I found a new source of carrier pics, many of which I've not seen before. I'm beginning posts with my old Lady - ESSEX, but will post lots of others later. Maybe just start with #1 and go right through.
A fire on the flight deck after a belly tank breaks away from an F6F Hellcat, 1944
A Kamakazi hits the ESSEX CV-9 operating off the Phillippine Islands, 11/25/1944.
An LSO (Landing signal officer) on board ESSEX waves aircraft aboard.
An LSO waves an F4U-4B Corsair of fighter squadron VF-53 aboard ESSEX off Korea.
Ariel reconnaissance photo showing the strike againsed Wake Atoll by aircraft of the ESSEX, 7 October, 1943.
Aerographer's mates releasing weather baloons from ESSEX during operatios in the Pacific. 8/3/1945.
An SBD Dauntless circles around to line up for a landing on board ESSEX, steaming below, 8/31/1943.
ESSEX departs Hunters Point Navy Yard bound for the Pacific. 15 April, 1945
ESSEX coducting undeway replenishment at sea. 1944.
ESSEX silhouetted against a sunset in the Pacific, 5/14/1945.
ESSEX under attack by Japanese aircraft off Japan, 3/19/1945.
F4U Corsairs and F6F Hellcats of air group 83 pictured on the flight deck of ESSEX during operations off Okinawa, May, 1945
A Greek in the Netherlands who struggles with the bad weather every day..
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HMS Reaper
and an interesting story!
With the collapse of the German forces in 1945, HMS Reaper was called upon to take part in a top secret mission, code named Operation Lusty which started on 22 April 1945. The USAAF Intelligence Service had sent teams to Europe to gain access to enemy aircraft, technical and scientific reports, research facilities, and weapons for study in the US. Operation LUSTY began with the aim of exploiting captured German scientific documents, research facilities, and aircraft, the searchers nicknamed "Whizzers" located nine Me 262 jet aircraft at Lechfeld airfield, and travelled far and wide over Europe by jeep and occasionally by air to find the aircraft on the "Black Lists." Once found, the Royal Navy were willing to loan the aircraft carrier HMS Reaper. The most viable harbour for docking the carrier and loading the various aircraft was at Cherbourg, France. The "Whizzers" flew the Me 262s and other aircraft from Lechfeld to St. Dizier, to Melun, and then to Cherbourg. All the aircraft were cocooned against the salt air and weather, loaded onto the carrier which sailed in July 1945 for the USA, where they were studied by the Air Intelligence groups of both the USAAF and Navy.
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