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TBM, VT-18, October 1944

PRB

PRB

Administrator
Staff member
Reading this book, Intrepid Aviators, by Greg Fletcher. His father, Will Fletcher, was a TBM pilot attached to VT-18, on USS Intrepid (CV-11) and participated in the attack on the Japanese “center force” in the Sibuyan Sea on October 24, 1944, during the Battle of Leyte Gulf.

On that day, he flew this plane, number 7. It was a really difficult paint to make, since I had to make a plus sign, and a number 7. :icon_lol: The basic three-color paint scheme was already part of the Vertigo Studios TBM paint kit. Fletcher went into some detail describing aircraft's paint, as being that familiar tri-color pattern, with “no nose art or any other decoration”. So there you have it! The plus sign identified the planes of CAG-18 on the Intrepid.

And thanks to Lazarus for converting these beautiful CFS models of Yamato and Kongo for FSX use!

VT-18_7_a.jpg


cover.jpg


 
This story is turning out to be more interesting than I expected, and more grim. VT-18 and the rest of the CV-11 air group, along with planes from USS Cabot (CVL-28), were the first planes to attack this force of IJN surface ships. These two carriers comprised Task Group 38.2, and were the only US carriers in range of this force when it was first sighted. VT-18 was a relatively new squadron, and while they had been on various combat missions attacking bases here, and Japanese merchant ships there, this was their first mission against major units of the Japanese navy. It did not go well for this squadron. Gotta read more...
 
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