On This Day…October 26th.
A momentous day for iModelers. One of the truly great fighters of World War II, the P-51 was first flown today on 26 October 1940. At Mines Field, Los Angeles, California (now, Los Angeles International Airport), test pilot Vance Breese took the prototype North American Aviation NA-73X (NX19998) on a five-minute first flight.
The US Navy has long had a tradition of initiating ‘Polywogs’ into ‘Shellbacks’. The ‘subpoena’ below was issued to FN Gilreath on October 26th, 1943 as the USS Essex crossed the equator.
A stricken ‘kamikaze’ aircteft falling astern of the USS Petrof Bay, Philippine Islands, 26 Oct 1944.
Craig Abrahamson said on October 26, 2018
Now THAT is noteworthy (and it appears the tail structure was blown off of that kamikaze aircraft).
david leigh-smith said on October 27, 2018
Cheers, Craig. The kamikaze photo does give the sense of how desperate and depressing the tactic was. Get the b$%&^*d before he gets you.
Robert Royes said on October 26, 2018
Happy birthday Mustang!!
david leigh-smith said on October 26, 2018
Happy birthday Mustang, indeed. A beautiful design that is beyond words – she is gorgeous.
Louis Gardner said on October 26, 2018
I agree. It’s right up there with the Spitfire and the Ki-61. Beautiful planes.
Matt Minnichsoffer said on October 26, 2018
All great history nuggets.
david leigh-smith said on October 26, 2018
Thanks, Matt.
Tom Cleaver said on October 26, 2018
It’s interesting that Essex would take time to do a Line Crossing, given that she and Bunker Hill were in a mad dash from Pearl Harbor to Noumea, to reinforce Halsey in the face of the oncoming Japanese Eighth Fleet’s attack at Bougainville.
Louis Gardner said on October 26, 2018
One could possibly take the longitude coordinates given on this and figure out where the carrier was when it crossed over. Isn’t Bougainville just south of the Equator ??
david leigh-smith said on October 26, 2018
Personally, I think it shows the necessity of letting off steam and the importance of ritual in controlling fear and the unknown. We can laugh at the ancient gods but they do an important job in giving a little context through story and myth, especially if you are heading straight into a war zone.
Louis Gardner said on October 26, 2018
Excellent photos as usual………………… Thanks !!!
Jeff Bailey said on October 27, 2018
Outstanding group, David! I’m humming the Happy Birthday song to the Mustang right now!
@dirtylittlefokker
Jim Harley said on October 27, 2018
IMHO…the greatest airplane ever built 🙂 thanks for posting this.
Jim
david leigh-smith said on October 27, 2018
Jim, I don’t think you’d get too many folks here arguing with you, even if they have their own favourites.
@jimh