Slingshot Warbirds: World War II U.S. Navy Scout-Observation Airmen

By William Neufeld

A unique and little-known chapter in World War II naval aviation history concerns the exploits of the scout-observation pilots who flew from the battleships and cruisers of the U.S. Navy. To carry out their missions, they were launched from their ships by catapult. On returning, their float-equipped aircraft landed on the water and the plane and crew were crane-hoisted aboard the vessel.

In compiling this work, the author culled from the naval archives many of the ships' action reports and war diaries that detail the accounts of these airmen. In addition he meticulously edited the personal records of 27 veteran airmen who related stories of intense and excruciatingly difficult missions.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0786407883
• ISBN13: 9780786407880
• Release Date: February 2003
• Publisher: McFarland & Company
• Length: 239 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 7.0" x 10.2"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Gavutu-Tanambogo...

On 30, November, 1942 my father was a HA1c on the USS New Orleans. That night the New Orleans was severely damaged by a torpedo blast that ignited the ship's magazine. A large section of bow was shredded by the blast and it tore away. The next morning dad was promoted to PhM3c. A few days later he was transferred from a casualty company to VSC Detachment Ringbolt to serve as the corpsman for the scouting squadron. It was established on two small islands called Gavutu-Tanambogo. For years he could not remember the name of the airplane they used. About three days ago I showed him a picture of a SOC Seagull and his eyes lit up like sparklers. Stories about those days started pouring out. When they first arrived on Gavutu there were still parts of Japanese seaplanes above water, including a Zero fighter. They had to sink those to make a clear area for the SOC Seagulls to moor. Bored, he volunteered to fly as the second crewman and apparently did that quite often. One of the airman was giving dad flying lessons, and dad thinks that man was killed during a takeoff from Henderson Field on Guadalcanal. He thinks that pilot's name was either Feeman or English. He also thinks he remembers the Lt. Pierce mentioned in the book. He remembers him as a young pilot who was very sharp. Dad would ferry his medical patients to Tulagi to see the doctor - often on a PT boat. He says it was a quick trip. Great book about a little known aspect of Naval aviation. Dad went on to the 5th Marine Division and was a corpsman for an infantry-support unit. He is an Iwo Jima Silver Star recipient, and this book has made his day. He is: Holman, Sam J, PhM1c USNR 1941 - 1945