TBM Avenger Gathering 2018 | a 7 Image Story A cloudy IFR morning gave way to a nice, hazy VFR afternoon for the 3rd Annual TBM Avenger Gathering held this weekend at the Illinois Valley Regional Airport in Peru, IL. Eleven Grumman TBM Avengers beat the weather to attend this year’s event, a Salute to Veterans. Also, a Douglas A-26 Invader and a couple of T-6 Texans as well as three North American F-86 Sabres and a MiG-17 Fresco also made it to the gathering this year.
The Grumman TBF Avenger is a WWII torpedo bomber. Those designated TBM were actually manufactured by General Motors. It has a crew of three; pilot, gunner, and radio operator/bombardier. Avengers are powered by a 1,900 hp Wright R-200-20 radial engine. Its armament includes two .50-in. forward-firing machine guns; one .50-in. dorsal gun; one .30-in. ventral gun.; 2,000 lb. bomb/torpedo load. Also it’s capable of carrying the Norden bombsight. Developed for the United States Navy and Marine Corps, it entered service in 1942 and first saw action during the Battle of Midway. Although five Avengers were lost at Midway, it became one of the outstanding torpedo bombers of the war and remained in service until the 1960s after several modifications.
This Grumman TBM Avenger has been restored as a replica of LT. (J.G.) George Bush’s plane; who would later become the 41st President of the United States, George H. W. Bush. President Bush was a high school senior on Dec. 7, 1941, at Phillips Academy Andover. On June 12, 1942, he turned 18, graduated from Andover, and shortly thereafter was sworn into the US Navy. A year later, Bush became an officer of the United States Naval Reserve, earned his wings as a naval aviator, and was assigned to fly TBM Avengers off the aircraft carrier San Jacinto in the Pacific. He was likely the Navy’s youngest flying officer; just days before his 19th birthday. As a member of the San Jacinto’s torpedo squadron VT-51, Bush flew an Avenger with the name “Barbara” inscribed. During the war, he flew 58 combat missions for which he received the Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism under fire, three Air Medals, and the Presidential Unit Citation awarded to his ship, the San Jacinto.
Each image will be posted individually this week with a bit more narrative under category TBM Avenger Gathering 2018.
Click any image below for a slide show!
TBF/TBM Avenger Specifications
Length: 40 ft., 11 in. Height: 16 ft., 5 in. Wingspan: 54 ft., 2 in. Wing area: 490 sq. ft.
Empty: 10,545 lb. Maximum: 17,895 lb.
Max Speed: 276 mph at 16,500 ft. Cruise Speed: 147 mph Climb Rate: 2,060 ft./min. Ceiling: 30,100 ft. Range: 1,010 miles
Doolittle Raiders Reunion | a 7 Image Story On 18 Apr 1942, 16 brave flight crews took off from the USS Hornet aircraft carrier in B-25 bombers to strike the Japanese mainland in a daring mission early in WWII. Today, only one of the 80 men on the mission, Doolittle’s co-pilot, Colonel Richard “Dick” Cole, remains with us to remember that day. In 2017, the 75th Doolittle Raiders Reunion took place at Grimes Field in Urbana, OH and the Air Force Museum in Dayton, OH. Colonel Cole was the only Raider able to attend. He came to both the official reunion at the Air Force Museum and to Grimes Field where a group of eleven B-25’s assembled before the official ceremony.
In April 2012, I also had the good fortune to attend a larger reunion at the 70th Doolittle Raiders Reunion, again at Grimes Field and the Air Force Museum. Five raiders celebrated 70th anniversary of their successful mission. The reunion remembered them and all the brave WWII air crews who fought and sometimes died to keep us a free nation. Twenty B-25 aircraft attended the reunion along with their pilots, flight crews, and ground crews.
The Heart of the Volunteer from Pearl Harbor; a musical score composed by Hans Zimmer.
What was the 70th reunion like to attend? The day before the reunion flight to the Air Force Museum was a great day to see the planes and talk with flight crews, ground crews, and even several WWII pilots. I even met “Bud”, an Army Signal Corp photographer assigned to the 5th Air Force. He and my dad served on the same base in New Guinea in WWII. The day before gave way to the night before. The planes were ready; 0530 would come early for these hard-working ground and flight crews. As the sun set, the crowds began to thin out a bit and the photogs began to do their thing. Solitary B-25s, soft light, and longer exposures can sometimes make for great images. It’s going to be a short night for the crews and for the photogs as well. At 0530, Grimes Field will be alive with flight crews, ground crews, airport staff, onlookers, and the Air Force Band. Take-off will be at 0700. But, for now, it’s a peaceful place; not unlike the peaceful nights WWII bomb crews enjoyed before the next day’s mission. Wonder what thoughts crossed their minds on the night before…
And, of course, the night before gave way to dawn; the day of. So, it’s 0530. The flight crews are being briefed. The ground crews are making last-minute checks of the airplanes. By 0600, ground crews begin to move the B-25s into position. Each plane must take-off in a prearranged order. By 0600, enough dawn light allows us photogs to begin capturing images as the Air Force Band plays Stars & Stripes. And, by 0630, flight crews complete their preflight checks and soon after, the planes begin starting engines and taxiing into line to wait their turn to take-off. Now, the pilots are focusing all their attention on the mission ahead.
Take-off is not a time to be nervous, but rather a time every pilot cherishes. Today’s mission is a “milk run” to the U.S. Air Force Museum at Dayton, OH. The 20 B-25’s take-off 90 seconds apart beginning at 0700. After landing at the U.S. Air Force Museum, the planes were on display along the Museum’s runway before, during, and after the formal reunion ceremonies. (The 75th reunion with fewer planes had a similar display.) Meet Mark; as a living historian and Doolittle Raider Reenactor, Mark portrays a WWII Pilot. The photo could have been taken in 1942 in New Guinea just before a mission. Yes, they were that young.
Reflections on 2017 | Port Huron Engine The Threshermen’s Reunion takes you back to the early days of the 20th century. This image of a steam engine tractor, which was actually powering a saw mill at the time, was finished like an antique B&W picture and scaled to 4×5, like older cameras. To see the entire story with all seven images, go to Reflections on 2017 | a 7 Image Story.
Port Huron Engine #8443 The Threshermen’s Reunion takes you back to the early days of the 20th century. This image of a steam engine tractor, which was actually powering a saw mill at the time, was finished like an antique B&W picture and scaled to 4×5, like older cameras. For more information on steam engines, check out this year’s Threshermen’s Reunion.
Halloween’s Coming Soon This image was captured handheld. Perhaps, I should take my tripod this year. Of course, with an ISO of 3200, the image had plenty of noise requiring a pass through noise reduction in post processing.
Blacksmithing at the Threshermen’s Reunion Back to this year’s Threshermen’s Reunion. The Blacksmithing trade continues today even though it is not as common as it was a century ago. The blacksmiths at the reunion actually made various objects live each day. “Black” refers to black fire scale, a layer of oxides that forms on the metal being heated. Blacksmiths heat pieces of wrought iron or steel until the metal becomes soft enough to shape with hand tools. The metal is heated in a forge fueled by coal, charcoal, coke, etc. As iron heats, it first glows red, then orange, yellow, and finally white. The ideal heat, forging heat, is a bright yellow-orange color. It’s an amazing experience to watch the blacksmiths work at the reunion. They are very friendly, will answer questions, and explain what they are doing.
Scale Model Steam Engine @ 2017 Threshermen’s Reunion This scaled model steam engine was designed and built by the gentleman in the picture, a retired engineer. Calling it a scale model does not do it justice. It’s really a small, working steam engine. The video gives an additional perspective.
The 69th Annual Threshermen’s Reunion started today and will continue each day through Monday, September 4th. Held each year during Labor Day weekend in Pontiac IL, the Central States Threshermen’s Reunion is the 2nd oldest show in the USA. It suddenly occurred to me as I was walking over to a working threshing machine that 100 years ago, almost everyone knew what a threshing machine was. Now, very few people know; let alone know how to operate one. Of course, 100 years ago most people worked in farming or some form of the agriculture business. Now, only a very small percentage of Americans work in agriculture. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be posting several more images as well as video captured today at the reunion. Also, take a peek at threshermensreunion.org.
TBM Avenger Gathering 2018 | a 7 Image Story A cloudy IFR morning gave way to a nice, hazy VFR afternoon for the 3rd Annual TBM Avenger Gathering held this weekend at the Illinois Valley Regional Airport in Peru, IL. Eleven Grumman TBM Avengers beat the weather to attend this year’s event, a Salute to Veterans. Also, a Douglas A-26 Invader and a couple of T-6 Texans as well as three North American F-86 Sabres and a MiG-17 Fresco also made it to the gathering this year.
