VF-9M Fatal Crash 12 Apr 1934 F4B-4 9239?

[paulmcmillan]

Can anyone confirm this was the aircraft of


Lt David Lowe Cloud
Birth 5 Sep 1904 Georgia, USA
Death 12 Apr 1934 Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA

"On 12 April 1934 at about 1100 hours Lieutenant Cloud's section, composed of Lieutenants John Wehle and Edward A. Montgomery, was firing formation battle practice on a target sleeve being towed by Lieutenant Tom Ennis at 3,000 feet southward and about a mile off shore. The section was in right echelon at 4,000 feet, preparing to make its second pass at the sleeve below. As Lieutenant Cloud dove on the sleeve, he pressed in a little too close before he commenced firing, and as he pulled up, the left upper wing of his plane caught on the target sleeve, causing it and part of the tow line to wrap around the wing and aileron. The plane then zoomed upward and immediately went into a spin to the left. After about three turns it then went into a dive, with the target coming loose from the wing and lodging on the left stabilizer before it hit the water. The plane sank immediately. Lieutenant Cloud managed to jump from his disabled plane and his chute was seen to open at about 800 feet. He landed safely and was seen to get out of his parachute harness. He disappeared in about four minutes before rescue could be made. It is believed the weight from the heavy cloths he was wearing because of the cold weather was responsible for his drowning

A very disturbing aspect of the accident was that Cloud parachuted safely from his airplane only to be drowned because of the heavy clothing he was wearing. This unwarranted death helped hasten the development of a lightweight life vest later given the name "Mae West" by the aviators in World War II.

[paulmcmillan]

Yes F4B-4 9239