I. Naval Air Station Wildwood
Southern New Jersey, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and the Delaware River, was inextricably linked with several air and naval stations, air-tied during the Second World War. It was the largest and most important was to Naval Air Station Wildwood.
The roots of the New Deal of President Roosevelt had used the funds for civil airports with the Civil Aeronautics Authority (CAA) for the implementation of the military build up in case of war, NavalAir Station Wildwood was turned on to protect the growing demand for basic pilot training for the Atlantic coast from German submarines, ships of the United States a power trip to Britain has been targeted. Nazi Germany, with France had already been captured in June 1942, a growing threat.
In southern New Jersey, has relocated their U.S. Coast Guard station, which was originally built as a naval base in 1917 of the First World War, the Navy, which was then ordered to Naval Air StationCape May, in September 1940 and from observation and scout training squadron had carried out subsequently.
But the urgent need for additional services has increased the following year, when the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941 in Attacked, sensing the need for naval aviation and professional dive-bomber pilots. The foundation of Cape May was pathetically inadequate for this purpose because a number of investigations in Lower Austria Township for additional earth.
A first 500Acres, leased for $ 1.00 from Cape May County for a subsequent conversion to civilian use, was introduced in March 1942 the race has started construction and civil servants, under the leadership of the Army Corps of Engineers, the arduous process of deforestation within the trees and filling in wetlands, to prepare the land for a squadron of battle training camp at Rio Grande. Although the design effort has been successful, had its purpose: the end he chose the army, to establish such aPlant about 40 miles north, in Millville, abandoning the project.
The gate, 500 acres of land, with potential application as an auxiliary field for the inadequate size of Cape May Naval Air Station, had been agreed on 400 acres behind the 900-acre requirement of the Navy, and this has been solved only with the Cape May County Board of Chosen Freeholders, "emergency resolution authorizing an additional $ 15,000 for the purchase of land. win-win-expenditure was perceived asboth the Navy with the necessary land for their base and the county with the jobs needed to topple him from his work in depression is to stop the shifting sands, although the need for such a device was demonstrated by the battle of the simultaneous Coral Sea in May and about the battle of Midway in June, which lasts only a qualified victory bases where pilots can be trained. In fact, the number of pilots who had estimated up to 20,000. The proposed Rio Grande base,had argued, would be essential for the sustainable development of marine pilots in the Pacific footprint.
Consequently, the Navy leased the land from the county and appropriating $ 500,000 for the new airport began construction in October of 1942, then completed a 4000 meter runway, three 5,000-meter-off and landing runways, a control tower , hangars, barracks, a center for construction operations, a dining room, a water supply station, a steam heating system, a system of sewers and roads, creating jobs for 362 localCivilians.
The base, the adoption of his name at the nearest post office, had been commissioned "Naval Air Station in Rio Grande" on April 1, 1943, and Lieutenant Commander Morris Ruggles Brownell, Jr. had assumed command, but already designated a confusion with the homonymous town in Texas has had its new designation as "Naval Air Station Wildwood" 17 June until now only a name with a southern New Jersey Beach Resort off together. Woodbine completed by Auxiliary Airfield, which hadTwo months later, opened in August, and a plant in Delaware has met the new Naval Air Station, the Navy needs the ability to concentrate and activate beaten pilot training in the new area. It 'was operated in conjunction with Naval Air Station in Cape May and Atlantic City.
Thirty Composite Squadron (VC-30) with Carrier Air Group 30 (CAG30) were the first states in the Navy at the new plant in April 1943 included the USS Monterey in order, although the seasonSize was the first use of eight huts and tents and Westward Hotels in Wildwood need for 150 of its pilots had been completed for the construction of the base.
The first bombing combined two fifteen p.m. Squadron (VB 14 and VB-15), training under the "plan of Fleet Air Detachment Wildwood operating in defense of the eastern border of the Sea", in Douglas SDB Dauntless planes, practiced flying squadrons, Individual practice bombing, diving, navigation, bombing slides, fixedShooting, shot-free, instrument and night flying anti-submarine bombardment of the surface.
Naval Air Station Wildwood II Aircraft
Instrumental to the Naval Air Station Wildwood and naval battle strategy in the Pacific had the aircraft Stuka, the attacks were delivered with precision fast-moving targets at steep angles of descent. These projects, the low-wing, powered metal type of cell in the rule by a single piston engine was capable of operating from aircraft carriers withHook implementation and had to limit air brake flaps as divided, do not allow excessive sunk profiles, cellular stress and increase the scope of the term, to improve accuracy, the target and the trajectory of the same bomb that was typically done with rocker bomb on a rack. After his release, he had to be projected with a sufficient distance to avoid interference with the bow up.
The Douglas SBD Dauntless, the first to Stukabe used at the station, the Navy standard aircraft cargo vessels, responsible for several crucial victories in the Pacific. On the basis of the Northrop BT-1, a scout and dive-bomber, had been given life as the XBT-1, if the Navy had ordered a single prototype. Before flying in this form to 19 August 1935, the aircraft had 700 hp Pratt and Whitney R-1535-1566 Twin Wasp Junior radial is guided by two, featured a low wing monoplane with, split flaps; aftward, main wheels semi-retractablesubalari stored in pods and a fixed tail wheel, but the cell, as underpowered, had subsequently enhanced reconstructed, 825-hp R-Engines 1535-1594 in December, and had divided the foot with the way in which the holes to correct management features have been replaced.
The following XBT-2, a significant change after Douglas had bought with his Northrop arranged in tandem, forward looking and retrospective pilot, gunner / radio operator, with fabric-covered ailerons, elevator andBoating; caliber machine guns Browning two.50 installed in the nose cap and synchronized to fire through the propeller arc, an under-fuselage mounted cradle swing release, 1,600 pound bomb, and two underwing, 100-pound bomb pylons. Powered by a 1,000-horsepower, nine-cylinder air-cooled Wright Cyclone R-1820-1832 radial engine, the three blades, adjustable pitch, drive-equipped propeller spinner, the two 90-gallon fuel tanks stored whole wing, four wings tank center sectionin the amount of 210 liters and 15 liters of a single auxiliary tank.
The design, the Douglas SBD-1 redesignated in pilot had managed 57 of the same type are in service with Marine Squadron VMB-2 'and the Navy in 1940.
Despite its massive program of improvement, which was not enough bandwidth and was devoid of armor, that in the SBD-2, increasing capacity of 100 liters of fuel and ammunition magazine had featured. It 'was put into servicewith the Navy with 58 Cell
The following SBD-3 had several shortcomings of the past with the introduction of an even bigger fuel tank, self-sealing tanks, armor crew and bulletproof glass, he addressed a cyclone Wright R-1820-1852 and modified bonnet.
The SBD-4 had a Hydromatic propeller and replaces the previously introduced 12-volt 24-volt electrical system, while the SBD-5, the version produced numerically, Douglas had built new 'Tulsa, Oklahoma, plant. With a 33-foot length and wingspan of 41.6 meters, the 1,200 hp Pratt and Whitney R-1820-1866-10 855 pound aircraft had a maximum takeoff weight and a 255-mph top speed. He had a 770-mile range.
The final version, the SBD-6 was characterized as the engine can, with 1,350 horsepower rating and a larger fuel tank.
The Douglas SBD Dauntless was instrumental in many victories in the Pacific theater. In the battle of Midway, forFor example, 4 June 1942 had taken place, the boy had destroyed four Japanese aircraft carriers, sank a heavy cruiser and severely damaged another, while it decreased in the battle Ryuga eastern Solomon Islands. In the battle of Guadalcanal, which took place between November 12 and 15 had this year it had destroyed nine transports and sank the cruiser Kinugasa, ending his career as a carrier-based aircraft two years later on June 20, 1944 with victories against the Japanese mobile phoneFleet in the Battle of the Philippine Sea.
Douglas Dauntless during the first training at Naval Air Station Wildwood, but it was not victorious, with a growing number of victims of the same pilots who had trained in their operations because of bad accidents created after a bus replacement.
The replacement came Curtiss SB2C Helldiver in the form of, its instability, structural weakness, and lower design was almost synonymous with"Improvement".
It is based on the old two-story design in 1930 for dive bombing maneuvers, the aircraft had been upgraded significantly if the Navy had in 1938 related to a specific carrier-based scout bomber including two crew members and be able to internally carry 1000 pounds of bombs over wide areas.
The resulting prototype, called XSBC2C-1 was first to air Dec. 18, 1940 was adopted, but structurally weak and has demonstratedmismanagement, engine failure two months after the conservation Feb. 8 with a shoulder and stops. The U.S. military, with the aim of improving the services ordered defects on the production of the target aircraft, already the way that a first series of redesigns, including a longer fuselage, larger tail, more armor, the installation of an autopilot, and self-sealing fuel tanks, was on a plane that has little resemblance to its previous iteration hole.
The new version,first flight October 20, 1941, supported in flight structural failure during a test flight two months later, on December 21, forcing the pilot to parachute to safety, and the demonstration of the first six production aircraft, it became clear that to increase the 40-percent gross weight from 7122 pounds in the original version, the £ 10,220 from the current, was dangerously high.
The plane appears in its original form SB2C-1 was an all-metal,Middle of a single low-wing, 14-cylinder, air cooled, two-row run, double Wasp, 1,700 hp Wright R-2600-8 engine piston, three-blade propeller. The wings, the aircraft carrier folded for easy storage, dive bombing inside the flaps and ailerons profiles divided by outboard motors and their tanks were self-sealing. Team was housed in the front and rear, greenhouse-style cockpit canopy, and tail-drag configuration had worn an under-fuselage,Sting-type hook. Armament was four 12.7 mm, wing-Browning machine guns installed, 1,000 pound bomb, bomb bay saved, and a flexible assembly contained in the rear cockpit.
All 200 had built SB2C-1 used for pilot training.
The following SB2C-1C, of which 778 had been done, had submitted an additional fuel capacity and was the first meeting, his first foray into the Japanese stronghold of Rabaul aims on November 11 to give, but the project was frighteningundersized.
Mounted individually produced SB2C-2 was designed for amphibious operations with tanks, it was during the SB2C-3, has tried to solve the basic design of the lack of power was performed with a four-bladed Curtiss Electric propeller from a 1900 CV-R-2600 engine -20. Entering service in 1944 had enjoyed an important race to manufacture the type, of 1,112.
The SB2C-4, produced the most intense variant of Aircraft 2045, had a total length of 36.8 meters and a significantWingspan of 49.9 meters, which had the punch cards to minimize immersion-induced buffeting. Presented by the previous version to 20-R-2600 engine, 616-pound fighters 16, mounted with two wings, armed with 20 mm cannon, two aft cockpit install 7.62 mm machine guns and underwing and fuselage bay rack - made, 2,000 pounds bombs could reach a maximum of 295 mph and up to 1165 miles.
The SB2C-5, the last major version to be built, was introduced to increase a fuel. Ninewere produced one hundred and seventy.
Navy Squadron VB-17, based on the aircraft carrier Bunker Hill, was the first successful operation SB2C Helldiver start, 23 aircraft, which were six, four sections divided units in its first big battle in November 1943.
In the next four months, the immersion-type attacks on Tarawaya, Nauru, New Zealand, Truk, Marshall Islands and implemented and in June the following year, the fleets were Helldiverbased on five air carrier Bunker Hill, Essex, Hornet, Wasp, and Yorktown. Four months later, that number had risen to eight.
Working with TBM Avengers, had the SB2Cs super battleship Musashi in the sink has been successfully maintained, and later, 44 air-to-air sports victories, achieved with shipping kills more than any other type of aircraft.
Even though the Helldiver had initially plagued by an antiquated heritage and numerous design flaws, graduallyChanges that had taken a dive bomber effective, the main role in the Pacific theater had many victories.
As a solution for the Naval Air Station Wildwood, the accident rate, but had only served the opposite effect: With the introduction of the aircraft in the training program was the number of deaths increased pilot training!
The combined bombardment Squadron Fifty-Two (VC-52), on their arrival at the station began in September 1943 and torpedo-firingTraining with the base of the third largest carrier-based fighter, the Grumman TBF-1 Avenger.
Triggered by the needs of the Navy for a high-performance torpedo bomber with a 300-mph, 1,000-mile radius with a maximum payload of 2000 pounds, a service ceiling of 30,000 feet, and an internal weapons bay, the aircraft designated XTBF -1 developed by Grumman Iron Works, had a strong body and a 14-cylinder Wright, 1,700 horses, two-row radial R-2600-8 engine appeared. Its wings, its wide areahad led to simplistic flight characteristics, have been folded flat against the cell is to reduce the space required for the support and their armament was mounted three.30 caliber machine guns, one of which was on the nose and firing through the prop did a sheet which was shot in the belly and back in, and had been installed as a sniper tower. Because of its central location in the wing, has had a lot of interior space was created for a business2,000 pound torpedo or four 500 lb bombs or additional fuel, and the three-person crew consisted of pilot, tail gunner, and the Bombardier / belly gunner.
The first production aircraft designated TBF-1 was the first time on 1 August 1941 has flown, and the insatiable need for this very capable fighters had spare production capacity it needs in the form of a general assembly Motors. Product so they called TBM-1, and had initially appeared in this formEnd-1942
The TBF-1C arrangement modified fuel tank in the bomb bay, and two wings built tanks, had increased the capacity of 335-726 liters, increasing to a series of correspondence, and the only .30-caliber machine gun had two gauges. 50 -, wing assemblies, as well as a substitute for the additional tower. The General Motors-known counterpart was made TBM-1C.
The last version produced and numerically, the TBM-3, hadcharacterized by a 40-foot, 11.5 inches and a length of 54.2 meter wingspan. Powered by a R-1900 engine hp 2600-20 Wright, scouting the aircraft for reconnaissance, bombing and torpedo chute and was equipped with a machine gun at the future dorsal and ventral, as well as wing hard points for rockets or drop tanks. With a 895-pound gross weight 17, may to 2,060 meters per minute, cruise at the most 276-mph-up and fly 1,000 miles inserts. 4657 was aproduced.
Grumman TBF Avengers even though he was only six-time for the 4th June 1942 Battle of Midway was delivered, five had been destroyed in two separate missions, while the sixth was dropped their torpedoes before returning to base with little more than the the success of its bid for control of the longitudinal trim tab.
Two months later, on 24 August 26 planes were launched from the carriers Saratoga and Enterprise in the vicinity of the Solomon Islands, the light falls on the second vector Ryugafour hits with a torpedo.
But three months later, in November, the 37,000 tons Hiei, leader of the Japanese naval forces were destroyed after several hits of the Avengers at the Battle of Guadalcanal.
In the North Atlantic had the type, the operating system from the USS Bogue, destroyed about 30 submarines, and ripped a hole in the cavernous Japanese transportation, I-52.
One of the most famous Avenger pilot, George HW Bush, the second Chichi Jima, shot in September 1944after takeoff from the USS San Jacinto, even if he successfully applied for the parachute had security.
Two months later, the plane had been instrumental in sinking the Japanese battleship Musashi, in the battle of the sea Subuyan.
The final examination of the nature and strength of the destroyer had capacity to launch April 7, 1945, when a fleet of Avengers had the battleship Yamato, the cruiser Yahagi and destroyed during his trip to Okinawa.
Produced by the 9836 Avengers7546 General Motors had built.
The fourth aircraft used on the main Naval Air Station Wildwood, maybe try to correct the deficiencies before the SB2C was diametrically opposed to the efficiency and performance offered. His speed and ability to turn a fighter Current unduplicated had, in order to overcome you and outclimb any enemy aircraft propeller. The aircraft was the Chance-Vought F4U Corsair.
Based on the U.S. Navy Bureau of Aeronautics prerequisite for aHigh-performance, carrier based fighter of Vought-Sikorsky has a division of United Aircraft Corporation, the proposed project, called V-166-A, was the use of air-cooled, Pratt and Whitney R-1830 projected Wasp radial engine Because of its service reliability, speed, however, goals can be met only with the XR-2800-4 much larger wasp double. Until now, most powerful piston engine of the world, had more than 100 hp per cylinder, of which there are 18 states that require developed13.4 meters in diameter, three-bladed Hamilton Standard Hydromatic propellers. Although it required a considerable distance to the ground because of its size, was the real purpose was to dictate a carrier-based fighter developed a short-chassis tracking of rapid, often to withstand high contact hitting and deceleration of almost instantaneous these required surgery. As a result, these parameters were dictated design solutions to the conflict, and engineers were only able toensure adequate space both propeller and short link suspension enough replicates the introduction of a gull-wing configuration that had happened to the aircraft aerodynamic characteristics are improved, resulting in higher operating speeds. It 'was the first wave of the wheels is stored in the function of the portrait mode.
Pratt and Whitney engine, the air intake was located in the root of the wing, which coincides the hull of the circle.
First flight May 29, 1940in the form of prototypes from the plane, called XF4U-1, was of 1,850 horsepower was driven R 2800-4 and was characterized by a greenhouse-type cockpit and caliber Colt-Browning machine guns four.50, two of which were installed in nose and two of them were removed behind the scenes.
The first production standard version, the F4U-1 was 2,000-hp R-2800-8 and had to be present only weapon mounted wing. Under the sky July 31, 1942 was the firstCombatants to exceed 400 mph in level flight.
Several subsequent versions were offered. The F4U-2, predicted, for example for night missions, and the F4U-3 is designed for high altitude operations, their mating 2,000 hp R-2800-16 twin-engine with two turbochargers Bierman Vespa model 1009th. Because of its mechanical difficulties, it was eroding his power, and the variant was over quickly.
The F4U-4, a fighter-bomber version had a considerable33.8 meters long with a wingspan of 41 meters, which had a 314-square meter area. His 2,100 hp R-2800-18W engine, driving four-bladed, with methanol-water injection, resulting in a war emergency rating of five minutes and a maximum 2,450 hp, 446-mph air speed. The service ceiling were 41 500 meters.
The F4U-5, the final version was characterized by a five-inch longer fuselage, a few degrees downward tilted engine to increase stability;Duralumin outer wing and oar to its speed must be higher, and a 2350-hp, turbocharged engines with two Pratt & Whitney R-2800-32W engine. The boy had a ceiling of 45,000 feet of service.
In January 1945, an additional allocation of $ 500,000 allowed to expand Naval Air Station Wildwood, and the acquisition of new equipment, including weapons, tactics, Link Trainer, a 20 mm gun to school and a catapult and arresting gear on carrier landing practice on their promotion GeorgetownAuxiliary field. A portion of these funds was used for the acquisition of missiles equipped with F4U Corsair.
Even if the station was originally designed for 108 officers, 1,200 soldiers and 72 aircraft, these numbers had grown to 443, 2497 and 154, respectively, and in October 1944 had 16 994 takeoffs and landings peaked. Bombing practice diving goal was along the Atlantic coast and Delaware Bay occurred, while a light in a related field pilots had put in a positionperfect night carrier landings.
If the type of training has been completed, the pilot, now organized into groups assigned to them was transferring air carriers.
III. Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum
As a victory for the doors were closed for the second World War with its theaters in 1945, the Navy had interrupted his training at the Naval Air Station Wildwood and in December the following year, was muted, with 109 buildings have been declared surplus.Administration of these 79 were War property, which had acquired the property in an intermittent manner, for use off-site, while several larger structures had to Cape May County, the operation of the station had been given had been offered. Hanger Number One, by Albert Kahn, architect and building them back in, was begun in October 1942, had designed one of them.
Founded by wood screwed Pratt meters divided into three panels on the roof,cavernous 2558000-cubic structure was 290 feet long, was 219 meters wide and 51 meters high and had to cross-braced vertical supports to its north and south elevation and a support center, which was once the division is been completed provided between the two internal bays. His elevation to the east and west from 12 full-height telescoping doors created. Except for once the seat of the aircraft air station, there was also characterized the office and work space and maintenanceStructures.
The shed has been used with different aims of the war, had its headquarters in the United States Overseas Airlines (USOA) 1949-1964, which provided a global network path with its own fleet and crew, and had also hosted a short-banner Towing Aircraft Company.
The structure was later abandoned in a state of disrepair with rotten wood and broken window had fallen, was developed by Dr. and Mrs. Joseph E. Salvatore resumed in 1997, thesize, had the non-profit Naval Air Station Wildwood Foundation to save and preserve as a memorial to the 42 pilots who lost their lives during their training here between 1943 and 1945, and subsequently listed on the New Jersey and National Register of Historic Places list at the national level of significance. The hangar now houses the Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum, which has about 30 aircraft, engines, interactive displays provided by the Franklin InstitutePhiladelphia, films, a library and a gift shop.
The aircraft was the Grumman F4F Wildcat, served with a three-bladed propeller, wings folded, self-sealing fuel tanks and six machine guns at the station, and was the first U.S. fighter aircraft designed by a German aircraft firing position.
The Consolidated PBY Catalina, high wing, twin-engine, hull-shaped cell for amphibious operations, has had a bomber armed with machine guns patrol with.50 caliber Browning, torpedoes, and wasThey were water bombs, and conducted multi-role missions, including support for submarine scouting, search and rescue, e.
The Boeing-Stearman PT-17 Kaydet, built in 1943, has been largely used in World War II training plane. The two people, single engine, open cockpit biplane, the first step had to be served first as a pilot transition to the heavier, more complex systems.
The Vultee BT-13, which is often the "next step" was presented in tandem controls and instruments, and also hadused intensively.
The Grumman TBM-3E Avenger, one of the most important aircraft Naval Air Station Wildwood is one of only eight designs, such as the large hangar that houses it, registered on the National Register of Historic Places.
The T-28C Trojan, who had replaced the AT-6 Texan in Asia and Africa, the carrier landing practice, and is made available with a hook tail. It 'was used for air support against enemy ground troops.
The OE-2 Bird Dog, the militaryVersion of the four-seat, twin blade, high wing, tail wheel Cessna 170 was made with white phosphorous target marker rockets under the wings during the Vietnam War and had an observation aircraft were used.
Several rotary-wing designs are also represented by the museum. The HH-52A helicopters and amphibious Seaguard research assistance, for example, with a hull-like fuselage and outrigger floats and had a U.S. Coast Guard icebreakers are stationed.
The AH-1 Cobra, the backboneU.S. fleet of attack helicopters, and a type still in use today has been equipped with rocket and machine gun mounts. Formerly part of a Vietnam "Kill-Team", there was a Loach, had caught fire late on the ground.
The Bell UH-1 Huey Iroquois, the most widely used military helicopter, with more than 16,000 were produced was, in many missions, air assault, command and control, medical evacuation, search and rescue, combat helicopters and traffic Instrumental especiallyduring the Vietnam War, although it is still used by the Air Force and Marines of today.
Hunting is represented. The Lockheed T-33 Thunderbird, a low wing, single engine, double seat coach with a canopy bubble, was to the drawing board the aircraft in 150 days to come. His F-80C Shooting Star party he had served 40 years in the world forces of more than 20 aircraft. The museum itself, for example, had served in the Yugoslav Air Force.
The single-engine, delta-wingedMcDonnell-Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, the first service he had entered the Navy in 1956, could operate from an aircraft carrier, but deliver nuclear weapons.
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat with two engines and vertical tails. The museum F-14A, which was commissioned in 1982 and later F-14B standard was modernized and the first to exceed 7000 takes off and landing from the USS John F. Kennedy.
Northrop F-5E Tiger II, a lightweight fighter plane used in supersonicthe Cold War was developed in response to the Soviet MiG-21.
In addition to the actual aircraft and helicopters, the Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum often organizes fly-in ceremonies, veterans', historical readings and school trips.
The 1,000 hectares of Cape May Airport, the Museum of the site is of historical value, even after being developed by the Naval Air Station. 4998 Sporting two feet take-off and landing runways (1-19 and 10-28), six runs and three parking ramps, GeneralAviation system includes fields every year 39 000 movements mainly by companies, leisure and charter aircraft, and is a testament to the position of the fields, a corn crop, then the pilots, whose skills have been dipping was instrumental in the Pacific and the World Cup final World War II, mounted the victory.
| Price : $98.30 | Post Date : Aug 31, 2011 11:21:53
