USS Takanis Bay TBM Crash 1945

[jpstout]

Here are photographs documenting a TBM-3 during a wave-off and subsequent crash in the sea. The pilot, Lt Wright, VMTB (CVS) 132 MASG 51, was doing a checkout on carrier landing. He wrote to his sister:

 

"Had a little accident the other day. Last Fri. afternoon about 3:30 on the 12th of Jan. I was making my 4th landing on the carrier, the USS Takanis Bay, and was given a wave-off signal which was much to late late and through no fault of mine. The wing hit the flight deck and caused the plane to roll over on to its back and in a vain attempt to regain control I flew it into the water nose first up-side down going about 70 miles an hour."

 

The plane sunk in less than a minute, but Lt Wright was somehow able to extricate himself and be rescued by a destroyer. He went on to fight in the pacific with VMTB 132 and VMF 223. Lucky Guy!!

[jpstout]

[jpstout]

[Cobrahistorian]

Incredible sequence, and the documentation that goes along with it is even better! Great stuff!!

[Strictly GI]

Boy, is he lucky he caught that wingtip.

[jpstout]

Incredible sequence, and the documentation that goes along with it is even better! Great stuff!!

 

Interestingly, or not, he also had a belly landing in a TBF-1 Bu No 23924 in Dec 1944 near Holtville Navy Air Station "blamed on the governor of the prop." Quite meticulous notes. He did much better in a Corsair. Here he is in Okinawa during the latter stages of the war.

[Cobrahistorian]

Another cool shot. F4U-4s came in late in the war. Finding wartime shots of them is pretty rare.

 

What else have you got on Lt. Wright?

 

Interestingly, or not, he also had a belly landing in a TBF-1 Bu No 23924 in Dec 1944 near Holtville Navy Air Station "blamed on the governor of the prop." Quite meticulous notes. He did much better in a Corsair. Here he is in Okinawa during the latter stages of the war.

[jpstout]

Hey, Jon.

Here is the group photo of VMTB 132 in Mar 1945 just before departure. Lt Wright is in the front row. I have photos of him at Majuro in Apr, Tinian and then Okinawa. Post war, he went back into the USMCR. I have his WWII trunk, parachute harness, Mae West, other photos, aviation certificates, identification cards and etc, uniforms, japanese souvenoirs, log book from 1950s, letters, bars, EGAs, and of all things, his squadron patch he wore! But no jacket! I will put in all in the grouping section sometime. Thanks for the interest! pat

[Cobrahistorian]

Pat,

 

That's a really great grouping! Looking forward to seeing the rest of it!

 

Jon

[KeithL]

Very cool. He is one lucky guy. Crashing a plane upside down into the sea is a tough crash to swim away from.