Photos

A Curtiss SB2C-1 Helldiver lands on board with a broken tail wheel, circa May 1943. The SB2C-1 Helldivers were then undergoing carrier qualification tests on the YORKTOWN. Note flight deck crewmen running to assist.

View of the starboard side of the after 5-inch/38 caliber twin gun mounts, circa May 1943. Note SB2C Helldivers on the flight deck, crewmen working on a life raft, and floater net stowage.

Photo #: 80-G-241043 USS Yorktown (CV-10) SB2C-1 Helldiver bombers return to the carrier after a raid in early July 1944. Photographed by Photographer's Mate First Class O.L. Smith, USNR. The original caption for this photograph, released by Commander in Chief, Pacific, gives the date as 6 July 1944 and identifies the target as Chichi Jima, Bonin Islands, which was actually attacked on 4 June. Edward Steichen's U.S. Navy War Photographs identifies the target as Guam. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Aircraft prepare for takeoff, on the ship's after flight deck, during operations in the Pacific in October 1943. Grumman F6F fighters are in the foreground, with TBF and SB2C aircraft beyond.

View of the starboard side of the after 5-inch/38 caliber twin gun mounts, circa May 1943. Note SB2C Helldivers on the flight deck, crewmen working on a life raft, and floater net stowage.

Grumman F4F "Wildcat" is positioned on the catapult, circa spring 1943. Note plane director motioning to the pilot, as catapult operators get out of the way. Another F4F is visible in the distance, beyond the plane's propeller. Photographed by Lieutenant Charl

Photo #: 80-G-10613 Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat fighters, of Fighting Squadron Three (VF-3) In flight near Naval Air Station, Kaneohe, Oahu, Hawaii, 10 April 1942. The planes are Bureau # 3976 (marked F-1), flown by VF-3 Commanding Officer Lieutenant Commander John S. Thach, and Bureau # 3986, flown by Lieutenant Edward H. O'Hare. Both of these aircraft were lost while assigned to Fighting Squadron Two (VF-2) with USS Lexington (CV-2), during the Battle of Coral Sea in May 1942. Photographed by Photographer Second Class H.S. Fawcett. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

F4F-4 Wildcats of VF-41 testing their guns on USS Ranger prior to Operation Torch.

KINGFISHER Seaplanes. Fly in formation circa 1940-41

"KINGFISHER" has an electric engine heater installed by ARM3c Felix J. Reeder, on board a cruiser. Cold weather off Kyushu, Japan, made this measure necessary before the plane could be catapulted.

KINGFISHER floatplanes warming up engines at Naval Air Station, circa January-May 1942. Note yellow practice bombs under wings

Vought OS2U "Kingfisher" floatplane

Vought OS2U "Kingfisher" floatplane

Photo #: 80-G-227990 Vought OS2U Kingfisher floatplane, from USS North Carolina (BB-55) Off Truk with nine aviators on board, awaiting rescue by USS Tang (SS-306), 1 May 1944. The plane had landed inside Truk lagoon to recover downed airmen. Unable to take off

Photo #: 80-G-227991 Vought OS2U Kingfisher floatplane, from USS North Carolina (BB-55) Off Truk with nine aviators on board, awaiting rescue by USS Tang (SS-306), 1 May 1944. The plane had landed inside Truk lagoon to recover downed airmen. Unable to take off

Vought OS2U "Kingfisher" floatplane taxis up on the landing mat of USS Quincy (CA-71), circa 1944.