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MIDWAY, BCS Flyover, Torpedo 'Rons AND associated threadjacks ...
- Thread starter bolterking
- Start date
Midway has always been my favorite battle of WW2. I always look for after action reports online and have found some interesting things over the years.
Here is VB-3's AAR of Midway. Bombing 3 flew off Enterprise led by LCDR Max Leslie. It seemed like Enterprise had some legendary squadron skippers. Jimmy Thach (VF-3) , L.E.M. Massey (VT-3) and Max Leslie (VB-3).
http://home.comcast.net/~r2russ/midway//aa-reports/vb-3.pdf
EDIT: Correction I believe they launched off Yorktown and landed on Enterprise .
Here is VB-3's AAR of Midway. Bombing 3 flew off Enterprise led by LCDR Max Leslie. It seemed like Enterprise had some legendary squadron skippers. Jimmy Thach (VF-3) , L.E.M. Massey (VT-3) and Max Leslie (VB-3).
http://home.comcast.net/~r2russ/midway//aa-reports/vb-3.pdf
EDIT: Correction I believe they launched off Yorktown and landed on Enterprise .
bolterking
Member
Yes but crew already know the planned timeline and TOT before they walk on the flight. The ground FAC is simply updating the crew how much to slide TOT.
Major events like that have already been timed to the last second in many trial runs. They know how long it takes to sing the National Anthem +/- few seconds (just in case forget some lyrics or decides to go long winded for some reason...and usually takes 1 min 35 sec...general avg planning factor) and has been planned to not interfere with the fireworks, been timed for commercials, public address announcer etc.
But this one was way too early and in this day in age with TV and Commercials and FCC and the mighty dollar, I doubt things slid that much, unless that was the planned TOT...if that's the case I applogize to the aircrew and say it was best timing ever.
And it just might have slide that much and the ground FAC radio went Tango Uniform, which never happens right? 
Probably had trouble authenticating request
Major events like that have already been timed to the last second in many trial runs. They know how long it takes to sing the National Anthem +/- few seconds (just in case forget some lyrics or decides to go long winded for some reason...and usually takes 1 min 35 sec...general avg planning factor) and has been planned to not interfere with the fireworks, been timed for commercials, public address announcer etc.
But this one was way too early and in this day in age with TV and Commercials and FCC and the mighty dollar, I doubt things slid that much, unless that was the planned TOT...if that's the case I applogize to the aircrew and say it was best timing ever.
And it just might have slide that much and the ground FAC radio went Tango Uniform, which never happens right? Probably had trouble authenticating request bolterking
Member
A4,
Are those pictures from personal collection or off public domain/website? Amazing shots and thanks for sharing piece history.
Are those pictures from personal collection or off public domain/website? Amazing shots and thanks for sharing piece history.
Public domain ... I first saw them in a "book" ... whatever those things are
... when I was a kid reading about the Coral Sea ... I have several hundred in my personal collection that have accumulated over the years. Many fine photos are available from the Naval Historical Center and/or the Naval Institute for starters ... Jane's Fighting Ships (original or reproductions) and/or a well-stocked big city library w/good research facilities is a good place to go, as well.I think it's important for every Naval Officer to know the "history and traditions" of his/her service and to know something about those who came before us ...
I've been consumed w/ the study of Naval history -- specifically the US, British, German, Italian, French, and Japanese Navies post Spanish-American War for over 55+ years ... you oughtta' see my library ... And believe it or not; there's always "new" information coming to light, some of it from overseas in the native language(s).
There's not as much that's readily available on the IJN -- much of the photography was destroyed w/the ships and I'm suspect that many of the original photos were "disappeared" to cover up some early, collosal blunders -- i.e., the Battle of Midway to name just one. Can you believe -- there are NO pictures extant to record the "heat" of the Midway battle when 4 of the Pearl Harbor raiders went to the bottom of the sea ... ??? In spite of the well established post-war Japanese camera industry, they were not in widespread use pre-war, if that accounts for any of the paucity of "good" IJN photography. And of course, pre-war, the J-'s were trying to cover up much of their naval construction.
But the internet helps -- here's a good place to start and a decent link to the IJN:
NIHON KAIGUN or the Imperial Japanese Navy
GroundPounder
Well-Known Member
They still amaze me ... you'd launch, join up, and DR toward the last known or projected posit of Kido Butai .... then coordinate the runs/roll-ins after making it through any fighter cover and drop your ordnance w/ AAA blossoming all around and tracers going by your head ... and then scoot back over the wavetops for home plate (frequently alone) w/ nothing better than a forecast ship's PIM and good intentions ... and then ... what if it gets DARK???
Unassuming guys ... professionals ... dedicated .... selfless ...
Those guys were my heroes ...
My granddaddy flew F6F's during the war, and rarely spoke of his service. He only really talked about with it me a small amount, and then only after I had entered the service myself. Having always read that landing on a carrier could be as fear inducing as actual combat, I asked him once. " Did you always have it in the back of your mind that you had to come back and land on the carrier? " His reply, with no humor at all was " I was always just hoping that it would still be afloat when I got there, the landing part wasn't what concerned me."
He was awarded the Navy Cross, and after the war opened up a flying school with his brother who was killed in a Stearman in 46, and to the best of my knowledge he never flew again.
One last story about him; in the late 70's he was attemping to become a dealer of a Japanese product, and the last phase was to meet some of the guys from the home office. Obviously flying was out, so the compromise was that they would meet in LA. ( 2000 miles from where he lived ) During the meeting, drinks were consumed, and at some point he was asked if he had ever been to Japan. His answer, " No never set foot there......after I used all my ammo, I just flew back to the carrier. " My aunt was at the meeting almost died, with visions of no Yamaha dealership. Apparently they had a sense of humor, or didn't quite understand as they awarded him the dealership.
A great man, I miss him.
As long as we're threadjacking...
INS?? What's that?? My first A-6 cruise, I think I launched w/ a full-up INS 10-15 times out of a hundred. It was more like a twin-engine A-4 w/ a good radar AND a B/N (or male secretary) thrown in for good measure.
True fact or sea story: Back in the days of the rotary drum computer on the A-6, actually kicking it was a useful troubleshooting step. (Always wondered about that one.)
