Back To Basics at NAS Corpus Christi in 1960-70

tgycgijoes

tgycgijoes

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I resurrected my ol TS2A "Stoof" trainer and all my Multiengine manuals and decided to have some fun hours. I will ultimately have VT-27, VT-28, VT-29 and VT31 AI. Did a test today of five AI created from the G7-TS2A slimmed down to reduce the MB's so not to bog down the sim. I will do that with the others like the CV-240 aka T-29 from CalClassic. Here is a screenshot of NAVY 214 enroute from KNPA Pensacola to KNGP Corpus Christi. I used the beautiful usnvt Pensacola but I will have to replace the T-6 Texan IIs with T-28's and T-2s after I do some research. This is a long-term project not anything quick. Thanks to Milt Shupe and the G-7 Team for all their hard work and to Tom Gibson for the T-29 aka CV-240.


NAVY 214 from KNPA to KNGP AI.png
 
I got the five VT-31 TS2A's that I created as AI to work. Today I started repaints for VT-27. Interestingly from the photos, unlike VT-31 which is the light gray over white scheme, the VT-27's are all white with full orange vertical stabs and rudder. I also after a hour in MDCx identifying parts in the object heirarchy what texture sheet they were on managed to get the nose all orange including the nose gear doors. I have to work on my radio station programming, tomorrow, so I won't get back to repainting until Monday probably. I have to thank the G7 team for their fantastic easy-to-use paintkit making it really easy to identify the parts. It's just time consuming clicking the "model part" one at a time.
 
I have photos of VT-31 it seems from different time periods relating to the tail codes so I dug out my trusty reference "Official US Navy and Marine Corps Aircraft Color Guide Vol 4 1960 to 1993 and found the Tail Code References. VT-31 above is 1972 and the VT-27 above is before that in the 1960's. VT-31 will be changed so it is in the time frame to 3A which I also found a couple photos of. I don't have any photos of VT-27 with the D tail code which they had when transferred to TRAWING 4 at KNGP from NAS Kingsville. This is what the Guide says. If any of "youse guys" were there back then and have photos of the TS2As which might contradict this, I would welcome them. PM me.
I just discovered on the VT-27 Facebook Page that this photo and the accompanying that I downloaded are at NAS Corpus Christi in 1967-68 which I like because that is when I entered the navy for active duty. I will be as I said changing the "D" on the VT-31 to 3A.
 
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Spent the morning and afternoon going "nuts" with the color schemes for VT-31 and VT-27. I have one photo only of VT-31 with the 3A tail code and its scheme is the light gray over white. The other photos of VT-31 are all white with the "D" tailcode. The directives if I read correctly say that the training aircraft are all white with the international orange markings but photos don't lie. So I am going to keep gray over white for the VT-31 for 1967-68 and all white VT-27 1967-68 as well as the VT-28's to be done as they are in the photos I have.
 
tgycgijoes said:
enroute from KNPA Pensacola to KNGP Corpus Christi.
Click to expand...

Cool screenshots. Funny thing is that years ago, I re-created historic jet airline flight using this exactly same flight route. Do not remember which airline I used but I think it was Braniff airline.

Regards,

Aharon
 
tgycgijoes said:
may have been a charter flight.
Click to expand...
Actually it was scheduled airline flight that I picked out of era 1960s or 1970s timetables of airlines. I remember picking it out because it allowed me to fly very scenic route along the coast from Florida to Texas. Unfortunately I do not remember which airline.

Regards,

Aharon
 
The problem with most Navy TRACOM advanced phase aircraft in the 50- mid 70s, and even much earlier, is that many were inducted DIRECTLY into squadrons from the fleet or Reserves. In fact most were never produced as trainers. The TRACOM squadron airframes shop would paint out and repaint appropriate markings as best they were able. Some squadrons were more meticulous than others, however at least SOME orange was applied. You see these variations in TRACOM helos as well - H-19, H-34 etc. In my day I flew several F9F-8Bs and F11Fs painted in fleet grey with appropriate paintovers.

Once these operational planes reached a certain service life point in TRACOM duty they had to be inducted into a depot overhaul process known as "PAR" - Progressive Aircraft Rework. Here they were stripped and repainted in the authorized TRACOM scheme of the time but no squadron markings - those were put on by the squadron that received the overhauled plane. TRACOM AD Skyraiders REALLY had a mix of confusing schemes!!

Hope this sheds some light on the numerous deviations in painting many TRACOM planes.
 
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