F4U-1D's of VMF112 - ac numbers
 

Guys hi

I'm working on a painting, and plan to have five F4U-1D's from VMF112 circa 1945 flying together, and cannot find too much info.

What I'm really after is the aircraft numbers of five aircraft that flew together, otherwise I'm going to have to guess and some "expert" is bound to come along later and say that aircraft "x" couldn't have flown with aircraft "y" as it crashed the week before.

Any and all help on this welcome

thanks

Pete

Re: F4U-1D's of VMF112 - ac numbers
 

I'm certainly no expert but my cousin, Capt Don Owen, was the flight officer (3rd in command) of VMF-112 on the Bennington and scored his 5th kill shortly before he was killed. His F4U-1D was #3 and I have a photo of it. Also Hap Hansen 's was #1 and I do know Hansen's wingman was #35. I can try and did out the info on who would have been my cousin's wingman.
BTW a 4 plane division would look better that 5. No odd man out per say.

Re: F4U-1D's of VMF112 - ac numbers
 

Jack hi

Thanks for the response, that's a great piece of information, made all the more special as it puts names to pilots - a real human connection.

If you could find out the wingman of your cousin I can include the pair of them in addition to Hansen.

My reference material is light, so if you can add to this it would be really helpful.

So far, I've found photos of
#3 on the deck of the Bennington,
Hansen in #1 lined up on deck with the tail of#35 just visible beside him.
#38 in flames having crashed on landing.
It also seems that Hansen had a yellow propeller hub.

I've attached the thumbnail sketch I'm working from showing the five plane formation, as if seen from a sixth. I always think odd numbers work better in a painting, but you point is well made. I'd be interested to hear what you think of this piece.

http://www.btinternet.com/~petewenman/ART/F4U/vmf1a.jpg

This a colour study, and so 20" x 8". I hope to start painting later today

thanks

Pete

Re: F4U-1D's of VMF112 - ac numbers
 

As you may both be aware, due to the nature af carrier operations, pilots rarely had a specific aircraft assigned and flew whichever plane was positioned on the deck for his formation assignment. A notable exception is that the CAG generally used the same aircraft for all his missions.

The Princeton's deck crew also seemed to work to make sure a pilot's assigned aircraft was positioned on the flight deck for each mission. I would welcome Jack Cook's comments on whether this was also the case on the Bennington.

Tom

Re: F4U-1D's of VMF112 - ac numbers
 

And as Jack mentioned, I'd urge you to tone it down to 4 aircraft instead of 5. Standard division in USN/USMC doctrine was 4 planes in two 2-plane sections. Five might look neat, but those in the know on naval aviation would scratch their heads and say "I wonder why there's 5, should be 4."

For what it is worth.

Rich

Re: F4U-1D's of VMF112 - ac numbers
 

Dave Andre had told me the wheels of the aqd had assigned a/c ie Hansen #1, Andre #2 & Owen #3. The division leaders had assigned a/c but it would be doubtful if everyone always few their own airplane regularly. The prop domes and cowling ring on Don's #3 B/ N 82325 were white has were all a/c in the sqd.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...nCV20Ready.jpg

Re: F4U-1D's of VMF112 - ac numbers
 

Guys hi

Thanks for the additional info, keep it coming.

Jack, the only photo I have of aircraft #1 shows it without the white cowling ring, rather the whole thing being ( I assume) GSB, but with the aircraft number in white. As I mentioned early the tip of the prop hub is a light colour (either white or yellow)

This same photo also shows a white strip down the fuselage side, just below the cockpit, and this can also be seen in the photo you posted. Any ideas what this is? I assume some kind of data marking.

http://www.btinternet.com/~petewenman/ART/F4U/ac1.jpg

Pete

Re: F4U-1D's of VMF112 - ac numbers
 

Remember the prop DOME not the blade tip is white. The white cowl ring was used during the first strikes on Toyko. It was removed on some of the a/c afterwards. That thin white verticle strip has the do with the step/hand hold. Where it ends at the bottom is where the step is.

Re: F4U-1D's of VMF112 - ac numbers
 

Not really helpful but very cool never the less.
This is a frame from another corsair of VMF-112.
what you see is don pulling off after a gunnery
run on a Zero over Japan in April 45. This was his
5th kill!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...nafterZero.jpg

Re: F4U-1D's of VMF112 - ac numbers
 

Guys hi

I've made good progress on this and so it's nearly finished. I need to let the paint dry before adding the final detail and highlights. I need to alter the tail number of aircraft #3 to 35, with the unfinished aircraft being Owen's number 3.

20" x 8" oil on canvas

Comments welcome

Pete


http://www.btinternet.com/~petewenma...4U/wcvmf88.jpg