navy) Great Uncle, Lt. John A. Leppla

Lieutenant Commander James H. Flatley, Jr. (left) with Lieutenant Stanley W. Vejtasa (center) and Lieutenant John A. Leppla pose for photographers, in front of a Grumman F4F-4 fighter (Bureau # 01996), 7 July 1942. All three pilots were then serving with Fighting Squadron Ten (VF-10). They were veterans of the Battle of the Coral Sea, Flatley with VF-42, Vejtasa with VS-5, and Leppla with VS-2.

and snap of what he flew: Douglass SBD-3 Dauntless. Was formed in the original Grim Reapers



Shot down in a dog fight; Battle of the Coral Sea

[SS-342]

Good to see the Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless again. That was the plane I would draw as a child. Born Oct 21, 1941.

Thanks to all you heroes!

[FUTCHCAIRO]

GALANTNOLE, THE PLANE PICTURED IN YOUR POST WAS WHAT WE CALLED SB2-C, I NEVER SAW ONE WITH MARINE INSIGNA ON IT, ALL I SAW WERE SWABY'S , ALL NAVY PILOTS. THE FIRST PLANES THAT WERE IN USE AT THE TIME OF PEARL HARBOR FOR BOMBERS WAS THE SNJ, VERY SLOW BUT MANUVERABLE. THERE WERE A FEW STATION AT HICKOM FIELD IN HAWAII IN THE AIR FORCE. THE FIGHTER PLANES THE NAVY USED MOST WERE THE HELLCAT AND THEY WERE THE FIGHTER PLANES FOR THE NAVY.
PA THE OLD MAN OF THE SEA SEMPER FI