FTJR got me started on this one. He found some photos that pushed me back around to getting this done.
VF-34 was stationed on New Britain and New Ireland, 13th February to 2nd May, 1944. Their roll was search and destroy any Japanese ground targets and surface ships they could find during Operation Cart Wheel, General McArthur’s plan to neutralize the Japanese forward operating base on Rabaul. They did fly missions of B-25 bomber escort, SBD/TBF escort, combat air patrol (CAP) and “Dumbo”missions, but never saw a enemy aircraft during their tour. It was a quickly put together squad with only 5 operationally trained, 10 that had been trained in Hellcats and the remainder were Wildcat and SBD pilots. None completed their pre-deployment Fighter Training Syllabus and only six of the forty-five had flown any night hours at all during the pre-deployment period.
VF-34 had an interesting paint scheme with white spines, and stabilizers, but wasn't the only squad to use that scheme. VF-38, Greebo skinned #5, had the same markings and the two squads have been confused as one or the other or the same. VF-38 painted the cowling ring white along with numbers there and the tail, VF-34 only had the side numbers. In their more relaxed Island setting most VF-34 aircraft also had colorful names and pinup girls. Babes Bouncin Bastard belonged to LT L. A. Edmonston.
Vf-34 BBB 1 by
whitemanLS1, on Flickr
Vf-34 BBB 3 by
whitemanLS1, on Flickr
Vf-34 BBB 2 by
whitemanLS1, on Flickr
