That’s not gone well Thursday – Roll over Coronado and tell Poseidon the news

Coast Guardsmen attempt to right a Consolidated PB2Y-3 Coronado that has lost it’s right wingtip float. Note underwing bomb bays between the engines 29OCT43

30 years ago today: Blackhawk Down and the Mogadishu Mile

THE BATTLE OF MOGADISHU

Confession time. I’ve never seen the movie or read the book but I’ve listened to a number podcasts and interviews with some of the operators and pilots involved.

And just because I like Kyle Lamb in general:

Looking to the future

We’ve made it to the end of another year! Surprisingly I can’t think of anything witty or pithy to mark the occasion (probably not enough coffee yet), so how about a ship which started as a humble servant but was transformed into the first of its kind for the US Navy?

Collier USS Jupiter at Mare Island, California, United States, 16 Oct 1913

What a difference 9 years, including ~2 years under conversion, and a name change makes!

The now USS Langley being converted to an aircraft carrier at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, 1921

USS Langley (CV-1) Nov 1924

Everyone be safe and have a Happy New Year!

Tennessee Two-fer

Two SOC-3 Seagull aircraft of VO-2B on USS Tennessee’s aft cats 1938

Great shot of a pair of Curtiss SOC Seagulls at rest

Belt-fed Brownings in a bent wing bird

It’s easy as 1-2-3, A-B-C…

Browning M2 installation in the left wing of an F4U-1 Corsair fighter, Aug 11, 1942

Special fireworks delivery – 77 years ago today

PBJ-1 Mitchells of VMB-433 depart Rabaul after a raid 4 July 1945

Candygram for Mongo! Candygram for Mongo!

Happy 4th of July – 89 years ago today

USS Houston flying the four-star flag of Admiral Montgomery M. Taylor off Tsingtao China, 4 July 1933

Happy 4th of July Eve!

(Abandoned) Lily of the (air)field

Kawasaki Ki-48-IIa abandoned at Clark Field Jan 1945

According to Emblems of the Rising Sun: Imperial Japanese Army Air Force Unit Markings 1935-1945 this Lily is from an unknown Chutai of 208 Sentai

Sharing is caring

F4U piloted by Lt.David D. Duncan ripple firing its HVAR rockets at Japanese positions at Okinawa, Japan, Jun 1945

You get a HVAR! And you get a HVAR! And you get a HVAR!