Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum  

Go Back   Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum > Discussion > Pre-WW2 Military and Naval Aviation

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

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 18th May 2016, 19:09
paulmcmillan paulmcmillan is offline
Alter Hase
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,208
paulmcmillan
First US Navy Parachute Incident

The first occasion in which a US Naval Personnel occurred on

October 16, 1924 when a mid-air collision occurred at 1,300 feet over Coronado, Calif.

'Gunner' William Marvin Coles, USN, of VF Squadron 1 who was piloting one of the aircraft jumped from the wing of his aircraft jumped and pulled the parachute after dropping 500 feet. He was uninjured

It was reported that "two navy Vought airplanes" were involved and the crew of the other aircraft U.S. Navy Enlisted Aviation pilot Robert H. Kerr aviation chief machinist mate from NAS San Diego and passenger Ensign Merritt J Flanders from the Aircraft Tender USS Vega. The crew did not have parachutes and were killed.

Kerr and Flanders bodies were recovered from the wreckage at Coronado and Coles machine ended up on the Coronado golf links and caught fire

But I have also seen it quoted that Coles was flying a JN-4 (Curtiss Jenny) and the Vought may be a Vought VE-7 BlueBird

I was wondering if anyone could confirm any of the details

Coles died in 1980 in California
Many Thanks

Paul McMillan
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 19th May 2016, 12:57
twocee twocee is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 380
twocee is on a distinguished road
Re: First US Navy Parachute Incident

The aircraft involved were VE-7, A6014, assigned to NAS San Diego (Kerr & Flanders) and JN-6H, A6275, of VF-1 (Coles). Kerr overtook Coles from above and was assigned blame.
__________________
George Kernahan
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 19th May 2016, 14:55
paulmcmillan paulmcmillan is offline
Alter Hase
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,208
paulmcmillan
Re: First US Navy Parachute Incident

George

Thanks again for your help on this

Paul
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 28th March 2017, 18:04
paulmcmillan paulmcmillan is offline
Alter Hase
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,208
paulmcmillan
Re: First US Navy Parachute Incident

From Book "Aces of the Air"
Article Parachutes!
By Lt H B Miller USN
Engineering Officer, Fighting Plane Squadron Two


Later Rear-Admiral Harold Blaine "Min" Miller


http://www.nytimes.com/1992/05/18/us...irigibles.html


Also

http://discovery.nationalarchives.go...ils/r/C5318773


Page 86

"The first emergency jump in naval aviation was made by Gunner W. M. Cole on October 16th, 1924. Cole was flying under clouds at about 1,200 feet. Suddenly he felt a shock and saw that his left wing had been carried away by a second plane which had dived through the clouds. With his ship out of control he jumped clear, counted three and pulled his rip-cord. The parachute opened at once, and landed him on the golf course of the Coronado Country Club. The occupants of the other plane did not survive the collision."
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
US Navy Parachute Incidents California 1925/1926 paulmcmillan Pre-WW2 Military and Naval Aviation 5 28th June 2017 13:28
German Parachute Mines 'chained together'?? Bombphoon Luftwaffe and Axis Air Forces 1 30th April 2010 23:29
Spitfire Histories Alex Smart Allied and Soviet Air Forces 16 13th April 2010 14:19
Navy Pilot Missing From Vietnam War Is Identified Pilot Post-WW2 Military and Naval Aviation 2 17th June 2008 00:54
Airpower summary Pilot Post-WW2 Military and Naval Aviation 0 23rd February 2007 16:11


All times are GMT +2. The time now is 20:55.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.2
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004 - 2018, 12oclockhigh.net