ArmyAirForces.com
Home Databases AAF Forum Photo Galleries Research Help The Store Contact  
Prev Thread Prev Thread   Next Thread Next Thread
 army liason aircraft
Author Message
Ancient Pelican

  • Total Posts : 1
  • Reward points : 0
  • Joined: 07/02/2008
  • Status: offline
army liason aircraft - 07/02/2008 03:11:49 PM
Can any tell me if there were army liason aircraft on Guadacanl during 42-43 time frame. I talking about L-4 or L-5  used by the Marines or Army
SHAEF1944

  • Total Posts : 437
  • Reward points : 553
  • Joined: 09/25/2007
  • Status: offline
RE: army liason aircraft - 07/02/2008 10:55:21 PM
Somebody may come up with more definitive info, but a quick search found this data about the deployment of the L-Birds :
 
The Army experimented with using small organic aircraft for artillery fire adjustment and other functions in maneuvers at Camp Beauregard, La., in August 1940. The tests were repeated on a larger scale in the Army maneuvers in Louisiana, Tennessee, Texas, and the Carolinas in 1941.
Following a final series of experiments with organic Army spotter aircraft conducted in 1942, the secretary of War ordered the establishment of organic air observation for field artillery- -hence the birth of modern Army Aviation--on 6 June 1942.
Organic Army Aviation first entered into combat in November 1942 on the coast of North Africa. During World War II, L-4 Grasshoppers and L-5 Sentinels were used to adjust artillery fire, gather intelligence, support naval bombardment, direct bombing missions, and perform other functions.
 
Given the low priority of Pacific units, I would guess that the Army on Guadalcanal did not have these planes deployed during the time they were in combat there.
 
Marines deployed them later :
 
The Grasshopper’s success living with Army ground troops came to the attention of combat Marines in the Pacific and headquarters personnel in Washington. When the 1st Marine Division launched the assault on Cape Gloucester, New Britain, in late 1943, its commanding general obtained 10 used Grasshoppers from the Army and organized their effective use with an unofficial group made up from Marine ground personnel.
By this time, Marine Headquarters and Bureau of Aeronautics (BUAER) personnel had arranged to obtain 72 L-5s for the Marines, designated OY-1s. Earlier in the year, Vultee and Consolidated had merged to form Consolidated Vultee, and all subsequent new-design Navy aircraft acquisitions from Convair (as it came to be called) would continue the long series of Consolidated designations using Y.
As OYs were delivered beginning in October, Marine Observation Squadrons (VMO) were being commissioned as part of an Artillery Spotting Division.
 
Only direct reference to liaison/spotting aircraft I found on Guadalcanal was the following, describing the initial assault and the air assets assigned :
 
Six floatplanes were supplied the assault forces by the heavy cruisers to Task Force 62. Three of these, from the USS Astoria, were used as liaison planes whose first duty was to mark the extremities of Beach Red with smoke so that the target area would be clearly visible to the transports and the landing craft. Three additional planes were supplied by the USS Quincy for use as spotting planes by the 11th Marines, the division artillery.
 
 
Again, someone may come up with more definitive info, but this may help with at least part of the answer.
SHAEF1944 American Veterans Museum
SHAEF1944

  • Total Posts : 437
  • Reward points : 553
  • Joined: 09/25/2007
  • Status: offline
RE: army liason aircraft - 07/03/2008 03:16:59 AM
While going through my saved Favorite Places links, I ran across a link for HistoryLink101.com which has some pictures from Henderson Field.  1st is one of the Curtiss biplanes from one of the cruisers noted above on the field, October 1942. Second is captioned "PiperCub series 1692-1700, Henderson Field, February 15, 1944"




[image]local://14097/DD9BB263E6524683A2993E936DD29040.jpg[/image]

[image]local://14097/F5FFADF747934ECA8D49C3F33F751094.jpg[/image]
Attached Image(s)
SHAEF1944 American Veterans Museum
SHAEF1944

  • Total Posts : 437
  • Reward points : 553
  • Joined: 09/25/2007
  • Status: offline
RE: army liason aircraft - 07/03/2008 03:25:22 AM
1st titled same as above,  2nd titled "Stinson spotter plane, Guadalcanal, April 13, 1944".   No info given as to what units these A/C were assigned to.

[image]local://14097/4D92BE603F704ADAAB7DA367BA8F4037.jpg[/image]

[image]local://14097/DE897080C39E407DB92003062A40BC8A.jpg[/image]
Attached Image(s)
SHAEF1944 American Veterans Museum
shooshoobaby

  • Total Posts : 4007
  • Reward points : 644
  • Joined: 01/28/2006
  • Status: offline
RE: army liason aircraft - 07/03/2008 11:15:51 AM
Just a FYI-
2 Excellent Books by Ken Wakefield:
The Fighting Grasshoppers
Light Planes at War
Mike
akdhc2pilot

  • Total Posts : 12
  • Reward points : 0
  • Joined: 09/24/2006
  • Status: offline
RE: army liason aircraft - 07/19/2008 02:27:17 PM
No OY's (L-5's) operated in the Solomon Islands in 1942 or 1943. The first production L-5 did not leave the factory until November 1942, the Navy / Marines didn't receive their first OY-1's until October 1943, and none of the Marine Observation Squadrons were ready for combat until 1944. 

VMO-1 was temporarily staged on Guadacanal in support of the 3rd Marine Division prior to the invasion of Guam. The squadrons 8 OY-1 aircraft were assembled at Guadalcanal and participated in pre-invasion exercises at Tassaforanga and Cape Esperance in May and June (these are the aircraft pictured). The aircraft were then loaded aboard 4 CVE light Aircraft Carriers (2 apiece) and sailed for Guam in July 1944. No other L-5's arrived at Guadacanal for staging in other operations until 1945.
 
p.s. The books "Light Planes at War" and "Fighting Grasshoppers" only cover light plane operations in the ETO.
Jim Gray, Founder
Sentinel Owners and Pilots Association
<http://www.sentinelclub.org>
A type club for owners and WWII / Korean Vets of the Stinson L-5 Sentinel, aka "Flying Jeep"

Jump to:

Current active users
There are 0 members and 1 guests.
Icon Legend and Permission
  • New Messages
  • No New Messages
  • Hot Topic w/ New Messages
  • Hot Topic w/o New Messages
  • Locked w/ New Messages
  • Locked w/o New Messages
  • Read Message
  • Post New Thread
  • Reply to message
  • Post New Poll
  • Submit Vote
  • Post reward post
  • Delete my own posts
  • Delete my own threads
  • Rate post

© 2000-2008 ASPPlayground.NET Forum Version 3.1