Additional photos to close out 2014 ...

[Mark Allen M]

Thought I would edit this thread and add some other neat stuff for ya's ... Happy New year folks. Make it a good one coming up.

Robins Army Airfield c 1945 ....

I little history per Wiki:

"The War Department, in search of a site for an Army Air Corps Depot, selected the sleepy whistle-stop town known as Wellston, Georgia, 15 miles south of Macon GA. Army Colonel Charles Thomas, originally from Atlanta, landed at the Herbert Smart Airport near Camp Wheeler near Macon in October, 1941 to oversee the building of the location which would later become the home to Wellston Air Depot at Robins Field (later to become Robins AFB).

It was Col. Thomas who chose the name "Robins" for his mentor Brig. Gen. Augustine Warner Robins. Brig. Gen. Robin's is considered the 'father of logistics' for his system of cataloging supplies and materials. He had a lengthy military career prior to becoming the chief of the Air Corps Materiel Division. Robins traveled in China disguised as a millionaire tourist, collecting intelligence for the Army. He also went to Mexico where he served under Gen. John J. Pershing in the Army's campaign against Pancho Villa. He trained during World War I to become a pilot earning his wings in June 1918. He didn't get to see combat because the war was ending. Robins suffered a near-fatal plane crash in 1921 in which his jaw and arm were severely broken. Brig. Gen. Robins died of a heart attack on Father's Day, 16 June 1940 at Randolph Field, Texas, while he was Commandant of the Air Corps Training Center.

Spurred on by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, the number of construction workers reached 2,200 by Christmas 1941. The Army enlarged the project by purchasing 2,637 additional acres and leasing 782 more south of the depot for troop training. In May 1942, the number of construction workers peaked at 6,600. The contractors essentially completed the project by 31 August 1942. Construction on the industrial and cantonment areas was completed by 31 August 1942. The second and third phases were completed the following April.

The rapidly growing town of Wellston changed its name to Warner Robins on 1 September 1942. Known as the Georgia Air Depot in the beginning, the depot has undergone many name changes. It was redesignated seven times, eventually being named Warner Robins Army Air Depot on 14 October 1942.

Warner Robins Army Air Depot eventually assumed overall command of the Air Service Command's installations in the states of Georgia, South Carolina, a portion of Florida, and North Carolina. Warner Robins supported approximately 6,500 Army aircraft in this area with depot maintenance and supply.

Throughout World War II (1941–45), 23,670 employees repaired almost every kind of AAF aircraft, including B-17s, C-47s, B-29s, B-24s, P-38s, P-47s, and P-51s. Its training facilities turned out nearly 60,000 field repair mechanics for every theater of war. The workforce supplied every kind of part necessary to keep AAF planes flying, especially spark plugs. It also maintained thousands of parachutes, aircraft electronic and radio systems, and AAF small arms.

In addition to aircraft maintenance and supply, air depots also trained aviation support personnel. These included air depot groups and air service groups, plus medical, military police, quartermaster, ordnance, chemical, and signal personnel. Warner Robins sent its first trained unit, the 38th Air Depot Group, overseas in December 1942. It is estimated that over 50,000 Army personnel trained at Warner Robins during the war."

Last edited by Mark Allen M on Mon Dec 29, 2014 10:51 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Chris Brame]

Thanks Mark! Great variety of planes and markings. Nice surprise to see the B-19 in its final configuration, plus that tired B-26C trainer 41-35119 and all those Waco gliders.

[Mark Allen M]

VMF-113 on Engebi Island, c 1944.


VMF-113 pilots on Engebi Island, c 1944


Naval Ordnance men receiving training at Arthurdale, W Va.


SOC Seagulls off the heavy cruiser Indianapolis


heavy cruiser Indianapolis (CA 35), one of the cruiser's SOC Seagulls flying in formation with an OS2U Kingfisher


PBY with OS2U escorts

Last edited by Mark Allen M on Mon Dec 29, 2014 11:05 am, edited 2 times in total.

[Mark Allen M]

TBF-1s VT-10 over Maui c 1943. First Avenger has some sort of interesting tank hanging under the wing. Not sure what type that is.


Interesting photo of an Avenger carrying a glide type bomb?

[Mark Allen M]

F6F-3 Hellcats of VF-8 in flight c 1943. Gotta love Hellcats, makes me want to start doing something with those parts I have in storage ... oops!

[Jerry O'Neill]

Love that photo of the armament loading training with the wooden Helldiver mock-ups!

[Mark Allen M]

F4F's of VMF 441 at Nanumea c 1943


F4F's of VMF 441 at Nanumea c 1943

[Mark Allen M]

Below the result of a PB4Y-1after it crashed through a guard fence Marine Corps Base property at Lindberg Field c 1945

[Mark Allen M]

Another one of those crazy looking 'bat-bombs' under a PB4Y

[JohnB]

The photos prompt a question...
How did they transport CG-4s from one base to another after they were assembled (I know they went overseas in 3 shipping crates)?
Fly them or disassemble & train them?

[Jeremy S]

As always, thank you for posting these Mark!

Happy New Years!

[Tulio]

Mark,

Although I rarely comment on your postings, I want this time to thank you, for taking the time and uploading all those interesting images. There is something cool to be seen, not only in the foreground, but also in the background of the photos you have shared.

Saludos, and Happy New Year!


Tulio

[Chris Brame]

Love that photo of the armament loading training with the wooden Helldiver mock-ups!

Seconded! Never heard of such an animal (vegetable?) and here we have a dozen. Mark, can you enlarge that photo so the lettering on the cowls and tires is readable? Anyone have more info on them?

[lmritger]

First of all Mark, I hope you had a very Merry Christmas and I wish you and all my fellow WIX enthusiasts a very happy, healthy, and successful New Year!

Now, a couple points: the Corsair cognoscenti ought to be wetting themselves at all the bizarre markings on the F4Us at Robins AAF! There's some real weirdos in those pics. And I immediately pulled up Arthurdale, WV in Google Maps and found... zip, zilch, nada, bupkis, nothing. The closest airport-type place looks like it's up in Morgantown. Where the hell was this, and did any of those wooden Beasts survive? THAT is something I could very easily get into restoring if I could find one! I may not know how to work metal, but I can cut, sand, nail, screw, glue, and paint wooden stuff. Which reminds me, I need to sharpen those skills on some window frames around my house this spring...

Thanks as always Mark!

Lynn

[Mark Allen M]

As always thanks kindly for the nice words gents. Always my pleasure to post a few old photos. Like I have said before, they serve no purpose and have no value if no one sees them. I know Ive learned a lot from you folks and I appreciate it very much. Thanks again.

Chris I'll see what I can do to clear up the lettering on those wooden Helldivers. First I've ever seen that type of thing as well. Seems like a lot of work to create them.

Happy new year once again to all of you. Take good care of yourselves, your family and friends. Be kind, generous, considerate and filled with passion for what you truly enjoy. Teaching and learning never gets old.

And stick around, the best is yet to come