Cool Story about SNJ-4 BuNo 27775

sam · **Posted:** Wed Oct 17, 2012 3:53 pm

My late father flew SNJ's while in training at Pensacola. I have all his logs, training jacket, helmet, flightsuits, and a few pictures.

Dad standing on an SNJ
http://s1030.photobucket.com/albums/y36 ... G_0489.jpg

Dad landing an SNJ onboard the USS Monterey
http://s1030.photobucket.com/albums/y36 ... G_0488.jpg

Dad in the ready room preparing for the day. Dad is on the left wearing the tie.
http://s1030.photobucket.com/albums/y36 ... G_0496.jpg

Logbook entry August 31, 1953, SNJ-4 BuNo 27775. He did 3 carrier landings that day.
http://i1030.photobucket.com/albums/y36 ... photo4.jpg

SNJ-4 BuNo 27775 today.
http://s1030.photobucket.com/albums/y36 ... oto7-1.png

Here she is in the hangar at the CAF. That's my son and his trusty companion wiping down his Granddad's SNJ. Notice Old Shep's SNJ in the background
http://s1030.photobucket.com/albums/y36 ... photo5.jpg

I now own SNJ BuNo 27775. I bought her 3 weeks ago. Here I am flying her at TRARON last week.
http://s1030.photobucket.com/albums/y36 ... photo6.png

Airsho 2012
http://s1030.photobucket.com/albums/y36 ... =photo.png

The S/N and BuNo's match and everything. Would like to know if that pic of him landing number 135 on the carrier is BuNo 27775. Its possible.

51fixer · **Posted:** Wed Oct 17, 2012 4:18 pm

Great pics and wonderful to touch history that way.
If you use the link that allows you to insert the visible link from photobucket it will allow you pics to show up in your post if you desire.

You would need to get the history card on you A/C. You can get that from-
Craig Fuller
AAIR Aviation Archaeological Investigation & Research
www.AviationArchaeology.com aair@aviationarchaeology.com

Maybe the daily logs for the OTU he was in can be accessed as well.

Dig into photo archives and you might be able to find a photo that will allow you to match up a BUZZ # with a BU#.

Do you have any of the Navy logs for your A/C?

Randy Wilson · **Posted:** Wed Oct 17, 2012 4:33 pm

Sam is a friend and one of our High Sky Wing pilots. You might be interested that his Dad flew early jets off straight-deck carriers as a night fighter pilot - large ones, not carriers or jets. Congrats on getting the plane, Sam. I look forward to flying with you some more.

Randy

The Inspector · **Posted:** Wed Oct 17, 2012 4:36 pm

Now that is smack, dab in the middle of 'how cool is that?' amazing how sometimes the wheels keep turning and the brass ring is right there! Congratulations!

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7821

Outstanding!!! congrats Sam. Very nice indeed and a PM sent.

Here are a few images you may like to see. Nothing to do with your father's flying though. Just a couple of neat USS Monterey photos. dangerous business carrier ops.

Captions read: An SNJ-5C Texan crashes during carrier qualifications aboard the USS Monterey 1953

Couple more

mike furline · **Joined:** Wed May 05, 2004 3:45 pm **Posts:** 2635

sam wrote:

Would like to know if that pic of him landing number 135 on the carrier is BuNo 27775. Its possible.

The 135 is most likely the last three digits of the BuNo.

51fixer · **Posted:** Thu Oct 18, 2012 10:28 am

mike furline wrote:

sam wrote:

Would like to know if that pic of him landing number 135 on the carrier is BuNo 27775. Its possible.

The 135 is most likely the last three digits of the BuNo.

I would like to hear the reasoning on this.
If you have regulations or photos to support during that time period postwar it would be great to see.
The SNJ-3 we are restoring is BU# 01796 and was labeled 22, That was prior to 44 when it went through O/H at Corpus Christi. What it looked like after the O/H is unknown.

mike furline · **Joined:** Wed May 05, 2004 3:45 pm **Posts:** 2635

51fixer wrote:

mike furline wrote:

sam wrote:

Would like to know if that pic of him landing number 135 on the carrier is BuNo 27775. Its possible.

The 135 is most likely the last three digits of the BuNo.

I would like to hear the reasoning on this.
If you have regulations or photos to support during that time period postwar it would be great to see.
The SNJ-3 we are restoring is BU# 01796 and was labeled 22, That was prior to 44 when it went through O/H at Corpus Christi. What it looked like after the O/H is unknown.

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7821

Thx Mike that's real interesting.

SIDSIKO · **Posted:** Thu Oct 18, 2012 11:07 am

The only way I have ever found of tying up the Modex to the BuNo, is the fact that it is sometimes mentioned in accident reports.
SNJ-4 27775 was involved in two accidents that I know of, once on the 17th of March 1954 and again on the 24th of May 1954, both reports give it's Modex as WC-124

Sid

lmritger · **Posted:** Thu Oct 18, 2012 2:09 pm

Mike, thanks for those- that's the first concrete evidence I've seen which ties SNJ modexes to their BuNos, although it seems that wasn't 100% common. Sid, do you have a location for those incidents on 27775? What station would "WC" correspond to?

To actually OWN an aircraft which your father flew must be one he|| of a cool thing. Many congratulations on your acquisition, may you have many safe years with her!

Lynn

SIDSIKO · **Posted:** Thu Oct 18, 2012 4:57 pm

The 17th of March incident was a take off accident at Holley OLF, FL, suffering Class C damage while with BTU-1N based at NAAS Whiting Field.

The 24th of May incident was a Class B accident when 27775 hit trees at Brewton Field, AL, again with BTU-1N at Whiting.

Sid

51fixer · **Posted:** Thu Oct 18, 2012 8:03 pm

[quote="mike furline"]

Mike, great series of pics. Post war stuff I'm not that familiar with.
This pic looks like Chino and POF aircraft from way back when. Corsair behind the SNJ and the Bearcat behind that.

sam · **Posted:** Thu Oct 18, 2012 8:24 pm

Where do I find those accident reports?

Tailspin Turtle · **Joined:** Sun Jul 08, 2007 10:11 am **Posts:** 103

As a general rule, the last three digits of the Bureau Number were only used when the aircraft was not assigned to an operational squadron that operated several of the same type. Otherwise, consecutive numbers were assigned on some basis.

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Cool Story about SNJ-4 BuNo 27775

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