Naval Aircraft Factory N3N Color Photographs

Superficially very similar to the N2S Stearman primary trainer, the Naval Aircraft Factory N3N shared the same role and paint scheme. The two types were used side by side throughout the Second World War training Navy and Marine aviators.

The Naval Aircraft Factory in Philadelphia was unique in that it was owned and operated by the U.S. Navy. The Navy even purchased the production rights for the Wright R-760 radial engine which powered the N3N.

The production run lasted from 1935 through 1942, 997 examples being built. Here an upper wing is being transported to a repair shop.

An interesting perspective as a sailor cranks the engine. One way to tell an N3N from a Stearman is the Stearman used wire supports between the vertical and horizontal stabilizers while the N3S used struts.

The Marines also flew the N3N. This example is being readied to tow gliders at Parris Island in 1942.

Like many U.S. Navy aircraft of the late 1930s the N3N could trade its fixed landing gear for floats and operate as a seaplane. Here a pilot poses with his foot on one of the wingtip floats at NAS Pensacola.

Another pilot strikes a pose in front of an N3N with floats. The propeller tips are marked in the pre-war convention.

A fine study of an N3N floatplane on the ramp. The floats were painted in Aluminum dope. Unofficially the N3N was called the Canary due to its paint scheme.

An N3N ready to be hoisted clear of the water. The style of the national insignia indicates the photograph was taken prior to May, 1942. Note the markings and anti-glare paint on the back of the propeller blade.

The N3N was the last biplane type to serve with the U.S. military. The type was used for familiarization flights at the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis until 1959. The underside of the lower wing has been marked “U.S. NAVY”.

Marine Corps Tank Battles in the Middle East Book Review

Marine Corps Tank Battles in the Middle East

By Oscar E. Gilbert

Hardcover in dustjacket, 312 pages, photographs, references, and index

Published by Casemate February 2015

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1612002676

ISBN-13: 978-1612002675

Dimensions:  6.1 x 0.9 x 9.1 inches

Like so many of the modern world’s current political problems, the on-going turmoil in the Middle East can be traced back to diplomatic missteps in the aftermath of the First World War.  Those decisions remain with us and are still costing lives on a daily basis over a century later.  In the first twenty pages of this book Oscar E. Gilbert traces the modern history of the Middle East which imparts on the reader an understanding of the basis for the conflicts which have plagued the region.  This chapter is concise and exceptionally well-written, it alone warrants the purchase of the book and is worthy of periodic re-reading.

The bulk of the book focusses on the use of Marine armor in Iraq and Afghanistan, both the M60 and M1 Abrams main battle tanks along with the lighter LAV-25.  The dominance of the better trained and equipped Marines during the conflicts with the Iraqi Army, even when outnumbered, are well described.  The use of armor in the drawn-out counter insurgency operations also offers many insights, such as the use of the vehicle’s impressive array of sensors.  Tactics used during the Battle of Fallujah illustrates the value of armor in clearing an urban environment, an arena where tanks are generally considered to be at a disadvantage.

The book is well researched and interspaced with first-hand accounts taken from interviews with the participants.  This is an engaging read, made somewhat more poignant by the recent decision to eliminate tanks from the Marine Corp’s inventory.  This is the second of Gilbert’s Marine tanks histories which I have read, and I can recommend them without hesitation.

Vought SB2U Vindicator Color Photographs Part II

A fine study of a U.S. Marine Corps SB2U-3 Vindicator assigned to VMS-131 in the overall Light Gray scheme in use from 30DEC40 through 20AUG41, when the upper surface color was changed to Blue Gray. (NASM, Rudy Arnold archives)

A clear, if somewhat dusty, view of the undersides showing several details. The Vindicator was designed to carry floats for water operations if needed. (NASM, Rudy Arnold archives)

A Marine VMS-131 Vindicator in flight. The bomb displacement gear under the fuselage was designed to swing the bomb clear of the propeller arc in a dive. Under the wings are practice bomb dispensers. (NASM, Rudy Arnold archives)

Several details of the Vindicator’s construction are visible in this view. The aft fuselage and outer wing panels were fabric-covered. The arrangement of the gunner’s canopy sections when stowed forward is also visible. (NASM, Rudy Arnold archives)

A section of Marine Vindicators in flight. U.S. Navy and Marine squadrons were organized into six sections of three aircraft for a total of eighteen aircraft. (NASM, Rudy Arnold archives)

An SB2U-1 Vindicator in the overall Light Gray scheme in flight. (NASM, Hans Groenhoff archives)

The only combat engagements using the Vindicator by U.S. forces were flown by the Marines of VMSB-241 during the Battle of Midway. John Ford filmed these aircraft in color for his documentary of the battle, three screenshots are presented here. White 2 returned from the 4 June mission, but was lost with her crew CAPT Richard E. Fleming and PFC George A. Toms during the 5 June strike against the Japanese cruiser Mikuma. CAPT Fleming flew during all three of VMSB-241s missions during the battle and was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions.

Aircraft numbered “1” would traditionally be flown by the squadron commander, in this instance that would be the leader of the SB2U-3 unit, MAJ Benjamin W. Norris and his gunner, PFC Arthur B. Whittington. If that is the case then both the crews in this screenshot did not survive, as Norris and Whittington were lost on the evening mission which failed to locate the Japanese fleet. White 3, crewed by 2LT Kenneth O. Campion and PVT Anthony J. Maday, did not return from the first strike.

White 6 and White 9 are shown taking off from Midway. White 6 was flown by 2LT James H. Marmande and PFC Edby M. Colvin and was lost during the first Midway mission. The unusual fuselage striping seen on these aircraft was actually four-inch medical tape, doped onto the fuselage fabric as a field-expedient repair. More screen captures and analysis of VMSB-241 Vindicators are presented in an earlier post here: https://inchhighguy.wordpress.com/2018/11/25/the-sb2u-3-vindicators-of-vmsb-241-during-the-battle-of-midway/

Surgeon on Iwo Book Review

Surgeon on Iwo

By James S. Vedder

Hardcover in dustjacket, 211 pages, photographs, and index

Published by Presidio, Book Club edition

Language: English

Dimensions: 5.7 x 0.8 x 8.5 inches

Dr. James S. Vedder was the ranking medical officer assigned to the 3^rd Battalion, 27^th Marine Regiment.  On 19 February 1945 the 963 men of the Battalion assaulted the island of Iwo Jima and were in continuous combat for over a month.  Over 700 of the men of the 3^rd Battalion became casualties, those who were not killed outright passed through Dr. Vedder’s aid station.

Vedder was in charge of the Battalion’s Navy Corpsmen whether assigned to the aid station or the Marine platoons as well as the other Doctors and Marine litter bearers.  He was effectively the chief medical officer and senior administrator for an outdoor emergency hospital which moved, often under enemy fire, and saw a continuous flow of trauma patients.  Problems of personnel, supply, transportation, and casualties among his own men were his to resolve.

This is a day-by-day first-person account of the battle for Iwo Jima from the medical viewpoint.  It is not for the faint of heart.  The clean single bullet wound where the hero clutches his chest and says, “They got me!” is Hollywood trope.  Combat wounds are often severe and traumatic, Vedder describes in detail the process of stabilizing the casualties and evacuating them from the front lines to the hospital ships offshore.

The backdrop for this is two armies fighting over a small volcanic island and all the hardships which that entails.  There are several books written about the amphibious battles of the Pacific War but few from this perspective.  This is a fascinating read, recommended.

Vietnam Airmobile Warfare Tactics Book Review

Vietnam Airmobile Warfare Tactics

Osprey Elite Series Book 154

By Gordon L. Rottman, illustrated by Adam Hook

Paperback, 64 pages, heavily illustrated

Published by Osprey Publishing, March 2007

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1846031362

ISBN-13: 978-1846031366

Dimensions: 7.3 x 0.2 x 9.9 inches

The development of the helicopter gave military tacticians the potential to move troops around the battlefield in unpresented ways. Natural obstacles or enemy defenses could be avoided by flying over or around to more suitable positions, opposing forces could be cut off by “vertical envelopment”.  Early helicopters were underpowered and therefore lacked the range and payload capacity to make them militarily useful for transporting large formations of troops or heavy equipment, but by the late 1950s new designs were emerging which made combat applications more practical.  The U.S. Army began organizing Airmobile formations, with helicopters effectively being used as flying trucks to move soldiers around the battlefield; the USMC saw the helicopter as another way to move Marines ashore during amphibious assaults.

These new formations saw their first widespread tactical application during the Vietnam war, where ultimately more than 12,000 helicopters were deployed.  In addition to troop transport types such as the UH-1 Huey, specialized gunships, observation, and heavy-lift helicopters were developed and incorporated into operations.  While they gave unprecedented mobility on the battlefield, helicopters were vulnerable to enemy fire, particularly when inserting troops into a landing zone.  A total of 2,066 helicopters would be lost during the Vietnam War.

Vietnam Airmobile Warfare Tactics describes the transformation of the helicopter from a novel aviation vehicle into a vital tactical asset.  This is a standard Osprey Elite Series book, well-illustrated and an excellent primer in operations and tactics of Airmobile warfare.  It provides useful insight into what all those helicopters in Vietnam War movies are doing, or at least supposed to be doing.  Recommended.

Naval Aircraft Factory N3N Yellow Peril Walk Around

Photographs taken at the Air Zoo, Kalamazoo Michigan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Battleground Pacific Book Review

Battleground Pacific: A Marine Rifleman’s Combat Odyssey in K/3/5

By Sterling Mace and Nick Allen

Hardcover in dustjacket, 330 pages, illustrated

Published by St. Martin’s Press, May 2012

Language: English

ISBN-13: 978-1-250-00505-2

Dimensions:  5.7 x 1.3 x 8.4 inches

Sterling Mace grew up in Queens during the Great Depression.  After the attack on Pearl Harbor he failed the U.S. Navy eye exam but was able to bluff his way through the second time and was accepted into the Marines.  He was assigned to the 1^st Marine Division, 5^th Regiment, 3^rd Battalion, Company K.  When he joined the 5^th Marines they were rebuilding on the island of Pavuvu, after having fought at Guadalcanal and Cape Gloucester.  His first combat operation was the assault on Peleliu.

Mace was a BAR man on Peleliu, an island which had no natural source of fresh water but an abundance of heat, insects, and Japanese defenders.  Company K was intended to be on the island for three days but due to the ferocity of the Japanese defense they were in combat for thirty.  Mace describes the constant combat as well as the deprivations of fighting in an inhospitable environment with no relief and little support.  Those Marines who survived the campaign emerged emaciated, their uniforms in tatters.

The 5^th Marines were rebuilt and redeployed for the assault on Okinawa.  This was a very different campaign in many ways.  The amphibious landing was unopposed, the Japanese defenders withdrawing into prepared positions for a battle of attrition.  There were civilians on Okinawa, and rear areas where there was relatively little chance of encountering the Japanese.  The Marines were much better supported and supplied compared to earlier campaigns in the Pacific, but Kamikaze attacks put the Fleet offshore at much greater risk than previously encountered.

If readers find some aspects of Mace’s account familiar, there is good reason.  Eugene Sledge was a Marine mortarman who was also assigned to K/3/5, the same Company as Mace.  Sledge authored “With the Old Breed at Peleliu and Okinawa” which was one of the books used as the basis for the HBO / Tom Hanks production of “The Pacific” miniseries.

This book is well worth a read and goes by quickly.  I did find the writing style a bit distracting, it often wanders from a straight description of events into metaphor, striving for the poetic.  More pages are devoted to Peleliu than Okinawa.  I can recommend this book, but read “With the Old Breed” as well.

Howard GH-2 Nightingale Walk Around

Photographs taken at the Air Zoo, Kalamazoo Michigan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

USN McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II Book Review

USN McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II

By Peter E. Davies, illustrated by Adam Tooby and Henry Morshead

Series: Osprey Air Vanguard Book 22

Paperback, 64 pages, heavily illustrated

Published by Osprey Publishing March 2016

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1472804953

ISBN-13: 978-1472804952

Dimensions: 7.2 x 0.1 x 9.9 inches

This is the first book in the Osprey Air Vanguard Series which I have read.  Like most Osprey books, it covers a lot of ground in a small number of pages, so it is best thought of as a primer or an introduction rather than a comprehensive history.  The story of the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom could easily (and does!) fill several volumes so it is wise that Osprey have focused on USN F-4s in this work while issuing a separate book on Phantoms operated by the USAF.  Having said that, this volume also covers Phantoms in US Marine, Royal Air Force, and Royal Navy service, so the USN in the title is a bit of a misnomer.

The first chapters are devoted to the developmental history and technical description of the Phantom.  This is well known among aviation enthusiasts but is useful for being concise – an example where the brevity of the format is a strength.  There is a description of all the major sub-types operated by the naval services, and then a history of the type in service.

Like most Osprey books, this one is profusely illustrated, mostly in color.  There are several pages of artwork including portraits of two aircraft and profiles of nine.  The profiles are reproduced to a much smaller format than either those in the Aircraft of the Aces or Combat Aircraft series and there is much less information presented in the captions.  One of the nicer presentations is one which I almost overlooked – the back cover is actually a gatefold which contains an annotated cut-away illustration of the Phantom.

Overall a nice package, the contents and quality of which would not come as a surprise to anyone familiar with this publisher.

Sherman in the Pacific 1943-1945 Book Review

Sherman in the Pacific 1943-1945

By Raymond Giuliani, twenty color profiles by Christophe Camilotte

Hardcover, 144 pages, heavily illustrated

Published by Histoire and Collections May 2015

Language: English

ISBN-10: 2352502837

ISBN-13: 978-2352502838

Dimensions: 12.3 x 9.2 x 0.7 inches

This book is a photo essay of all US Army and USMC M4 Sherman operations in the Pacific War, from Taupota, New Guinea in October 1943 through the invasion of Okinawa which was secured in June 1945.  The photographs are arranged by operation, with each section introduced by a map and a brief paragraph giving an overview.  The author then lets the photographs tell the story.

The photographs are, in a word, spectacular.  They are the crème of the crop, sharp and in high resolution.  Often there are several views of the same Sherman showing the vehicle from different angles or at different times.  They are reproduced in large format on glossy paper, and the pages are piled full of pictures.  This is a modeler’s dream with crew stowage and modifications being clearly seen, and the vehicles are shown in many situations which would make excellent inspiration for dioramas.

The captions are well detailed and provide insight and context to what is seen in the photographs.  There are several instances of some awkward translations in the captions and while these make the descriptions read a little clunky they do not prevent the reader from grasping the meaning.  A minor (but avoidable) fault which I found easy to adjust to.

Interspaced among the pictures are twenty color profiles of M4 Shermans and the M32 recovery vehicle, which are displayed along with the photograph(s) which inspired the artist.  These are quality renderings and the photographs of the particular subjects only enhances the artist’s credibility.  This is a nice standard which I wish more artists and decal manufacturers would follow.

Overall this is an outstanding treatment of the subject and a valuable reference for anyone wanting to model these vehicles.  If you can find a copy pick it up, you will not be disappointed!