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Tuesday, September 25, 2018

SB2U-1 VB-3 Inflight Images

80CF-5457-1-SB2U-1-0739-VB-3-3-B-13-Over-Sierra-Nevada-Mountains-19380628

In June 1938 the US Navy had a sequence of inflight images taken of VB-3s SB2U-1 Vindiators near Los Angeles, CA. I came across prints of these photos, some well known, others that have not been published as extensively, during a trip to the National Archives College Park, MD. These particular prints were part of the USN's 80-CF image collection.

80CF-5457-3-SB2U-1-0739-VB-3-3-B-13-Near-Los-Angeles-CA-19380628

These images were made when the squadron was about one year since being redesignated VB-3.


80CF-5457-4-SB2U-1-0739-VB-3-3-B-13-Near-Los-Angeles-CA-19380628

The VB-3 aircraft featured in the images are:

BuNo 0739  3-B-13
BuNo 0740  3-B-14
BuNo 0741  3-B-15

80CF-5457-10-SB2U-1-0739-VB-3-3-B-13-Near-Los-Angeles-CA-19380628


VB-3 is in the lineage for the current VFA-14 Tophatters. The Wiki on VFA-14 is here.


80CF-5457-12-SB2U-1-0739-VB-3-3-B-13-Near-Los-Angeles-CA-19380628