NRAB Minneapolis- Grosse Ile- Detroit

[tulsaboy]

Hello all,

I am looking for anyone who can help me out with a photo hunt... I am looking for WWII era photos of the above mentioned Naval Reserve Air Bases, most specifically from the 1941-1943 period. I'm trying to track down photos of those bases when the Spartan NP-1 was in service there, with the ultimate goal of finding photos of those bases with NP-1 aircraft in the photos. Additionally, I'm looking for information and photos of naval aviators from that period who may have flown the NP-1. As yet, the only former Naval aviator that I know who is living and actually flew the NP-1 is former President George H.W. Bush. And interviews with him are a little hard to come by. But I'd love to hear from another aviator or two who flew the NP-1 during training. Any help is appreciated!

Thanks in advance,

kevin

[immelman50]

Hi Kevin,

I can help a little bit. I have been researching Minneapolis Naval Air Station. It changed from NARB in late 1942 or very early 1943 and then back to a reserve base after the war. I am not positive of the dates because I left the book at work. This is all in connection with restoring one of the Bush Stearmans. You can see photos here: http://www.projects.aircorpsaviation.co ... buno-3347/

This book will be useful for you for the Minneapolis base: "United States Naval Air Stations of World War II: Volume 2 - Western States" by M.L. Shettle, Jr. it is still available here:

http://www.amazon.com/United-States-Nav ... B94BB8916A

There is also a volume 1 of the eastern Naval Air Stations that probably has Gross Ile in it.

The images in those books are copyrighted so I won't post them but will send in a PM. There are no NP-1s in the Minneapolis photos but I know they were at least there in late 1942 because George HW Bush wrote about his very first flight in any airplane in a letter home and that was in the Spartan.

This website is entitled Gross Ile and has photos of Spartans , at least one of which appears to be at Gross Ile:http://nasgi.net/np1.htm
They are protected against copying so I can't post those either , or at least I can't figure out how.

Check for a PM

Chuck Cravens

[immelman50]

I found a photo that I know is at Minneapolis NAS and am pretty sure it is taken looking down at the two cockpits of an NP-1 but I can't seem to put in attachments on this thread, though I have elsewhere. Again email me and I will get it to you.