Mystery Aircraft & Carrier – Any Ideas?

Guess it could be. I thought it was a glare spot or dodgy paint but if you look carefully it does have a dark centre. Just surprised it’s so near the front of the cowling.

Looks like a white “D” near the front…

Here’s the enlargement but there seems to be absolutely nothing on the cowling at all. :confused:

Hi Guys,

The plane Id for FAA/RN was always on the side of the aircraft while the Air Wing/ Carrier Id was on the Cowling. I ran into a problem sometime back with a wreck TBF here in Maine that had a J on the side but a R on its cowling it took me sometime and reading to figuer it out.

You all might want to send this to a one of the photo experts at FAA museum I’m sure they could give the answer quicker.

Skypilot is their any way you can blow up the front of the Wildcat with out it going on blury if not see if you can check the nose using Photo Shop paint and see what the letter code is on the Cowling should be in the same place as the TBFs.

Well its off to work got to make all those great sandwhichs my shop is note for 😮

Cheers Crazymainer

I think JDK is on the right track.

The “A” is more likely to be the aircraft’s individual ID, rather than a ship/air wing ID.

BR

Laurie.

Good work Col,
Just a bit carefull of a big castle built on quicksand.

Are you sure the ‘A’ is a unit designation not an individual a/c letter? (Which makes more sense for the carrier aircraft spotting and rangeing, and was more normal).

I’d agree on the barrier.

Could be a second line unit (training – which adds ifs on date and carrier.)

Just being awkward!

Its either the following

Hi All,

Its either the following,

HMS Indomitable or HMS Implacable

Notice the “A” on the lower Cowling of the TBF-1C the above two ships Air Wing had the letter A assign as their ship Id.

The antaneea thing in back is part of the Barrier system, should have the squadron for you sometime tonight.

The Wildct is a F4F-3 a Eastern build one notice the cowling is a bit asqew like all Eastern Build most of the Wildcats that the FAA/RN got where Eastern Build aircraft. If I was to guess the time I would say later 43 before the Wildcats where trade for Corsairs.

Cheers Crazymainer

Sorry – I should say it’s probably an aerial, might be part of the crash barrier, a washing line – but it’s not part of the Avenger (IMHO!)

Hi James
I’ll look for a bit of metal that shape. I agree could be anything–especially on a British carrier. 😉 😉
Might even be a bit Seafire arrestor gear left hanging on a bit of superstructure. 🙂 🙂 🙂

For some reason I have a hunch that this is a fleet carrier which should narrow it down a bit.
Cheers
Andy

Sorry – I should say it’s probably an aerial, might be part of the crash barrier, a washing line – but it’s not part of the Avenger (IMHO!)

I’ll have a look through my references on British carriers tonight and see if I can match up an areial of that sort.
It’s a long shot though.
Cheers
Andy

It’s certainly the ship’s aerial.

Here’s the other “bit” with an enlargement of the background ship (but I don’t think it will help much!)

Hi SP62,
Not sure that aerial is attached to the Avenger

I tend to agree with that James.

Skypilot perhaps if we can see some more of the ship and/or the background ships it might help.

I think Prestwick was where all FAA Avengers were converted to British standards upon import.
So maybe the picture originated from a squadron working up on that type.
I’d like to know more about this picture too.
Cheers
Andy

Hi SP62,
Not sure that aerial is attached to the Avenger (it was a Tarpon v. briefly – I’d like to think even the Lords of the Admiralty were embarrassed at that gaffe) but i think it’s part of the carrier. The normal bomber / recon radar was ASV (Air Surface Vessel) and was a wider array of smaller ‘comb’ aerials, normally on the wings. Later the wing mounted ‘bomb’ radar was fitted.

Cheers

I take it the aerial mast on the Tarpon must be some sort of radar?

Plane in the foreground is a Grumman Avenger (Tarpoon for the FAA).

HTH,

Laurent

Is this a Brewster Bermuda?

The aircraft in the background is a Martlet (Wildcat) which is clearly NOT what is in the foreground!!

Willow