WWII US Carrier Flight Deck crewman questions???

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
1

I am finishing up Monograms classic TBD kit. It comes with some very nice flight deck crewman, but I am thinking a few of the color call outs for painting the deck crew figures are incorrect.

the instructions call for putting this guy who is turning the starter crank in a red helmet.

But red is ordnance. Shouldn’t he be in a a blue helmet (plane handler) or brown helmet (plane captain) perhaps?

and the directions call for this guy to be in a red jersey and helmet. But shouldn’t he be in either a yellow or green helmet/jersey?

Anybody?

2

Stik,

Not sure. There ARE red helmeted crewmen (and red shirts) in 1943. They may be damage control crew.

Just some pictures to help out.

http://www.historylink101.com/ww2_navy/org/aircarr/PlanesonAircraftCarrierDeck/1074.html

http://www.historylink101.com/ww2_navy/org/aircarr/AircraftCarrierPersonnel/index.html

Don’t think this one should be in red (IMO).

Gary

3

Thank you Gary. Those are some great photos there. Based on them, I think that I will go with a yellow jersey/helmet on the crewman with his arms up. But I am still not sure about the crank turning guy…

4

Stik,

I’m going mostly by this pic:

http://www.historylink101.com/ww2_navy/org/aircarr/PlanesonAircraftCarrierDeck/2632.html

This shows the “reds” carrying fire extinguishers, while the “yellows” and “greens” and “browns” service the aircraft. I’m not sure what the “yellow jersey” guys are doing behind the officer, but they certainly seem to be pulling something on the aircraft. [:O] Of course, this is a Dauntless and the year is 1943.

I’ll see if I have anything in my research materials.

Gary

5

On the right front SBD it looks like the guy is possibly working the inertia starter crank. He is in the right spot for it. Now, tell me if my eyes decieve me, but he appears to have on a blue helmet. hard to tell from this photo. The flight deck uniform colors should be the same in 1943 as in 1942.

6

http://www.johngreavesart.ca/hornetmen.htm

Well I just found this litte tidbit gem of information on the above link. The third photo down was taken on the flight deck of USS Hornet at the Battle of Midway after the command to “start engines” has been given. It describes the plane captain as turning the inertia starter crank handle on the SBD. I presume that would be Standard Operating Procedure so I guess it is gonna be a brown helmet with his dungarees.

7

OK, based on a little more research and these color photos

I went with a yellow jersey/cap for the plane director. Apparently from these photos, those men could be officers in Khaki, or Enlisted in Blue Dungarees. Mine is enlisted. And of course the Plane captain in his Blue Dungarees and Brown helmet

and I began work on the classic pilot figure

8

during WW2 any thing could be possible on a flattop, Id try and find some archival color photos

9

Would love to see more pictures of the build stikpusher. That canopy looks outstanding!

10

I remember reading that fuelers also wore red in those days. It stuck with me because the purple “grapes” fuel handlers of today haven’t always been purple.

11

MGH, here is a link to the finished build.

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/2/t/154557.aspx

Sub, I was wondering about that because in the stuff i did read while researchng this particular subject, I do not recall reading about any purple guys, nor see any in color photos.