N5264V —

Grumman Avenger

Is this the plane that George HW Bush was flying when he was shot down in WW II?

It could bomb. torpedo, mine. depth charge, and strafe. Handy plane to have.

Yes, Geo. H.W. flew an Avenger.

Yes the late former president George HW Bush flew these off carriers in operations against Japan in the Pacific. He and his 2 crew were shot down and was the only survivor after bailing out. The crew member in the belly turret couldn't get out and nobody knows what happened to his top side back seater who he witnessed bailing out. Bush was the last to exit and the only crew member rescued via sub under fire by Japanese patrol boats. It all happened off the island of Chichi Jima where they were targeting a radio station on top of the mountain. There is video of Bush being pulled out of the water by the USS Finback sub crew and walking on deck.

It's amazing that they could fly these beasts off of carriers.

Mark, 16 B-25 Mitchell's flew off the USS Hornet in WWII. I think that would qualify as amazing as to aircraft operating off of carriers.

@Chris: the B-25's off the USS Hornet was a one-time event (see "30 Seconds over Tokyo").

The TBM/TBF's flew many sorties throughout the war

There's quite a difference there!

a mentor, my comment had nothing to do with the amount of sorties flown by either aircraft. I responded to Mr. Albrecht's comment that it was amazing that these "beasts" could fly off of carriers. I simply pointed out that much larger "beasts" have operated of of carriers. You seem to occasionally overlook the context of peoples comments and resort to nitpicking.

@Chris; Most know that the B-25s LAUNCHED off the Hornet and never return --
in that sense "operated" is a misnomer.

for those obscessed with large A/C ... C-130 Lands, TnG and takes off from USS Forrestall in 1963 -- pilot awarded DFC.

The C-130 Hercules holds the record for the largest and heaviest aircraft to land on an aircraft carrier. In October and November 1963, a USMC KC-130F (BuNo 149798), bailed to the US Naval Air Test Center, made 21 unarrested landings and take-offs on the USS Forrestal at a number of different weights. The pilot, LT (later RADM) James Flatley III, USN, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his participation. The tests were highly successful, but the idea was considered too risky for routine "Carrier Onboard Delivery" (COD) operations.


landing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ar-poc38C84

TnG + standing start takeoff
https://www.sandboxx.us/blog/the-navys-plan-to-fly-the-c-130-off-aircraft-carriers-that-worked/

What a great reference a mentor. I forgot about the C-130's. I remember a shipmate that was on the Forrestal explaining to me how the unarrested landings were possible. Apparently C-130's are equipped with a micro switch on the landing gear struts, this micro switch disables reversing the props unless the weight of the aircraft was on the deck. By disabling this safety feature, ADM Flatley was able to reverse props while still airborne thus allowing him to land on a carrier unarrested. If that doesn't rate you a DFC then nothing would. Again, nice reference.

Military Aviation Museum in Pungo, VA?