10/23/10

AMERICA'S NAVY in 1942


This little book was purchased while on vacation in Oregon many years ago. Found at an antique store where my only other purchase were two old photos.

I was first drawn to the trim size, 4" x 5.5", palm size. I can easily imagine a child clutching this book, enamored of the images. After all, it was published in 1942 so military images were part of every day life.

Perhaps the child had a relative or friend serving in some far away land. Their visit home always an exciting occasion. The child's thoughts of war were filled with glory unless reality came to their door.

America's Navy published by Rand McNally & Company in 1942.

Click images to see them larger.

America's Navy_cvr_tatteredandlost

Americas Navy_title_tatteredandlost

Americas Navy_6-7_tatteredandlost

Americas Navy_28-29_tatteredandlost
Americas Navy_42-43_tatteredandlost

Americas Navy_48-49_tatteredandlost

Americas Navy_52-43_tatteredandlost

Americas Navy_70_tatteredandlost

I have found nothing about the cover illustrator Herbert Rudeen other than a few other samples of his work (here and here).

The interior illustrations, which are quite wonderful, were done by George Moll, or so the title page says. Dig a little deeper online about Moll and you discover he was the head of an ad agency called the George Moll Advertising Agency. The art director was Charles H. Steinbache. If you look up Steinbache's name you'll find a lot of artwork that looks similar to what you see here in this book (here, here, here, and here). I simply don't know who really did the work. Possibly just someone in the art department who never got credit. The agency apparently did a lot of work on non-sport trading cards.

To see photos and read more about "Ace" Lieutenant Edward H. O'Hare who appears on the final page of the book click here, here, and here. O'Hare Airport in Chicago was renamed for Lieutenant O'Hare in 1949. He was shot down in 1943 and listed as missing in action.

UPDATE: Thanks to an anonymous commenter we now have a link to see more illustrations featured at the Northeastern University College of Engineering.

10/19/10

BOOK OF MODERN WARPLANES 1942


Continuing with planes from the 1940s I give you a few pages from a book my folks gave my mother's cousin when he was about 12. He proved in his adult years to be a rather lost individual who hurt my grandparents deeply. They had raised him. So he left the book with my grandparents and that is how I ended up with it in my collection.

The book was published in 1942 by Garden City Publishing Co., Inc. in Garden City New York. You can find copies of it for sale on eBay. I'm not finding anything about the author, Squadron Leader Harold H. Booth of the Royal Canadian Air Force.

I have only scanned a few pages because its spine is rather arthritic. You'll notice on the page of the Japanese plane the young cousin drew in his own version of what he wished would befall the Japanese pilot. It's of its time.

Click on any image to see it larger.

Book of Modern Planes_1942_tatteredandlost

Airacobra_P-39_tatteredandlost

Kawasaki 97_tatteredandlost

The wing insignia pages are the endsheets, front and back.

Wing Insignia_ft_tatteredandlost

Wing Insignia_bk_tatteredandlost

10/18/10

VULTEE VANGUARD P-48


This vintage postcard of a Vultee Vanguard P-48 is a real photo post card. It is signed by the photographer "©1941 W. J. Gray. LA" the LA standing for Los Angeles. I'm not finding any information about W. J. Gray other than some cards for sale of movie stars, planes, planes, and General MacArthur. If anyone has links to information I'd appreciate them.

Vultee Vanguard P.48_tatteredandlost

As to the Vultee Vanguard P-48, here's a brief bit of information from Wikipedia:
The Vultee P-66 Vanguard was an accidental addition to the USAAF's inventory of fighter aircraft. It was initially ordered by Sweden, but by the time the aircraft were ready for delivery in 1941, the United States would not allow them to be exported, designating them as P-66s and retaining them for defensive and training purposes. Eventually, a large number were sent to China where they were pressed into service as combat aircraft with indifferent results.

The Vultee Vanguard was the product of an idea conceived in the late 1930s by the Vultee Aircraft Division of the Aviation Manufacturing Corporation of developing four aircraft designed for different roles from a set of common wings and aft fuselage and tail assemblies. The company assigned four model designations: V-48 to a single seat fighter, BC-51 to a basic combat trainer, B-54 to an advanced trainer, and BC-54D as a basic trainer. Eventually the BC-51 would become the Army Air Corps BC-3 and the BC-54D, the BT-13.

In 1938, Richard W. Palmer started the detailed design of the V-48 fighter member of the quartet. The aircraft featured a metal covered, semi-monocoque fuselage and fully retractable landing gear powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-1830 radial air-cooled engine. During construction of the first prototype, a decision was made to lengthen the propeller shaft and install a tight cowling to provide a pointed nose to reduce drag. The first aircraft flew in September 1939, and was assigned registration number NX21755. The fighter was named the Vanguard.

Flight tests revealed the aircraft was suffering from inadequate cooling. Measures to modify the cooling ducting were of little avail. After re-evaluating the design, and noting that the insignificant drag decrease was not worth the added weight and ducting problems, the second prototype, which was assigned the model number V-48X and registration NX19999, was modified with a conventional cowl and the first aircraft were similarly modified. The second aircraft first flew on 11 February 1940. As a result of flight tests, a number of changes were made to the design including substantially increasing the areas of the horizontal and vertical tail surfaces. (SOURCE: Wikipedia)
I see that this same post card is for sale on ebay from around $6 to $15.

10/17/10

WORLD WAR II PILOTS


If I'm lucky, every other month I get to attend a luncheon with World War II pilots, of which my father is one. There used to be almost two hundred members including survivors of prisoner of war camps, a member of the Tuskegee Airmen, even a Luftwaffe pilot. The numbers are dwindling; it's sad to see history disappearing right before my eyes.

This image is a reminder of those we are losing and have lost. Our fathers, uncles, and grandfathers. The history will soon be only books. Remember to ask your questions now.

U.S. Air Corps post card_tatteredandlost
Click image to see it larger.

Note that this card was mailed before we had entered the war. December 7th was still to come.

To visit the World War 2 Pilots Association click here. I can't help but feel sad when I see some of the faces of those who are gone when I watch the video.

10/16/10

The LOCKHEED HUDSON BOMBER


There was an odd event when I lived in Los Angeles. I've said before that I lived near two movie studios, Universal and Warner Brothers. My apartment complex, which was huge, was on the hillside behind the studios so I was used to looking out my window across the valley and seeing a lot of unusual things. Some really weird things. This event was unusual, but wonderful.

I was at my desk working when I heard planes coming. Numerous planes. Very close and not coming from the Burbank Airport. My roommate and I came running from our respective rooms to the living room to see this wondrous site. There in front of us, flying by in formation, were several WWII aircraft, very low, flying from east to west. I've never found out why they flew by. I don't know if they were being filmed for some show or just an amazing group of planes out for a jaunt. I just remember the thrill of hearing the engines and seeing the warbirds appear and then disappear across the sky, across the valley. This is what I think of when I see this card.

Lockheed Hudson Bomber_tatteredandlost
Click image to see it larger.

As to this specific plane:
The Lockheed Hudson was an American-built light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built initially for the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and primarily operated by the RAF thereafter. The Hudson was the first significant aircraft construction contract for the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation—the initial RAF order for 200 Hudsons far surpassed any previous order the company had received. The Hudson served throughout the war, mainly with Coastal Command but also in transport and training roles as well as delivering agents into occupied France. They were also used extensively with the Royal Canadian Air Force's anti-submarine squadrons. (SOURCE: Wikipedia)
More planes next time.

10/13/10

ENERGY Is What I Need


I've been away. First on vacation, then trying to recover from the last day of vacation. I don't bounce back from stressful situations as easily as I did when I was younger. They now hang on, imbed into every part of me, leaving me sitting and staring at a wall saying, "Huh?"

Perhaps all I need is one of these nifty inventions from the September 1956 National Geographic. 54 years later it's only now beginning to take hold. My neighbor has their house fully solar as does the neighbor on the other side for his pool.

Okay, I'm still holding out for the flying car. They promised!

solar panels_tatteredandlost
Click on image to see it larger.

As for the Bell Telephone System, well...that's long gone. Now I have the low life SBC out of Texas which changed their name to Bell hoping to hide how disgraceful a company they are. It's not working. But I'm too tired to throw a tantrum about how much I dislike SBC. About now I just need something to give me energy. If it means strapping one of these to my back and carrying the battery pack in a little red wagon behind I say okie dokie.

I am back and I am grasping reality a little bit better each day.