CV-41San Diego Aircraft Carrier MuseumCV-41

 

 

USS Midway Museum & other Midway-Related Help Requests

 

 

 

Date : Thursday, November 02, 2006

From : David Hanson, SDACM Curatorial Collections Manager
 

Subject : USMC F4U Corsairs onboard USS Midway

Hello Troy -


I have another request for help from your visitors. We are in the process of getting an F4U for our collection, and are planning on putting it in the markings of either VMF-225 or VMF-461, the two Marine squadrons that operated off of USS Midway in the 1949-1952 time period.


I am looking to acquire photographs or scans of VMF-225 (tail code "WI") or VMF-461 (tail code "LP") Corsairs on board the Midway, in order to help with our aircraft painting documentation. Anyone who has such photos, or knows the colors or markings of those squadrons can contact me at their convenience.


Thank you for your help!

David Hanson, SDACM Curatorial Collections Manager
San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum
910 North Harbor Drive
San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: 619-544-9600 Ext. 240

 


 

Date : Thursday, November 02, 2006

From : Troy Prince, MidwaySailor.com
 

Subject : VMCJ-1 EA-6A Intruder Photos

 

Pete Clayton, the former Chief Engineer for the San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum is writing another book. This one is a 166-page photo history of Air Wing Five. He needs help in locating photos of EA-6A Intruders from VMCJ-1. If anyone can help, please contact me and I will pass your information on to Pete.

 


 

Date : Wednesday, March 29, 2006

From : David Hanson, SDACM Curatorial Collections Manager
 

Subject : VA-25 A-1 Skyraider & VFP-61 F9F-8P Cougar Markings

 

Hello - I'm a curator at the Midway Museum, and I'm in charge of creating the painting instructions for the aircraft that are restored to be brought aboard the museum. I am looking for help on two details:

One is for the VA-25 Skyraider (USS Midway circa 1965) markings - I need a close-up photo of the bomb scoreboard on the side of the plane so that we can replicate that on our version of #577. Even if it is not from #577 (but from another VA-25 A-1H), that would be good. I am looking for something more detailed than the cruisebook photos.

The other request is for our F9F-8P Cougar under restoration. We will be restoring it in the markings of VFP-61 circa 1957-8. There was a fox painted on the landing gear door (see Squadron/Signal publication on F9F Panther/Cougar in Action, page 47). If anyone can provide me with a detailed photo of that fox logo (preferably in color), that would be great.

Thanks for your help!

David Hanson, SDACM Curatorial Collections Manager
San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum
910 North Harbor Drive
San Diego, CA 92101

 

I've sent David everything I have of VA-25 aircraft, including one photo & scans of #577's bomb scoreboard from two Hasegawa's models. However, if anyone can help with other photos, please contact me or email David Hanson directly.

 

Thank You! ~ Troy Prince, MidwaySailor.com

 

 

This is some of the VA-25 A-1 Skyraider material I've sent David

Please click a thumbnail to view the larger image.
Images will open in a new window.

VA-25 NE 577

VA-25

NE 577 with

MiG-17 kill marking

VA-25 NE 577

VA-25

NE 577 with

MiG-17 kill marking

VA-25 NE 577

VA-25 NE 577 kill

markings from

Hasegawa Model

VA-25 NE 572

VA-25

NE 572

The toilet bomb

dropper

VA-25 NE 572

VA-25

NE 572

The toilet bomb

dropper

 

 


 

Date : Wednesday, January 18, 2005

From : Troy Prince, MidwaySailor.com
 

Subject : Air Wing Five Accidents

 

Pete Clayton, the former Chief Engineer for the San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum is writing a 200-page photo history of USS Midway, which will go to press this month. He is attempting to document Air Wing Five accidents and needs some help. The ones he is still needing information about are shown below. If anyone has information on these accidents, please contact me and I will pass your information on to Pete.
 

Excerpt from Pete's email to me:

 

Last unknowns:

A-7A 153256 VA-93 12 November 1973 LT Richard L. Pierson – fatal

A-7A VA-93 19 April 1974 LCDR George P. Kryoer – fatal

RF-4B 153111 VMCJ-1 3 July 1974 1 fatal ?- ??1st LT Paul V. Duncan lost ??, at the 180 - abeam Midway stall? or double flameout?

A-7A 153160 VA-93 11 July 1974 75 mi SE Yoko LT James L. Feeney - fatal

A-7A 152685 VA-56 6 October 1975 IO

C-1A 146035 CV-41 25 August 1977 launch off CV41? crash / accident at Atsugi?

A-7E 160868 VA-93 23 August 1983

 

If anyone can help with these, please contact me!

 


 

Date : Sunday, January 09, 2005

From : Troy Prince, MidwaySailor.com
 

Subject : Air Wing Five Bombing Over Vietnam Photo

 

Pete Clayton would like a larger resolution of this photo for his book. If anyone can help with this, please contact me!
 

Bombing Over Vietnam

 


 

Date : Saturday, January 08, 2005

From : Troy Prince, MidwaySailor.com
 

Subject : Air Wing Five Accidents

 

Pete Clayton, the former Chief Engineer for the San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum is writing a 200-page photo history of USS Midway, which should go to press next month. He is attempting to document Air Wing Five accidents and needs some help. The ones he specifically asked me about are shown below, but if anyone has information on other accidents, please contact me and I will pass your information on to Pete.
 

Excerpt from Pete's email to me:

 

I've got 82 Midway aircraft accidents from 1965 to 1991. With lots of help from around the country I'm down to these for not knowing what happened:

A-7A 153256 VA-93 12 November 1973

A-7A 153160 VA-93 1 July 1974

RF-4B 153111 VMCJ-1 3 July 1974 Midway approach stall?

A-7A 154353 VA-56 July 1975

A-7A 152685 VA-56 6 October 1975 IO

C-1A 146035 CV-41 25 August 1977 crash Atsugi?

A-7 tow bar break, rolled over side, fatal PC?

F-4J 158346 VF-151 7 January 1980

F-4J 158371 VF-151 29 July 1980 mid-air?

F-4J 158377 VF-151 29 July 1980 mid-air?

F-4J 158349 VF-151 5 August 1980 -starboard catapult over-rotate? day ejection

A-7E 158828 VA-56 17 December 1980 Japan, Ohshima Islands

A-7E VA-56 3rd loss, 1981? Buzz Nau's comment: The VA-56 A-7E that was lost in 81 was on a det in Korea. We had heard that it was taking off and crashed in a ball of flames. That's all I know.

A-7E 160880 VA-93 18 March 1984

SH-3H 152136 HS-12 12 February 1986

SH-3H 149931 HS-12 9 November 1987

 

An additional accident, as told by Buzz Nau:

 

One you don't have listed: There was an EA-6B that landed at Atsugi in 82 or 83 and the nose gear collapsed. I watched it from the flight line. We were launching aircraft when all the base emergency vehicles ran out to the end of the runway with lights and sirens blaring. None of us had a clue what was going on so we just watched. The Prowler came in on a normal approach and the nose gear was down, but as soon as the nose dropped the gear collapsed and it skidded on the nose. We looked at it afterwards and there was hardly any damage at all to it.

If anyone can help with these, please
contact me!

 


 

Date : Sunday, January 02, 2005

From : Troy Prince, MidwaySailor.com
 

Subject : Air Wing Five Accidents

 

Pete Clayton, the former Chief Engineer for the San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum is writing a 200-page photo history of USS Midway, which should go to press next month. He is attempting to document Air Wing Five accidents and needs some help. The ones he specifically asked me about are shown below, but if anyone has information on other accidents, please contact me and I will pass your information on to Pete.
 

Excerpt from Pete's email to me:

 

I have been building a 200 page photo-history of Midway - full time. Should go to press next month.

Among the research I have found 36 aircraft accidents in CVW-5 from 1973 to 1991. Three were EA-6Bs. I talked to RADM Rich Wilson at length about the Nov 87 loss, so have that pretty well covered although I would be interested in your recollection.

I need help on:
EA-6B 160708 on 22 January 1982
EA-6B 160789 on 07 April 1986, 11 mi. E Miyake-jima Island

Do you know what happened on either of those?

Also - I've read that in the 1987 crash that a cake and celebration were in place in RR6 for the CO on his return for his 1000th trap. Is that true - if so how was it handled when things got ugly?

 

As a large section of MidwaySailor.com is about the Gauntlets of VAQ-136, I am interested in learning about these accidents also. If anyone can help, please contact me!
 

 


 

Date : Tuesday, December 21, 2004

From : Troy Prince, MidwaySailor.com
 

I have received the following help request and am posting it here, hoping someone can help out. Please contact me and I will pass your information on to Karl Zingheim, Exhibits Manager at the San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum.
 

Subject : Looking for Junior Officer Bunkroom Artifacts

 

Greetings!

In January, the SDACM (San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum) will have open a junior officer (considered lieutenant commander and below) bunkroom, and we are still a little thin in the artifact category.

Therefore, we are seeking anyone who would care to donate personal effects that would fit such an exhibit, such as:

--uniforms (summer, winter, blues, whites, headwear)

--rank insignia (collar devices, shoulder boards)

--decorations (campaign, service ribbons)

--personal training items (PQS booklets, professional library-type books) --personal items such as correspondence, photos, bric a brac from visits overseas

Thank you.

Karl Zingheim, Exhibits Manager

 


 

Date : Tuesday, April 13, 2004

From : Troy Prince, MidwaySailor.com
 

Subject : Photos of USS Midway Wanted

 

This is a personal request for photos of USS Midway in San Diego. If anyone has photos of the following views, I would love to see them:

 

~ USS Midway being decommissioned in 1992.

 

~ USS Midway crossing San Diego Bay on January 10, 2004: Photos from aboard the ship and photos taken from the pier.

 

~ Photos taken of USS Midway at Navy Pier... taken from the water or the air. Did you take a harbor cruise or personal boat out onto the bay and take photos of the Midway? Did you shoot photos of the Midway while on a helicopter ride? Please share them with this site and everyone who visits it!

 

Also wanted are photos of USS Midway in Bremerton, Washington and Oakland, California.

 


 

Date : Saturday, April 03, 2004

From : Buzz Nau, Eagle 3
 

Subject : VA-115 Ready Room Restoration Fund Campaign

 

Fellow VA-115 Squadronmates and Friends,

We have a unique opportunity to save and preserve a piece of VA-115 and USS Midway history. The USS Midway was moved to San Diego's Navy Pier on 10 January 2004 after a ten year long campaign to turn the ship over to the San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum and become the largest floating naval museum. Aircraft and compartments aboard are being sponsored to help fund the museum.

Funding for the sponsorships comes from many different sources and they get to choose how an aircraft or compartment is to be displayed. Historical significance will not save a compartment from being restored to something it wasn't.

I think it's extremely important that we preserve as much Midway history "on" the Midway as we can. That is the reason I have decided to sponsor Ready Room 5 for VA-115, my old squadron.

The following is needed to secure Ready Room 5 for VA-115.

$3,500 to install the sprinkler system
$2,500 a year for five years
Cost of paint, light bulbs, cleaning, etc
Items for display
Written plan to the Museum Exhibits Director and the Curator

I am sure there are enough Arabs and Eagles out there to get this done easily, but the problem is getting the word out. Please send the address to this web site along to all of your VA-115 squadronmates and let's save a piece of VA-115 history!

Check out the Donations page to see how you can help.

E-Mail Eagle 3 for more information.

 

 

Intruder Association ~ Ready Room 5 Restoration Fund

 

 


 

Date : Saturday, April 03, 2004

Subject :
 USS Midway F-4 Phantom II Fund Raising Campaign

 

Dear Friend of Naval Aviation,


The USS Midway (CVA-41) is now berthed at the Navy Pier at the foot of Broadway in downtown San Diego and is in the process of being converted into "The San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum" (SDACM). The opening date is targeted for the first week of June, 2004 so as to coincide with the anniversary of The Battle of Midway.

 

USS Midway fighters scored both the FIRST and LAST air combat victories of the Vietnam War! The Midway Phantom symbolizes and represents the entire period of Air-to-Air Combat Operations of The Vietnam War, (1965-1973)! If you believe the courage and dedication of all who participated in this hard-fought effort should be commemorated and saluted through the display of this aircraft aboard USS Midway, YOU must act now! Send a donation ASAP!

Naturally, part of this process is the authentic restoration, painting, and placement of display aircraft aboard Midway. The aircraft are being donated by the Navy, but the cost of painting and preparing an aircraft for display must be paid through private donations. Each aircraft will receive a "half & half" paint job, which means that each side of the aircraft will be painted in different squadron colors and markings. The cost of sponsoring an F-4 is $20,000 per side, or a total of $40,000 per aircraft.

There will be two F-4 Phantom II aircraft displays. The first F-4 aircraft has been allocated and is fully funded. The 2nd F-4 has been reserved for us, provided the $40,000. can be obtained in time. With the 2nd F-4, we have the opportunity to honor Midway and all Navy Phantom squadrons of the Vietnam War.

USS Midway fighters scored both the FIRST and LAST air combat victories of the Vietnam War! On June 17, 1965, while deployed aboard USS Midway in the Gulf of Tonkin, VF-21 Phantoms engaged and successfully shot down two North Vietnamese MiG-17 aircraft, using radar-guided Sparrow missiles. The first MiG-17 was downed by CDR Louis C. Page and LT. John C. Smith, and the second by their wingman, LT. David Batson and LCDR Robert Doremus. These were the FIRST air combat victories of the Vietnam War.

On January 12, 1973, while also deployed aboard USS Midway in the Gulf of Tonkin, VF-161 Phantoms engaged and successfully shot down a North Vietnamese MiG-17 aircraft, using IR-guided Sidewinder missiles. This MiG-17 was downed by LT. Victor Kovaleski and LT. James Wise. This was the LAST air combat victory of the Vietnam War. A total of eight enemy fighters were shot down by Midway aircraft during the Vietnam War.

Therefore, the drive is hereby underway to fund the painting of The Midway Phantom in the colors and markings of the Freelancers of Fighter Squadron Twenty-One & the Chargers of Fighter Squadron One Six One. The names of the "first & last" aviators, will be placed on the canopy rails in the traditional manner. The names of all Midway Phantom MiG killers will be placed on the intake ramp of the aircraft.

Undoubtedly, you see the importance of this aircraft, but it won't get done unless WE do it! This is a grassroots effort and everyone's help is critical. Join the team and help where you are needed. It's important, and time is critical! Please do it now!

 

Email us to donate, provide information or to learn more about this project: webmaster@MidwayPhantom.com

 

USS Midway F-4 Phantom II Fund Raising Campaign

 

 USS Midway F-4 Phantom II Fund Raising Campaign

 

 


 

Date : Tuesday, March 23, 2004

From :
Karl Zingheim
 

Subject : UNREP Videos

Hi Troy!

Good stuff on your site, as usual!

We are having a tough time tracking down some useful video footage of an UNREP and I would like to ask if you could put the word out to your contributors if anyone has footage he would like to donate for use in our Aux Conn exhibit.

I will also inquire later about obtaining photos for our entryway and CV-41 exhibits.

Thanks and keep up the good work!

Karl Zingheim
SDACM

 

 

A note from MidwaySailor.com:

If you were one of those guys who wrapped their video camera in aluminum foil & have video footage of an UNREP, please email Karl or myself.

Thank you!

 


 

Date : Wednesday, March 17, 2004

From :
Rander
 

Subject : Mural Pic

This is the location in the ships #3 engine room on the 6th deck. John Rodrigues, SDACM Volunteer, points to the location of where the original mural was placed. Pass it round to all former Midway sailors you know so we can recreate this small part of Midway art work.

Photo 2 shows the ship's #3 low pressure turbine with all the art work that was there when the ship was towed to San Diego.

An advance thank you to anyone that can help.

 

#3 low pressure turbine area where the mural is located.

Can you help identify the mural under the white paint?

Photos by Rander

USS Midway

USS Midway

 

 

A note from MidwaySailor.com:

If you can help with photos or information about this mural, please email Rander or myself.

Thank you!

 


 

Date : Monday, March 15, 2004

From :
Rander
 

Subject : Mural Pic

If any former Midway crewmen who worked in the ships #3 engine room, there was a small mural of what restoration volunteers think was a naked woman. This mural has been over painted with white paint. If anyone has a picture of this mural, please email it to
Rander. The volunteers working in the ships #3 engine room would like to recreate this mural. The two volunteers working the engine room are John Rodrigues and Steve Johnson.

 

 

A note from MidwaySailor.com:

This message was originally posted on Buzz Nau's USS Midway Forum.

 


 

 

 

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