Airdrop

Flight Journal, Aug 2000

Any ideas?

Going through my file of photographs, I came across this picture of a Vultee PT-13/15 Vibrator modified for aerial application use. I do not remember where or when I took the photo, but it must have been at an airshow during the 1950s.

Note that the upper wing has a much smaller span than the lower wing; it does not have ailerons, but it does have flaps that are mechanically linked to the lower wing flaps.

I feel that it would be interesting to publish the picture and ask your readers whether any of them know anything about the airplane. I wonder whether it still exists.

Martin A. Snyder

Concord, CA

I was there

Pages 32 and 33 of your June 2000 issue show a painting by Nicolas Trudgian entitled, "Battle for the Islands." I was there when the Japanese bombers attacked. We sailed from Guadalcanal the previous night and arrived at Rendova during the early morning hours. I was attached to Company G, 169th Infantry 43rd Infantry division. At the time of the bombing, we were unloading an LCI about 150 yards off the beach. We had formed a line from the boat to shore and were passing supplies from man to man. All at once, someone yelled, "B-25s! The Japanese are going to get hell today." I looked up and there was a flight of twinengine aircraft in "V" formation coming over the mountain as depicted in the painting.

At about the same time, someone else yelled, "They're Japanese!-not American!" At this, the line broke and we all ran toward the beach. I found a stack of supplies just in from the shoreline and ducked behind this cover but rolled onto my back so I could look up. The planes appeared to be right overhead, and I could see the bombs start to fall. I closed my eyes as explosions immediately shook the ground, each lifting me up. The noise was deafening. Panic took over, and everyone fired any weapon available. As soon as I had recovered from the shock, I moved inland to a line of trees just off the beach. I also noted that what I had ducked behind was a stack of mortar shells. Shortly thereafter, a flight of Corsairs came roaring over-about 50 feet above the treesheadinQ out to sea.

I later heard that they shot down all of the bombers, but not before the bombs had done their damage. We saw fires and pillars of smoke along the length of the beach, and several boats had been destroyed. Supplies were strewn all over the shore. Four men from my company were killed and a number were injured. In total, I think fatalities reached around 200 as a result of the bombing. The rest of the day was spent trying to reassemble the company, restore order and assess the damage. Rendova was secured, and from there, we moved on to New Georgia and, eventually, to the capture of Munda Airfield.

Yes; the painting is pretty true and depicts with considerable accuracy what occurred on that fateful day. It brought back many memories; I hope to obtain a copy of that print to pass on to my grandchildren.

I do enjoy your magazine and have been a subscriber for several years. I am now 79 years of age; I was 21 at the time depicted in the painting.

Lafayette W. Argetsinger III Brackney, PA

Blimp hangars

Having grown up close to South Weymouth, Massachusetts, NAS during WW II, I enjoyed the February 2000 article "Coastal Sentinels." A story that's still told is that under certain weather conditions, a low-hanging cloud could be trapped high in the hangar, and it would rain inside while the sun shone outside.

John Papineau

North Easton, MA

More info

Thank you for the beautiful layout showing Jim Dietz's painting "Desperate Journey" in the "On Canvas" section (April 2000). Although this work was commissioned by my family, it is dedicated to the members of the 15th Air Force who fought in the Balkan theater in WW II. My father, Col. James A. Gunn

(USAF, Ret.) passed away on October 2, 1999. The outpouring of support from members of the Romania POW organization for my mother and the inspiration for freedom the painting represents have been truly gratifying.

I have some additional information that pertains to the caption: my father was a lieutenant colonel at the time, not a colonel as stated; the last name of the pilot who flew the Bf 109G is spelled "Cantacuzense." Prince (Capt.) Constantine "Bezu" Cantacuzense was a highly talented individual and was credited with 54 kills at the time of the flight to Italy. The rescue of the 1,161 Allied POWs from Romania to Italy was at the direction of Gen. Nat Twining, 15th AF commander. All the resources used in the rescue were USAAF assets. The reference to the Romanians leading the rescue might stem from the fact that Bezu Cantacuzense returned to Popesti Aerodrome in a P-51 to assist with the around-the-clock evacuation.

The credit for the commissioning of the painting goes to the members of the GLT. I am my father's son, not nephew, and I did the coordination for the painting.

William B. Gunn

Anacortes, WA

Spartan chief flight instructor

I was amazed by Flight Journal's February 2000 article on the Spartan Executive. Please pass on my sincere thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Blankenburg for describing the very remarkable actual flight of a 64-year-old stable and marvelous airplane-NC17667-7W-33. I believe this Executive was the nextto-last one produced.