Picture of the day

[diopter]

 

[XRCD011]

This one makes an impression (probably why the pic gets shared so much on the Web).

The USS New Mexico (ship in the pic) and her sisters carried up to 900 of these 14 inch shells aboard ship. The AP shells weighed just shy of 1,500 lbs apiece. (The ones in the pic are HC shells, weighing about 1,272 lbs each.)

I bet it made a big impression to the folk on the receiving end of all that also.

 

[Sharps '74]

Why were thy on the deck? Inventory? Maintenance?

They sure weren't expecting action any time soon.

 

[CV32]

Why were thy on the deck? Inventory? Maintenance? They sure weren't expecting action any time soon.

Being loaded for pending action against Guam later that month (July 1944).

I bet it made a big impression to the folk on the receiving end of all that also.

Here it is, the ammunition being tossed at Guam.

 

[Sharps '74]

Damn! That must have been hard on the ear bones .....

 

[bogusiii]

On a lighter note

I know...I know...it's a German Shepherd!!!

 

[fingers284]

Damn! That must have been hard on the ear bones .....

Actually I knew a WW II gunner from the USS Missouri that on the day I met him, he explained I had to speak loud to him as he had lost most of his hearing from his time onboard the battleship. I commented that "ya, I could understand those big guns having that affect on a man" His reply was that the big gun bores were so far out over the water that when they went off it was just a big dull thud that they did no damage, it was the short barreled 5" and AA guns (his battle station was to run one of these) that did the damage to every bodies hearing.

 

[diopter]

USS Lexington CV-2 found at two miles depth.

Article:
https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/05/politics/uss-lexington-aircraft-carrier-wreckage-found/index.html

 

[Sharps '74]

Name the aircraft on the flight deck .....

I think I see Brewster 'Buffaloes' on the bow and some Douglas "Devastators" .....

 

[ipscgraz]

I know...I know...it's a German Shepherd!!!

A bowser with a mauser?

 

[CV32]

Name the aircraft on the flight deck .....

I think I see Brewster 'Buffaloes' on the bow and some Douglas "Devastators" .....

Brewster Buffaloes on the bow, SBD Dauntlesses amidships, and TBD Devastators aft.

 

[Ganderite]

Brewster Buffaloes on the bow, SBD Dauntlesses amidships, and TBD Devastators aft.

Looks like it was delivering a load of a/c somewhere.

 

[fraserdw]

Looks like it was delivering a load of a/c somewhere.

Buffalos were used by island defense squadrons in 1941 by USMC at Midway, Wake and Guam. Saratoga was the CV to use Buffalos operationally and then only before US entry into WW2.

 

[CV32]

Buffalos were used by island defense squadrons in 1941 by USMC at Midway, Wake and Guam. Saratoga was the CV to use Buffalos operationally and then only before US entry into WW2.

Lexington being Saratoga's sister, she also carried the Buffalo as part of her air wing in the pre-war era. This particular photo being from October 1941, it is possible that they were being delivered to places like Midway and Palmrya.

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

I had forgotten that the plump, much-loathed Brewster Buffalo was also in RAF and RAAF service:

And the Dutch...

...who were likely the source of this one, as operated by the Other Guys:

Bet the Japanese were shaking in their boots once they'd had a chance to buzz around a bit in that. Despite the Finns having great success with theirs, the USN was quick to find alternatives.

And here's one in dazzle camo. Stylish, no?

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

This is the Bell Airabonita:

http://3.bp.########.com/-TYVTomP5OPE/Vgw5YKSopMI/AAAAAAAAIx4/N1YmI2tyPz4/s1600/XFL-1%2BColor%2Bweb.jpg

What's weird here?

 

[CV32]

This is the Bell Airabonita:

http://3.bp.########.com/-TYVTomP5OPE/Vgw5YKSopMI/AAAAAAAAIx4/N1YmI2tyPz4/s1600/XFL-1%2BColor%2Bweb.jpg

What's weird here?

Engine behind the pilot.

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

Sure, but the Airacobra and King Cobra had that.

What does this have that other Bell products didn't?

 

[donor]

Sure, but the Airacobra and King Cobra had that.

What does this have that other Bell products didn't?

Tailwheel.Airabonita was an extensive conversion of tricycle landing gear Aircobra to classic tail dragger+tail hook for operations from a carrier.

It proved to be waste of time and resources.How could it possibly compete with Hellcat and Corsair?

 

[CV32]

Sure, but the Airacobra and King Cobra had that. What does this have that other Bell products didn't?

Besides a stupid name? (There's a bunch of weird stuff about the Airabonita, including an inline liquid cooled engine, provision for a gun firing through the propeller hub, etc.).