Author Topic: Help with plane number identification  (Read 1205 times)

Offline whiteman

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Re: Help with plane number identification
« Reply #15 on: July 27, 2021, 08:41:58 PM »
Yes I saw Greebo did a VBF-86 F4U-4, as picks of the -4 in combat zones are virtually non existent and these have the Letter code X for Wasp on the tail and not  the "G" code he did I've pursued it. The source for the photo was listed as U.S. Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation and photo dated July 1945. Wasp switched to the letter code 2 days after arriving back off the cost of Japan around July 28. I've found records of load outs for missions they flew in the last few weeks attacking shipping, warehouse facilities and airfields. Encounter with a Nick on August 8 1945 09:45, Lt Lilburn shot it down from 5 oclock high hitting it at the wing root while in a F4U-4. No aircraft ID numbers are listed just how many were launched and recovered.Also found a strange document from March 18, 1945 that is listed as anti submarine warefare division where VBF-86 took off from Wasp with 4 F4U-1D and and VT-86 with a TBM-1c and TBM-3.

Only other -4 I've found is from USS Hancock and carry the letter U on the tail but no date. Others were -4 in the Atlantic or held in reserve for the Japan invasion.