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Pre-WW2 Military and Naval Aviation Please use this forum to discuss Military and Naval Aviation before the Second World War.

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  #1  
Old 23rd June 2017, 14:47
paulmcmillan paulmcmillan is offline
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US Navy Parachute Incident "26th" Sept 1929

The Scranton Republican › 27 September 1929 › Page 14 ...
FLIERS JUMP TO SAFETY . NEWPORT NEWS NEWPORT NEWS, Va.. Sept. 26 m. Dropping 4000 feet in parachutes, Lieut. James W. Baker (sic), pilot, and Aviation Mechanic's Mate J. F. Benecke, of the Hampton Roads naval air station near Norfolk, escaped unhurt tonight when their observation plane fell into the edge 'of the Hampton Roads near here.

Lieut. James W. Baker is actually I believe Lt (JG) James Ellis Baker (1889 to 1984) later Capt. During WW2 he commanded the Oakland Naval Air Station

Aviation Mechanic's Mate is Joseph "Joe" Freeman Benecke (1904 to 1992)

I have seen other dates quoted for this incident: September 20/26/27, 1929 but believe 26th Sept 1929 to be correct

Again, please can anyone supply the type and serial of the aircraft involved?

Thanks Paul
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Old 23rd June 2017, 21:31
twocee twocee is offline
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Re: US Navy Parachute Incident "26th" Sept 1929

I looked through the reports for August and September 1929 but could not find anything relating to this accident. Is the year correct?
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Old 24th June 2017, 13:08
paulmcmillan paulmcmillan is offline
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Re: US Navy Parachute Incident "26th" Sept 1929

George

Thanks for looking the only newspaper report (which was a daily paper) I have seems to indicate 26th (though it might be OCR scanning error for 20th) Sept 1929. Though the Irvin Caterpillar list has Sept 20th 1929

So year seems to be correct

thanks for looking!

Paul
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Old 24th June 2017, 13:40
paulmcmillan paulmcmillan is offline
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Re: US Navy Parachute Incident "26th" Sept 1929

BTW Baker had another incident the previous June

Publication: The Independent Record
Location: Helena, Montana
Issue Date: Saturday, June 29, 1929
Page: Page 1


June 28 1929.--(AP) -- Lieut. James E.' Baker of Hampton Roads, Va., was seriously injured in the crash of
the seaplane he was piloting into Morehead City harbor harbor late today. Lieut. William J. Slattery
a passenger, was uninjured. The seaplane was landing when a gust of wind blew it into t h e mast
of the coast' guard cutter Pamlico anchored about 50 yards off shore. It nosed over and plunged into the sound.
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Old 24th June 2017, 14:20
twocee twocee is offline
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Re: US Navy Parachute Incident "26th" Sept 1929

Paul,

I cannot find anything on that June 1929 accident. There was a minor accident at Hampton Roads on 29 June, but that involved a H.T. Baker.
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Old 24th June 2017, 16:55
paulmcmillan paulmcmillan is offline
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Re: US Navy Parachute Incident "26th" Sept 1929

George

Thanks for that

Date confirmed as 26th Sept. The story is in
Daily Press Newport News, Virginia Friday, September 27, 1929 - Page 1

It occurred 7 o'clock at night on Thursday 26th Sept and the aircraft was in a formation flight from


In some manner yet undetermined the
engine a 450 horsepower radial
loosened from its base
and fell out. Within a few moments
apparently sensing that their only
salvation lay in their parachutes leaped out into the blackness
far above Camp Stuart" Apparently it seems there was a propeller blade failure.

The plane was a "Vaught land machine" I think it was a Vought O2U Corsair (based on engine size)

If I find any more I will post here
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Old 24th June 2017, 18:19
twocee twocee is offline
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Re: US Navy Parachute Incident "26th" Sept 1929

Paul,

Having looked at the O2Us, a possible candidate is O2U-3, A-8237, which was wrecked at Hampton Roads on 26 September 1929. I have not been able to find an accident report for it.
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Old 24th June 2017, 18:35
paulmcmillan paulmcmillan is offline
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Re: US Navy Parachute Incident "26th" Sept 1929

George

I have no doubt that this is the aircraft involved

All circumstantial evidence I know but it just fits?

Was
O2U-3, A-8237 with VO3B?

Many thanks for this and I will post full story from newspaper when I can extract it!



Paul
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Old 24th June 2017, 18:56
twocee twocee is offline
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Re: US Navy Parachute Incident "26th" Sept 1929

It was assigned to USS Oklahoma, so it could have been with VO-3B (Battleship Division 3).
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Old 24th June 2017, 19:28
paulmcmillan paulmcmillan is offline
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Re: US Navy Parachute Incident "26th" Sept 1929

Thansks George

Baker was with VO3B in 1929 so more circumstantial evidence

He was posted to Pensacola in 1930


Paul
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