Author Topic: Vought V-187 Viking - Brazilian Viking - Very Colorful!  (Read 7463 times)

Offline Logan Hartke

  • High priest in the black arts of profiling...
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Vought V-187 Viking - Brazilian Viking - Very Colorful!
« on: November 07, 2013, 02:04:36 PM »
As per usual with the Vikings, note that this is reduced to 33%.  Click on the profile to see it on Photobucket where you can click again and see it at 100%.



Finally, we're getting around to the USN Vikings at the Battle of Midway.  The first profile depicts an aircraft from the only dive-bomber squadron from the Yorktown or Enterprise to not participate in the sinking of any of the four Japanese carriers.  Not only this, but it was the only true Yorktown squadron on board the ship in what would be its most famous (and final) battle.  This was "Scouting" Five (V"S"-5).  Why the quotation marks?  Well, that wasn't even the squadron's actual designation.

To explain all this, we need to look at the squadrons that were typically found on US fleet carriers at the start of WWII.  You would have one squadron of fighters, two squadrons of dive bombers, and one squadron of torpedo bombers--four squadrons in total.  These squadrons all shared the same number, and this number corresponded to the carrier's hull number.  So, for instance, the USS Enterprise (CV-5) had four squadrons: Fighting Six (VF-6), Scouting Six (VS-6), Bombing Six (VB-6), and Torpedo Six (VT-6).  So, what's so unusual?  The Yorktown had VF-5, VS-5, VB-5, and VT-5, right?  Well, yes...and no.  At the Battle of Coral Sea, it had all four of these squadrons and they did very well, but the Yorktown was damaged in the battle and its squadrons likewise suffered serious losses.  As a result, when it returned to Pearl for repairs after the Battle of Coral Sea, only VB-5 remained on the carrier.  Well, now it was missing three squadrons.  Where was the US Navy going to find three trained, fully equipped carrier squadrons just lying around with nothing to do?  Well, right there at Pearl.



Sorry, more explanation is needed here.  When Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 7th, 1941, the United States had seven carriers: USS Lexington, Saratoga, Ranger, Yorktown, Enterprise, Wasp, and Hornet (CV-2 through -8, respectively).  Of these, the Ranger and the Wasp would spend the first few months of the war in the Atlantic and the newly commissioned Hornet was still training up and getting ready for the Doolittle Raid in April.  Its air group would see its first major action at Midway (and an inauspicious start it would be!).  That just left the Lexington, Saratoga, Yorktown, and Enterprise.  Well, as we well know, the Lexington and Yorktown would participate in the world's first major carrier vs. carrier action at Coral Sea where the Lexington was lost.  The Enterprise was raiding Japanese outposts throughout the Pacific and also escorted the Hornet during the Doolittle Raid.  Well, what about the Saratoga?  Unfortunately, the Saratoga was a bit of an unlucky ship.  Every time she got ready to take the battle to the Japanese, she would get torpedoed by a Japanese submarine (or otherwise damaged) and have to return to the US for repairs.  As a result, she didn't participate in many of the major US carrier battles of the early war.  Having been torpedoed by the I-6 on 11 January, 1942, she limped back to Pearl where she unloaded VF-3, VB-3, and VT-3.  She retained VS-3 as protection for the voyage back to the West Coast.  So, from January to May, these squadrons sat at Pearl waiting for something to do.  That "something" pulled into port on 27 May, 1942, when the Yorktown sailed into Pearl for repairs.



When the Yorktown set sail from Pearl on 30 May, she did so with VF-3, VB-3, and VT-3 from the Saratoga plus VB-5 from the Yorktown.  So, where did "VS-5" come from?  Well, as mentioned earlier US carriers were only used to have one squadron of each type on board a carrier at that point in the war--Fighting, Scouting, Bombing, and Torpedo.  To avoid confusion from having two "Bombing" squadrons, Yorktown's own VB-5 was temporarily redesignated "VS-5", or "Scouting Five".  Since the Scouting and Bombing squadrons used the same aircraft, had the same basic training, and could be used almost interchangeably as the situation required, a redesignation was all that was needed.



So, why didn't "Scouting" Five not participate in the attacks on the four Japanese carriers that so defined the Battle of Midway?  Fletcher decided to hold them in reserve during the strikes, much to the consternation of the aircrew of "Scouting" Five.  A number of VS-5's aircraft were lost when Yorktown was hit and sunk, but a number of them made it to the Enterprise to carry on the fight, along with aircraft from Yorktown's other squadrons (those "borrowed" from Saratoga).  In fact, due to fuel shortage, a number of aircraft from Hornet also landed on the Enterprise on the night of 5 June.  As a result, the Enterprise had a truly composite air wing on the morning of 6 June with aircraft from the Saratoga (CV-3), Yorktown (CV-5), Enterprise (CV-6), and Hornet (CV-8).  When the Japanese light cruisers Mikuma and Mogami were attacked on 6 June, "Scouting" Five finally got their chance to exact revenge for the loss of Yorktown, sinking Mikuma and heavily damaging Mogami.



All of Yorktown's squadrons would participate in the Battle of Midway and their combat actions along with the sinking of the Yorktown would account for the loss of many aircraft and aircrew, including those of the Saratoga squadrons.  The tragic irony in all of this, however, was that the recently repaired Saratoga would pull into Pearl Harbor on 6 June, 1942, only to find that only a week earlier its squadrons had left on the Yorktown for Midway and the Saratoga had arrived only days too late to participate in what was certainly one of the most important carrier battles in naval history.

Victory At Sea - Midway Is East - Episode 4


Cheers,

Logan
« Last Edit: December 01, 2013, 02:38:21 PM by Logan Hartke »

Offline Logan Hartke

  • High priest in the black arts of profiling...
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Re: Vought V-187 Viking - Victory at Sea - Midway is East
« Reply #1 on: November 07, 2013, 02:15:45 PM »
In case anyone was wondering, these profiles were about four and a half years in the making:

http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,20962.msg358875.html#msg358875

Logan,

How about some RAAF Stukas in the Pacific - maybe some under Lend Lease from the USA?


Don't worry, GTX, I've got plans to work my way over to that side of the globe.  That was the whole point of this design.  I basically wanted US Stukas at Midway...and I shall have it!

That's what you have to love about the what-if world.  The RAAF will get theirs in due time.  I've still got some other countries to do in the meantime, however.  I have some more aircraft in the Med to do, then a bunch back in the New World, then to the Pacific.


Cheers,

Logan

Offline Tophe

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Re: Vought V-187 Viking - Victory at Sea - Midway is East
« Reply #2 on: November 07, 2013, 02:45:50 PM »
Great profile!

Offline Logan Hartke

  • High priest in the black arts of profiling...
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Re: Vought V-187 Viking - Victory at Sea - Midway is East
« Reply #3 on: November 07, 2013, 11:47:48 PM »
In case anyone was wondering why it's so beaten up, it's probably because the Yorktown had been involved in about 6 months of nearly continuous combat, including the Battle of Coral Sea.  The planes of VB-5 (renamed VS-5) were in the thick of it the whole time.  They didn't seem to have much time for repainting or touch ups.



Cheers,

Logan

Offline Cliffy B

  • Ship Whiffer Extraordinaire...master of Beyond Visual Range Modelling
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Re: Vought V-187 Viking - Victory at Sea - Midway is East
« Reply #4 on: November 08, 2013, 08:48:39 AM »
Very nice, very nice  8)  Are you having your Vikings retired after Midway or will they soldier on to get tri-color schemes?

Never knew Sara missed Midway by only a few days.  I thought they left her out on purpose just in case something catastrophic happened or did you add that part?
"Radials growl, inlines purr, jets blow!"  -Anonymous

"Helos don't fly.  They vibrate so violently that the ground rejects them."  -Tom Clancy

"If all else fails, call in an air strike."  -Anonymous

Offline Logan Hartke

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Re: Vought V-187 Viking - Victory at Sea - Midway is East
« Reply #5 on: November 08, 2013, 10:26:26 AM »
The Viking still has some life left in it, yet.  The history in the previous post, including the part about Saratoga was all true.  My profile is the only alternate history in it.  Had Saratoga been available, I'm sure Nimitz and Spruance would have absolutely made use of her.

Cheers,

Logan

Offline Logan Hartke

  • High priest in the black arts of profiling...
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Re: Vought V-187 Viking - Victory at Sea - Midway is East
« Reply #6 on: November 08, 2013, 12:11:17 PM »
As per usual with the Vikings, note that this is reduced to 33%.  Click on the profile to see it on Photobucket where you can click again and see it at 100%.



The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the NAVY CROSS to


LIEUTENANT COMMANDER RICHARD HALSEY BEST
UNITED STATES NAVY

for service as set forth in the following CITATION:

Quote
    For extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Bomber and Squadron Commander in Bombing Squadron SIX (VB-6), attached to the U.S.S. ENTERPRISE (CV-6), during the "Air Battle of Midway," against enemy Japanese forces on 4 - 6 June 1942. Defying extreme danger from concentrated anti-aircraft barrage and powerful fighter opposition, Lieutenant Commander Best, with bold determination and courageous zeal, led his squadron in dive-bombing assaults against Japanese naval units. Flying at a distance from his own forces which rendered return unlikely because of probable fuel exhaustion, he pressed home his attacks with extreme disregard for his own personal safety. His gallant intrepidity and loyal devotion to duty contributed greatly to the success of our forces and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.


This is going to be the final profile in the Midway series and, as you can see, I've saved the Best for last (pun absolutely intended).  Of the aviators that took direct part in the Battle of Midway, LCdr "Dick" Best was perhaps the most extraordinary.  He participated in both attacks on the Japanese carriers that took place on 4 June.  In fact, he was almost single-handedly responsible for the destruction of Akagi.

After contact reports of Midway-based PBY Catalina patrol aircraft on the morning of June 4, 1942, Enterprise started to launch her air group starting on 07:06h.  Under the overall command of the air group commander (CEAG) Lt.Cdr. Wade McClusky were 14 TBD-1 Devastator torpedo bombers of Torpedo Squadron 6 (VT-6), 34 SB4U-4 Vikings of VB-6, the CEAG section, and VS-6, and ten F4F-4 Wildcat fighters of Fighting Squadron 6 (VF-6).  However, the squadrons became separated and reached the Japanese independently. Only the dive bombers stayed together and reached the enemy by 09:55h.  At about 10:22h the Enterprise dive bombers started to attack two Japanese carriers, which proved to be the Kaga, and the Akagi.



At this point, the attack became confused, as all 34 Vikings started to attack Kaga, and none the Akagi.  Obviously, Best expected to attack according to the U.S. dive bomber doctrine.  This was that VB-6 would attack the nearer carrier (in that case Kaga) and VS-6 the one further away (here Akagi).  The three-plane CEAG section was expected to attack last, as their planes were equipped with cameras to assess the damage later.  However, evidently McClusky was not aware of this, having been a fighter pilot until becoming CEAG.  Therefore McClusky began his dive on Kaga, being followed by VS-6, and Best's VB-6 was also attacking Kaga according to doctrine. Lieutenant Best noticed the error and broke off with his two wingmen to attack the Akagi.



At 10:26h Best's three SB4Us attacked the Akagi.  The first bomb, dropped by Lt.(jg) Edwin John Kroeger, missed.  The second bomb, aimed by Ens. Frederick Thomas Weber, landed in the water, near the stern.  The force wave of that hit jammed the Akagi's rudder.  The last bomb, dropped by Best, punched though the flight deck and exploded in the upper hangar, in the middle of 18 Nakajima B5N2 planes, parked there.  That hit doomed the Akagi.  Later that day, Lieutenant Best participated in the attack on the last remaining Japanese carrier - the Hiryū, possibly scoring one of the four hits.  After the battle, Best was awarded the Navy Cross and the Distinguished Flying Cross.



However, on the morning flight Best had tested an oxygen bottle to be sure that it was not leaking caustic soda.  Best's first inhalation was then filled with gas fumes.  He snorted the gas fumes out, not thinking about it anymore.  The next day Best began to cough up blood repeatedly.  The flight surgeon found out that the gas fumes had activated latent tuberculosis.  He entered the hospital at Pearl Harbor on June 24, 1942.  After undergoing 32 months of treatment, Richard Best retired from the US Navy in 1944.

Cheers,

Logan

Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: Vought V-187 Viking - Victory at Sea - Midway is East
« Reply #7 on: November 14, 2013, 05:06:35 AM »
Those are excellent! I really like the first one because it perfectly captures how I always imagined Navy planes would weather.

A real work of art!

Brian da Basher

Offline Logan Hartke

  • High priest in the black arts of profiling...
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Re: Vought V-187 Viking - Brazilian Viking - Very Colorful!
« Reply #8 on: December 01, 2013, 02:40:12 PM »
Here's one that I'd forgotten I also had in progress.  It's been barely started for over three and a half years now.  I'm glad to have finally finished it.  As per usual with the Vikings, note that this is reduced to 33%.  Click on the profile to see it on Photobucket where you can click again and see it at 100%.



In 1938, the Aviação Militar do Exército Brasileiro (Brazilian Army Aviation) purchased 26 Vought V-187 Vikings which received the registration numbers 105-130.  The V-187-BR, known as 'Vikings', equipped the 1º Regimento de Aviação, based at Santa Cruz. On November 8, 1939, one of these aircraft, piloted by Maj. Clovis Monteiro Travassos and Sgt. Alfredo Amaral Barcelos (mechanic), conducted a direct flight between Fortaleza and Porto Alegre, covering a distance of 3,240 km over 11 hrs and 45 min.

With the creation of the Ministério da Aeronáutica in 1941, the aircraft were incorporated into the Força Aérea Brasileira (Brazilian Air Force).  During World War II, these aircraft were used in anti-submarine patrol missions.  On August 26, 1942, V-187-BR '122' of the 3º Regimento de Aviação in Canoas and manned by 1st Lt. Alfredo Gonçalves Corrêa (pilot) and Sgt. Carlos Zell (radioman and gunner), surprised a German submarine 50 miles from Araranguá, along the Paraná coast.  The attack took place at 1400 hrs and the Viking was so low to the water when it dropped its payload that the shrapnel from the explosion damaged the cowling and exhaust manifold of the V-187-BR, forcing the crew to land at the emergency landing strip at Osório.  On the 28th of the same month, V-187-BR '107', piloted by Capt. Manuel Rogério de Souza Coelho, attacked a submarine near Iguape, although without acheiving any visible damage to the enemy vessel.

Cheers,

Logan

Offline taiidantomcat

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Re: Vought V-187 Viking - Brazilian Viking - Very Colorful!
« Reply #9 on: December 02, 2013, 01:06:32 AM »
That is classy Logan!
"They know you can do anything, So the question is, what don't you do?"

-David Fincher

Offline Logan Hartke

  • High priest in the black arts of profiling...
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Re: Vought V-187 Viking - Brazilian Viking - Very Colorful!
« Reply #10 on: December 02, 2013, 03:03:25 AM »
Any airplane with a picture of a caiman in a tuxedo, top hat, gloves, and cane riding side saddle on a bomb blowing smoke rings is going to look classy.  ;)



Cheers,

Logan