Photo(s) of the Week; “My Achin’ Ass” (Loomis Dean)

On March 25, 2024March 25, 2024 By acarothersvlrmIn Photo(s) of the WeekLeave a comment

No, this is not a picture of Major Harry C. Crim’s 531st Fighter Squadron, 21st Fighter Group P-51D Mustang, but an attempt at humor by Loomis Dean, a United States Army Air Force photographer stationed on Iwo Jima. This staged photo depicts a P-51 pilot clutching his rear end in front of a line up of 45th Fighter Squadron Mustangs supposedly after completing a very long range mission from Iwo Jima to Japan and back.

***USAAF/Loomis Dean/National Archives via Fold3***

The official caption for this photo reads: “A tired pilot . . . and North American P-51 “Mustangs” on the line at Iwo Jima, Bonin Islands. The boys suffered most just from the 8-hour rumba of seat against seat!” Seven to eight hour VLR missions in a small cockpit led to a sore seat and stiff legs. There was anecdotal evidence that some pilots had to be lifted out of their cockpits because they were so stiff and sore. None of the pilots I had the opportunity to interview ever remember seeing a pilot having to be lifted out of a cockpit, but it made for a good story.

Loomis Dean – If you have noticed, a lot of the United States Army Air Force photos posted recently in Photo(s) of the Week were taken by Loomis Dean. Mr. Dean started his photography career with the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus prior to World War II. After the war, he joined the staff of Life Magazine in 1947 photographing celebrities such as Elvis Presley, Lucille Ball, Noel Coward, Ernest Hemingway, and Liberace. A lot of Mr. Dean’s photos taken while serving with the United States Army Air Force were shot from unique angles which can be seen in the above photo.

Photo(s) of the Week: The 21st Fighter Group Arrives on Iwo Jima

On March 18, 2024March 15, 2024 By acarothersvlrmIn Photo(s) of the WeekLeave a comment

After the 31st CB (SeaBees) and the 2nd Separate Engineer Battalion completely reconstructed Central Field (Motoyama #2), the 72nd FS of the 21st FG arrived on Iwo Jima on March 22nd. The remaining two squadrons of the 21st FG, the 46th and 531st, arrived on March 24th.

I really like the above photo. It shows 231 Tiny Gay Baba, 209 Three of a Kind and other 46th FS Mustangs parked on Central Field after their arrival on March 24th. Above Tiny Gay Baba you can see the main South Field runway and Mt. Suribachi.

Taken on March 25th, the above photo shows a nice line up of 72nd FS Mustangs on Central Field. The closest Mustang in the photo is 250 Dede Lou, the mount of 72nd FS commander, Major Paul W. Imig. If you enlarge the photo, it appears that Dede Lou has the twin Uncle Dog antennae installed.

The final photo shows 531st FS Mustangs in the foreground, with 46th and 72nd FS Mustangs in the background. This photo was also taken on March 25th, a day after the 46th and 531st FS Mustangs arrived on Iwo Jima.

Decal Review: AeroMaster Decals’ 1/48 Black Widows Best Sellers Pt. 1 (48-628)

On March 16, 2024March 15, 2024 By acarothersvlrmIn Aeromaster Decals, Decal ReviewsLeave a comment

AeroMaster produced several decals sheets featuring markings for Northrop’s P-61 Black Widow night fighter. One sheet, Black Widows Best Sellers Pt. 1 (48-628), provides markings for three 548th NFS Black Widows that were stationed on Iwo Jima.

As can be seen from the aircraft profiles, 548th NFS Black Widows are identified by their distinctive red spinners and cowl flaps. On this sheet, decals are provided for Midnite Madness, Cooper’s Snoopers, and The Spook/Anonymous III.

This decal sheet was released in 2003 and was printed by Cartograf. The artwork is really nice, and the sheet includes national insignias, squadron badges, uniform markings and stencils in addition to the plane specific nose art. The decals are in register which is what you would expect from Cartograf.

Midnite Madness was a P-61A-11 Black Widow (Serial No. 42-5610) flown by Captain James W. Bradford. The Radar Observer (R/O) was Lt. Lawrence K. Lunt and the Gunner-Observer was MSgt. Reno H. Sukow. Because it is difficult to determine the color of the lettering of the name from black and white photos, AeroMaster has given you three options: light blue, yellow and red. Midnite Madness was written off and salvaged after a landing accident with The Spook/Anonymous III on April 20, 1945.

***Captain James W. Bradford in Midnite Madness on Iwo Jima (Jeff Kolln via Eric Shulenberger, PhD, JD)***

Cooper’s Snooper was a P-61B-2 Black Widow (Serial No. 42-39454) flown by Captain George C. Cooper. The Radar Observer was 2nd Lt. Stanley S. Babst and the Gunner-Observer was SSgt. James O. Miller. Cooper’s Snooper would survive the war and end up in a boneyard at Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines.

***Cooper’s Snooper on Iwo Jima (Dave Weisman via Eric Shulenberger, PhD, JD)***

The Spook/Anonymous III was P-61B-1 Black Widow (Serial No. 42-39405) flown by Lt. Melvin W. Bode. His Radar Observer was Lt. Avery J. Miller and the Gunner-Observer was Lt. John C. Hope. The Spook/Anonymous III was lost of April 20, 1945, when it landed in dense fog and collided with Midnite Madness. Both Black Widows were written off.

***The Spook/Anonymous III on Iwo Jima (Melvin Bode/Mickey Russell via Eric Shulenberger, PhD, JD)***

This decal sheet is no longer in production and is hard to find. Every once in a while it shows up on eBay. These three aircraft are also on the following AeroMaster decal sheets:

Midnite Madness – Midnight Widows Part II (48-474)

The Spook/Anonymous III – Midnight Widows Part III (48-475)

Cooper’s Snooper – Midnight Widows Part IV (48-489)

Again, all of these decal sheets are no longer in production and are hard to find. In subsequent posts, I will review decal sheets that contain markings for 548th NFS Black Widows from other decal manufacturers (Kits World and Print Scale) that are in production and readily available to modelers in 1/72nd, 1/48th and 1/32nd scales.

Photo(s) of the Week; No Time to Waste

On March 11, 2024March 10, 2024 By acarothersvlrmIn Photo(s) of the WeekLeave a comment

The 15th Fighter Group wasted no time in getting into the thick of things after arriving on Iwo Jima. On March 8th, Major John Piper led two flights of 47th Fighter Squadron Mustangs to strafe Japanese positions in support of the Marines on the northern end of Iwo. Colonel James Beckwith and 45th Fighter Squadron got into the fight on the next day with three missions in support of the Marines. The photo below shows two 45th Mustangs loaded up with 500 pound bombs getting ready to take off on one of those missions. The 78th Fighter Squadron also flew 45 sorties in support of the Marines on March 10th.

It would not take long for the 15th Fighter Group’s attention to be diverted elsewhere. On March 11th, the 47th FS would fly its first strike mission against Chichi Jima. I really like the photo below. Taken over the wing of a 47th FS Mustang, the photo below shows two bomb laden 47th FS Mustangs taxing into position to take off for their strike against Chichi Jima. I like how this photo shows the elegant lines of the Mustang’s nose.

Chichi Jima was 147 miles north of Iwo Jima. A major communications center with radio and radar facilities, Chichi Jima had been occupied and fortified by the Japanese for decades. It had an airfield (Susaki Airfield), a deep water anchorage, and a seaplane base. Brig. General Moore and Colonel Beckwith in their Mustangs watched as seventeen 47th FS Mustangs bombed Chichi Jima.

The photo above shows a 47th FS Mustang landing on South Field upon its return from the March 11th strike mission against Chichi Jima as ground crew look on.

***1st Lt. Robert Scamara in 167 Pappy Yochum 47th FS/15th FG (USAAF/National Archives via Fold3)***

In the photo above, 1st Lt. Robert Scamara pulls his 47th FS Mustang 167 Pappy Yochum into parking position after his return from the March 11th strike mission against Chichi Jima. Ground crew and other pilots clamor around the parked Mustangs anxious to hear about the results of the mission. Note the single antenna on Scamara’s Mustang.

References:

John W. Lambert, The Long Campaign: The History of the 15th Fighter Group in World War II, Schiffer Publishing Ltd. (2006)

Carl Molesworth, Very Long Range P-51 Mustang Units of the Pacific War, Osprey Publishing (2006)

Photo(s) of the Week; 45th and 78th Fighter Squadrons Arrive on Iwo Jima

On March 4, 2024March 1, 2024 By acarothersvlrmIn Photo(s) of the WeekLeave a comment

On March 7th, a day after the 47th Fighter Squadron landed on Iwo Jima, Colonel James Beckwith, Commander of the 15th Fighter Group, led the 45th and 78th Fighter Squadrons from Saipan to Iwo Jima. With all three squadrons on Iwo Jima, the 15th Fighter Group would start flying missions in support of the Marines on Iwo and against other islands in the Bonins.

The photo below shows a 45th Fighter Squadron P-51D Mustang landing on South Field on March 7, 1945, as 47th Fighter Squadron pilots look on.

The photo below, taken on March 10, 1945, is a beautiful shot of 78th Fighter Squadron P-51D Mustangs lined up on South Field. A few things are worthy of note. First is what looks like freshly painted squadron markings, most likely done on Saipan. Second is the 110 gallon drop tanks on the ground under the wings. These were most likely the drop tanks brought from Saipan by each plane. The 110 gallon drop tanks were used during VLR missions and on combat air patrols around Iwo Jima. Third, it appears that the first Mustang in the picture, 109 Pee Wee, has the SCR-695 IFF transmitter and twin Uncle Dog antennae installed which suggests that those field modifications began relatively soon after the 15th Fighter Group arrived on Iwo Jima.

The last photo is another line up, but this time of 45th Fighter Squadron P-51D Mustangs on South Field with ground crew congregating on the flight line. This photo was also taken on March 10th.

Nice group of photos of the 45th and 78th Fighter Squadrons’ first few days on Iwo Jima.

Iwo Jima Models

Author: acarothersvlrm