The pictures in this file were sent to
me in May 2004 by Don Beauford dbeauford@bak.rr.com.
As background for the first picture one needs to know that VC-5 sent
a detachment to
Gitmo in mid-October 1950 for approximately two weeks, the first week
for FCLP and tactical exercises and the second week to operate off
USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. The first picture, of CAPT Hayward landing
aboard the FDR, is from the second week of that two week period.
A tragic footnote to this operation from the FDR was the crash
on October 27 of BuNo. 124163 killing pilot LCDR David Purdon and
third crewman Edward R. Barrett ALC.
The accident report recommended that controls be re-located so that
they could be monitored by the person in the right seat. Undoubtedly
this recommendation had something to do with the improved layout in
the cockpits of the AJ-2s.
Before looking at the remaining three pictures, it
may help orient the reader to be aware that on 5 February 1951, VC-5
sent a detachment of 6 AJ-1s and 3 P2V-3Cs to Port Lyautey, French
Morocco, the first ever heavy attack deployment to Port Lyautey. On
26 February 1951 they sent 5 AJ-1s aboard USS Franklin D. Roosevelt,
which was in the Mediterranean at the time. During this time aboard
ship, three AJ-1s were catapulted on 27 February. This was a "first."
Prior to this time all carrier launches of the AJs had been deck runs.
While operating off the FDR, BuNo. 124172 (NB side number 11) had difficulties
that prevented it's coming back aboard, and the plane was diverted to
Halfar Field in Malta. A work party was sent from the FDR to Malta to
repair the plane. Upon the completion of their assigned task the group went
back to Port Lyautey. The following three pictures were taken while the work
party was on Malta. This dates the pictures as being approximately the first
week of March 1951.
Like the mission to Gitmo before it, this foray upon the FDR ended
in tragedy. On 6 March BuNo. 124171 crashed following an inflight fire
which killed pilot LCDR Maurice Wickendoll, flight surgeon LCDR Clyde
Fairless Jr., and third crewman Ruben Lopez AT3. Apparently this crash
was a major factor in the switch to water-based Hydrolube as a replacement
for the more flammable hydraulic fluid.
