A Boatload of PVs

IndyJen · **Posted:** Sun Dec 07, 2008 9:12 pm

A Jeep carrier, loaded to the gunwales with Venturas. Detination unknown, and could have been anywhere, because Venturas served all over the place. It suits me to believe that they're on their way to Kiska, to spend the rest of the war bombing Paramushiro in the Kuriles.

And here they sail away, to be cold and miserable and forgotten for the rest of the war.

If you look close, there are Wildcats tucked in among the PVs. That will be the carrier's air group, or at least the part of it that wouldn't fit below. I wonder if they had to leave any behind?

Jerry O'Neill · **Posted:** Sun Dec 07, 2008 9:42 pm

Great shots!
I think the Wildcats are Hellcats though.
Jerry

Shay · **Posted:** Sun Dec 07, 2008 11:09 pm

Neat shots

The carrier is the USS Bataan (CVL-29)

Shay
____________
Semper Fortis

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Sun Dec 07, 2008 11:29 pm

Jeep carriers used has aircraft transports didn't have a assigned air group (actually 1 VC sqaudron) onboard. I'm guessing the BM-2 are replacement a/c.

Shay · **Posted:** Sun Dec 07, 2008 11:35 pm

More pictures here if anyone is interested.

http://www.navsource.org/archives/02/29.htm

Shay
_____________
Semper Fortis

IndyJen · **Posted:** Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:06 am

Thanks for chiming in, Jack. I figured that the "air group" would be for protection when coming home empty, after dropping off the cargo.

USS Bataan, eh? Thanks for that, Shay.

tom d. friedman · **Posted:** Mon Dec 08, 2008 7:28 am

great pic .....never saw it before!! however, the planes don't look to secured for rough seas!!

Dan K · **Posted:** Mon Dec 08, 2008 8:27 am

Not sure how cold and miserable they'll be. The website suggests they're being hauled to Hawaii. Brrrr..... :wink:

Shay · **Posted:** Mon Dec 08, 2008 8:45 am

tom d. friedman wrote:

great pic .....never saw it before!! however, the planes don't look to secured for rough seas!!

What you talk'n bout Willis?

Shay
____________
Semper Fortis

Holedigger · **Posted:** Mon Dec 08, 2008 11:18 am

WOW! Imagine the "Whipping" action up in the bridge! I was in a small cruise ship off Norway doing about 1/3rd that much pitching and rolling and THAT was a wild ride. Look out the porthole, ALL SKY....ALL WATER....repeat!

IndyJen · **Posted:** Mon Dec 08, 2008 7:33 pm

Now, DanK, you don't think they're going to stay in Hawaii, do you?

No, you don't get the full benefit of a tour on Adak until you've spent a month on the beach ...

I didn't know about that website. It looks like a good one for prowling around.[/i]

Dave Homewood · **Posted:** Tue Dec 09, 2008 6:51 am

As the Venturas were apparently being shipped to Hawaii, there is a chance they may have been handed to the RNZAF's Pacific Ferry Flight unit based there for ferrying by RNZAF crews to New Zealand to join the RNZAF. That is how all our Venturas made it to NZ.

Great photos.

IndyJen · **Posted:** Wed Dec 10, 2008 8:40 pm

The RNZAF sure did fly Venturas, and they flew the pants off them, too.

One of my maintenance people insists on climbing up on the ricketiest possible ladders even though we have perfectly good maintenance stands. She does this despite threats and dire predictions, specifically to get my goat.

And so when she finds this image of a fine antipodal bunch of lads, maintaining their PV upon the ricketiest skyscraper-soapbox homemade stands, well I never have heard the end of it since.

IndyJen · **Posted:** Wed Dec 10, 2008 8:42 pm

That Austrailian War Museum website, btw, was well worth visiting.

Dave Homewood · **Posted:** Wed Dec 10, 2008 10:28 pm

Thanks IndyJen, that photo is a real classic and shows the typical "she'll be right" attitude of Kiwi Ingenuity. Wonderful. OSH (Occupational Safety and Health) would have a field day now! That petrol can on top of the drum doesn't look too safe either.

Note the chap on top of the wing trying not to touch his bare skin to metal, as it would have burned badly in the tropic heat.

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A Boatload of PVs

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