The TBM Avenger was a very successful torpedo bomber made by General Motors in World War II. I've heard a lot of grand stories from my dad about his training in this plane. They were daredevils who would have gotten into a lot of trouble if it hadn't been war time. A friend of his dive bombed a farmer off of his tractor out near the Salton Sea. Yeah, daredevils and a little bit stupid at times. They also buzzed a ferris wheel in San Diego. People at the park reported seeing two planes go down in the Pacific. My dad and his buddy in the other plane were sent on a mission to find the downed pilots. Of course, they were looking for themselves, but never told HQ that. Yeah, it takes a certain breed to be a Naval Aviator.
You can read about the TBM Avenger here.
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I remember when I found out that actor Paul Newman had hoped to be a Naval Aviator, but it didn't happen because he was color-blind. He did however end up as a gunner and radioman in TBM's. I remember looking at my dad and saying, "Oh my how different our lives might have been if Paul Newman had been your radioman/gunner." Alas, he was not in my dad's squadron.
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An American Dream is the latest book in my series of vernacular photography books. The American dream of owning a home through vintage vernacular photographs. The focus is on the people who lived within the homes as well as the varied architecture from the late 1800s to the 1960s.
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On occasion I've seen old military prop planes around navy bases. Compared to the roar and speed of jet fighters, they seem tame and sedate in flight. I imagine that the intense training among pilots in the war years made for close friendships and proud affection for a machine you had to trust with your life.
ReplyDeleteThat indeed seems to be the case. There are constantly reunions for old squadrons. I went to one with my dad many years ago. There was only one other person from the WW2 days. The rest were from Vietnam. There are very few left my dad's age. He still talks fondly of so many of the men he knew.
DeleteHaving flown in a small plane (not as a pilot!) in skies filled with white puffy clouds and can only say it is truly exhilarating.
ReplyDeleteI'm envious. I always loved being in the clouds in a big commercial jet, but to have flown like my dad did in a biplane or even the TBM with canapy open would be a dream. I can also tell you he loved flying around the tower at the Hershey factory with the canopy open when he was doing photorecon training. The smell of chocolate right from the stack.
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