World War II Album: The War in View #31: Air Power

Gloster E.28/39, Britain's first jet-powered aircraft, first flew in 1941. It was the fourth jet powered aircraft to fly, after the German Heinkel He 178 (1939), the Italian Caproni Campini N.1 motorjet (1940), and the German Heinkel He 280 (1941).

A destroyed Kawanishi N1K1-J at Yontan Airfield, Okinawa, May 1945. Marines are using the shell hole in the foreground for bathing.

Fiat CR.32, Hungarian Air Force. The Fiat CR.32 was an Italian biplane fighter used in the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War. Designed by the aeronautical engineer Celestino Rosatelli, it was a compact, robust and highly maneuverable aircraft for its era, leading to it being a relatively popular fighter during the 1930s. The CR.32 fought in North and East Africa, in Albania, and in the Mediterranean theatre. It was extensively used in the Spanish Civil War, where it gained a reputation as one of the most outstanding fighter biplanes of all time. It also saw service in the air forces of China, Austria, Hungary, Paraguay and Venezuela. It frequently performed impressive displays all over Europe in the hands of the Italian Pattuglie Acrobatiche. During the late 1930s, the CR.32 was overtaken by more advanced monoplane designs; by the start of the Second World War, it was considered to be obsolete. While it had been superseded by a number of newer Italian fighters, including the newer Fiat CR.42 Falco which had been derived from the CR.32, the type continued to be flown throughout the conflict.

Fiat CR.32 of the Hungarian air force, circa 1943.

How Malaya's "invasion" photographs were taken. September 1945, Ceylon. 888 Squadron Royal Navy took the photographs from which the maps for the invasion of Malaya were made. The East Indies carrier borne No 888 Squadron, equipped with Hellcat aircraft specially fitted for carrying out photographic reconnaissance work, photographed over 100,000 square miles of Siam, Malaya, and Sumatra. They flew mainly at oxygen height of 30,000 feet, though they also had to photograph the Malayan coast repeatedly, which involved low flying in aircraft which were not armed for combat. Sub Lieut (A) S C Richardson, RNVR, of Sale, Cheshire, and Naval Photographer (A) J W Price of Chorlton cum Hardy checking up on a camera before a flight.

How Malaya's "invasion" photographs were taken. September 1945, Ceylon. Officers of 888 Squadron Royal Navy. Left to right: front row: Lieut Godden; Lieut Sakhonovsky; the CO Lieut Cdr Maccaw; Lieut Dixon; Lieut Smyth. Back row: Sub Lieut Wilson; Lieut Van Wigk; Lieut Wallis; Photographic Officers Lieut Waite; and Sub Lieut Wilkinson.

USS Yorktown (CV 10). Cross-fade photograph shows two bombs silhouetting aircraft on board USS Yorktown (CV 10) readying to take off. Writing on bombs read (left), “One for Tojo. With Love. Dec 7 1941. Remember.” On the right bombs, “Merry Xmas. You Rat.”

London's Lord Mayor with the Home Fleet. 14 April 1945, on board the escort carrier HMS Searcher. Visit to units of the Home Fleet by the Lord Mayor of London Sir Frank S Alexander. He was wearing the cap and badge of his own shipping line, Capper Alexander. Watching a Wildcat coming up on the lift to the flight deck for catapulting is the Lord Mayor (fifth from left), while on his left is Vice Admiral R R McGrigor and (right) Captain J W Grant. Between the Lord Mayor and Captain Grant in the background is Lieut (A) J T Pratt, RNVR, the deck landing officer.

British convoy to Russia. 1945, on board the escort carrier HMS Trumpeter. Operations in the bitter weather conditions experienced by the British Navy. Wildcat fighters at readiness in Arctic weather.

The Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation at Bethpage, Long Island, USA, on 12 October 1940. The aircraft visible is most probably a G-36A. This was the export version of the F4F Wildcat for France. After the defeat of France in June 1940, all contracts were taken over by Britain. The planes were re-equipped with British/U.S. equipment and guns by Blackburn and renamed Martlet Mk.I.

Sea Hurricane and Martlet fighters with Swordfish torpedo bombers on the deck of a British aircraft carrier escorting a Malta convoy.

“General George,” Waco CG-4A being unloaded, 1st Air Commando Group.

Douglas C-47 taking off towing a Waco CG-4A glider. The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota (RAF, RAAF, RCAF, RNZAF, and SAAF designation) is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front-line service with various military operators for many years.

Douglas C-47 tow planes and Waco CG-4A gliders over the mountains of Burma.

RAF C-47 Dakota aircraft turning away after releasing their Waco Hadrian gliders, Normandy, France, June 1944.

Douglas O-46, USAAC.

German barrage balloon being deployed.

British barrage balloon being deployed.

U.S. Navy PBY Catalina at U.S. Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas, August 1942. (Photographed by Howard R. Hollem. Office of War Information photograph #LC-DIG-FSAC-1a34907; OWI collection forwarded to the Library of Congress, 1944)

First carrier takeoff using jet units involved the same F4F as that used by Captain Gore on March 1-4, 1943. This time Commander Leroy G. Simpler, USN, was at the controls. (Released March 18, 1944. U.S. Navy photograph #80-G-46507, now in the collections of the National Archives)

Beech GB-2 Traveler BuNo 01626.

Beech GB-2 Traveler, NAS Pensacola, Warrington, Florida, circa 1942-45.

Beech GB-2 Traveler.

The Beechcraft Traveler was an adaptation of the five-seat civil Model 17. Shown here are a flight of the U.S. Navy GB-2 version. It was known as the UC-43 in the USAAF. Commercial Model 17s were also impressed for war service with designations ranging from UC-43A to K. Thirty UC-43s and 75 GB-2s from U.S. contracts were supplied to the Royal Navy under Lend-Lease where they were known as the Traveler I and used for light transport and communication duties.

Japanese attack on Midway Island, 7 December 1941. Fire-gutted bow section of a PBY-3 Catalina patrol bomber (Bureau # 0824), photographed on the morning after the 7 December 1941 night bombardment by Japanese destroyers Ushio and Sazanami. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives 80-G-2299.

Northrop BT-1 bomber (Bureau # 0614) of Bombing Squadron Five (VB-5) goes into the starboard catwalk during a landing accident on USS Yorktown (CV-5), circa 1940. Note man in asbestos suit and other members of the flight deck crew running to assist. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the U.S. National Archives 80-G-5036.

Northrop BT-1 bomber (Bureau # 0640) Bombing Squadron Five's plane number 5-B-16 upside down and sinking after going over the side of USS Yorktown (CV-5) during flight operations in the Pacific, 23 July 1940. USS Perkins (DD-377) is coming up at right to rescue the plane's crew, Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Thomas D. Cummins (Pilot) and Radioman Third Class Donald MacKillop. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives 80-G-5129.

Northrop BT-1 bomber (Bureau # 0592) of Bombing Squadron Five (VB-5) being pushed by plane handlers on the flight deck of USS Yorktown (CV-5), circa 1939. Aircraft history cards list this BT-1 as wrecked and stricken on 24 August 1939. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the U.S. National Archives 80-G-5038.

Curtiss SOC-1 scout-observation aircraft (Bureau No. 9856, the first SOC-1) parked on the apron at Naval Air Station, Anacostia, D.C., circa September 1935. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives 80-G-5852.

Curtiss SOC-1 scout-observation aircraft (Bureau No. 9979) in flight, 2 July 1939. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives 80-G-5885.

Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landings, 7-9 August 1942: Japanese facilities burning on Tanambogo Island, east of Tulagi, on 7 August 1942, the invasion's first day. This view looks about ESE, with Gavutu Island to the right, connected to Tanambogo by a causeway. Small island to the left is Gaomi. The Florida Islands are in the distance. Photographed from an SBD aircraft based on one of the supporting U.S. aircraft carriers. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives 80-G-11899.

A squadron ready room is everything from a lecture hall to a neighborhood poolroom and is air conditioned against oppressive tropic heat. Each pilot’s seat pack parachute hangs over the back of his chair so that he can wait there in comfort for the order to man his plane. From the overhead hang helmets, flash gear and models of U.S. and Japanese planes. A ready room is a compartment on an aircraft carrier where aircrew conduct much of their pre-flight and post-flight briefs. Each flight squadron has its own individual ready room, and it is common for the squadron's "Maintenance Control" office to be located next to or near the ready room. Maintenance Control is where pilots review possible existing problems with an aircraft, and it is where they officially sign for the aircraft. This is also where air crews can get "Maintenance Action Forms" post-flight to report any new problems.

Fighter pilots in the ready room of an American aircraft carrier. Squadron pilots in the Second World War considered the ready room to be a clubroom. A pilot who served during World War II stated that, in his personal view: “The funny thing about a ready room is that you get attached to the hole. As much as you are attached to the ship. It's more than sentiment. It's an urge for protection. The loneliest feeling in the whole of a carrier pilot's world is when he's at sea with the gas running low, and he can't see his carrier. You think of the ready room then, and the noisy guys who make it the most desirable place in the world. It's your office, you live in it, it is the big thing in your life. [...] You sweat and worry in it, and grouse and argue, and you get mad at it when you can't hear yourself speak because everyone is yelling at once, but you're deeply attached to the place.” — Tommy Booth, Wildcats Over Casablanca.

From the authentic deck plates to the vintage equipment, the World War II aircraft carrier exhibit at the U.S. National Naval Aviation Museum captures life at sea below decks, and pays special tribute to the work of enlisted personnel aboard ship. Visitors can sit in a ready room and view the cramped spaces where the crew lived and worked.

Navy fighter pilots in the ready room of their aircraft carrier before a strike somewhere in the Pacific, circa 1945. In the autumn of 1945, CinCPAC conducted a review of aircraft carrier design, intended to produce a successor design to that of the Essex-class aircraft carrier, based upon contrasting experiences of British and U.S. carriers encountering kamikaze attacks off Okinawa. The British design had successfully resisted such attacks, whilst the U.S. design had not. The report touched upon the issue of the location of ready rooms: “It was demonstrated with large loss of life through Kamikaze hits that the gallery deck is not the location for pilots' ready rooms. As many as possible of the ready rooms should be located inboard beneath horizontal armor and protected access to the flight deck should be furnished. BuShips is now preparing final plans for relocation of ready rooms 2, 3, and 4 to the second deck on the CV 9 class carriers, utilizing the wardroom as number 2. Number 1 should remain in the gallery deck for scrambling purposes.” — CinCPAC, 1945

World War II recreation of the pilot's ready room on the USS Lexington Aircraft Carrier Museum, Corpus Christi, Texas.

Pilots relaxing in their ready room. One humorous memorandum by a pilot on the USS Wasp (CV-18) had this to say of the Wasp's ticker tape: “When you first man your ready rooms, you will note a large screen known as a teletype. Learn to ignore this immediately. The information given on it is about as fresh as an 1873 edition of the New York Times. In between numerous erasures you will find given a point option undoubtedly used by Commodore Perry on his way to Japan in 1853. Certainly it won't apply to your present operations.” — R.D. White, A Memo to CAG-81 from CAG-14

Pilots of Torpedo Squadron 13 (VT-13) in their ready room aboard USS Franklin (CV-13), 24 October 1944, just before the Battle of the Sibuyan Sea. They are watching as the position of the Japanese fleet is posted. VT-13's Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Commander Larry French, is second from the left, with a navigation board beside his chair. Note life vests, with die marker pouches, worn by several of these men. Other life vests, and .38 caliber revolvers, are hanging on the bulkhead.

VMF-124 and VMF-213 pilots leave ready room for strike on Luzon. USS Essex, January 6, 1945.

2nd. Lt. William R. (Big Ben) Bennewitz, VMF-124, discusses bombing cargo ship at Hainan with fellow Marine pilots. USS Essex, January 16, 1945.

Lieutenant Commander William R. "Killer" Kane (far right) pictured with pilots of Fighting Squadron (VF) 10 in the squadron's ready room on board the carrier Enterprise (CV-6).

VMF-124 and VMF-213 in USS Essex ready room.

Pilots in the ready room after the Battle of the Eastern Philippines.

US pilots in ready room awaiting mission orders, 1944.

Aviator sunglasses, or “pilot’s glasses”, were originally developed in 1936 by Bausch & Lomb for pilots to protect their eyes while flying, thus the name aviator. This style of sunglasses is credited with being one of the first popularized style of sunglasses to be developed. In its military usage, the sunglasses replaced the outmoded flight goggles used previously, as they were lighter, thinner, and “more elegantly designed”. Writing about the transition of aviators from military gear to a commercial product, Vanessa Brown wrote that, “The War was a revelation of the sheer might, scale, power, and horror of the modern world which necessitated a new kind of military demeanor and gave rise to new definitions of the heroic stance which was to have a profound influence on modern fashion.” Eventually, the aviator sunglasses produced by Bausch & Lomb were trademarked as “Ray Bans”.

Bausch & Lomb Ray-Ban aviator sunglasses wartime advertisement.

Curtiss-Wright CW-21B, NX19441, 1939. The Curtiss-Wright Model 21 (also known as the Curtiss-Wright Model 21 Demonstrator, the Curtiss-Wright CW-21 Interceptor, the Curtiss-Wright CW-21 Demon) was an American fighter-interceptor developed by the St. Louis Airplane Division of Curtiss-Wright Corporation during the 1930s. The prototype first flew on 22 September 1938, carrying the civil experimental registration NX19431. Although the CW-21 was not commissioned by the U.S. military, it was test flown at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio. The Army Air Corps immediately rejected the aircraft, with one officer commenting that it took a genius to land it. Model 21 Interceptor. One prototype built in 1938 (c/n 21-1 / NX19431). Three production units and a total of 27 sets of components shipped to the Republic of China to be assembled by CAMCO. Easily identifiable by the Seversky P-35 type of main undercarriage fairings; 31 built (unknown number assembled and flown).

US Navy SBD over USS Washington BB-56.

Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers over Midway.

Douglas SBD-5 USMC Q-53.

Curtiss SBD-5 Q-71.

SBD Dauntless dive bombers from USS Hornet (CV-8) approaching the burning Japanese heavy cruiser Mikuma to make the third set of attacks on her, during the early afternoon of 6 June 1942. Mikuma had been hit earlier by strikes from Hornet and USS Enterprise (CV-6), leaving her dead in the water and fatally damaged. Photo was enlarged from a 16mm color motion picture film. Note bombs hung beneath these planes. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Douglas SBD Dauntless.

Mechanics overhaul engine of a Douglas SBD Dauntless.

Sailor hauls bombs for SBD Dauntless dive bombers (tail of one in background) for US Navy raid on Marshall and Gilbert Islands, 1942.

USS Enterprise (CV-6), 1942, pre-Battle of Midway. First several rows are SBD Dauntless dive bombers, last three rows are TBD Devastator torpedo bombers.

SBD Dauntlesses of USS Enterprise on loan to the Cactus Air Force of Guadalcanal, September 1942.

Battle of the Coral Sea, 8 May 1942: A U.S. Navy Douglas SBD-2 Dauntless of Scouting Squadron 2 (VS-2) passes through the "screen" for the aircraft carrier USS Lexington (CV-2) during the anti-torpedo plane patrol action of that day. The plane may be that of Lieutenant Junior Grade William E. Hall (who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions that day) or Ensign John A. Leppla (who was awarded a Navy Cross). Previous captions state that this is a Japanese plane. The silhouette matches that of an SBD, however. U.S. Navy photo 80-G-7390 from the U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command.

USS Yorktown (CV-5): Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless scout bombers preparing to take off, during operations in the Coral Sea, 18 April 1942. The first plane is from Scouting Squadron Five (VS-5). Note that it has no insignia painted under its starboard wing, and that the insignia below its port wing is much smaller than that on the next SBD. Man standing at left, just beyond the first plane's wingtip, is Boatswain Chester E. Briggs, Jr. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the U.S. National Archives 80-G-10152.

U.S. Marine Corps Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers fly over Midway Atoll, the site of what is widely regarded as the most decisive American victory over the Japanese in the Pacific Theater. Circa 1942-1943.

Guadalcanal Invasion, August 1942: Ordnancemen of Scouting Squadron Six (VS-6) load a 500 pound demolition bomb on an SBD scout bomber on the flight deck of USS Enterprise (CV-6), during the first day of strikes on Guadalcanal and Tulagi, 7 August 1942. Note aircraft's landing gear and bomb crutch; also bomb cart and hoist. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives 80-G-10458.

USS Enterprise (CV-6): An SBD Dauntless scout-bomber and five TBD-1 Devastator torpedo planes prepare to take-off from the carrier during operations in the south Pacific area, 4 May 1942. Note launching officer making arm signals in the lower left-center. Take-offs averaged one every thirty seconds. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives 80-G-10151.

Douglas SBD-2 "Dauntless" scout bombers of Scouting Squadron Six (VS-6). Composite photograph of 9 planes in flight, with USS Enterprise (CV-6) and a plane guard destroyer below. The original photo is dated 27 October 1941. Note differences in ocean surface wave patterns between the upper and lower images, skillfully blended to combine the two photographs. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives 80-G-6678.

Guadalcanal-Tulagi Operation, August 1942: LCP(L) and other landing craft maneuver near USS Enterprise (CV-6) on 24 July 1942, during preparations for the invasion of Guadalcanal and Tulagi. Note SBD-3 scout bombers on the carrier's flight deck. That in the foreground has interesting markings: the mission letter (S) appears on the fin, with the individual aircraft number aft of the fuselage star. The plane to the left illustrates the usual practice, with the mission letter (B) and individual aircraft number both painted forward of the star. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives 80-G-7863.

USS Yorktown (CV-5): Two Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless scout bombers of Scouting Squadron Five (VS-5) fly past the ship, during operations in the Coral Sea, circa April 1942. Planes parked on the flight deck, in the foreground, are Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat fighters of Fighting Squadron 42 (VF-42). Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the U.S. National Archives 80-G-11664.

Thick cloud cover around a pair of U.S. Navy Douglas SBD Dauntless torpedo dive bombers,en route to targets during raids on Wake Island; October 5,1943.

Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers on a carrier in the Pacific.

SBD-5 Dauntless noses over after hitting the barrier on the flight deck of USS Lexington (CV-16). (U.S. Navy photo)

SBD in trouble.

Winching a 500lb bomb onto an SBD.

SBD dive bombers during an attack on Wake Island on 5 October 1943.

Pilot in SBD Dauntless.

View from the runner's position on an SBD Dauntless.

SBD Dauntless Black S12.

SBD Dauntless dive bombers in flight.

Maintenance on an SBD.

SBD loaded and ready for a training flight.

View of underside of SBD with bomb.

SBD with bomb in flight.

While obviously taken with the plane on the ground, the cameraman has angled the camera to provide a view of what it would like when an SBD is actually diving on a bomb run.