VF-18's F6F

[Don923]

I have been searching for information on Lt.Cecil Harris, and or his wingman James Franklin Burley. Both were members of the VF-18 squadron, and both aces. This squadron only rated about one sentence in "F6F Aces ",Osprey Publishing, but were the 4th highest scoring squadron from 1943-1945 in the Pacific. Lt. Harris shared the second highest scoring Navy ace position. Lt. Burley grew up just a few miles from my house, and was a close friend of my Dad's.

I would love building an F6F with Lt. Burley's markings. So far my search hasn't come up with any useful information on their F6F's.

Thanks

Don923(flylo)

[A-4Silverfox]

About the only thing I can find, even after Goggle searching VF-18 and The Intrepid is in The Official Monogram U. S. Navy & Marine Corps Aircraft Color Guide Vol. 2, 1940-1949.

The geometric symbol for the Intrepid was a simple broad white mark on both sides of the vertical tail, and the upper right and lower left wing. The width of the white band for the wing was eighteen inches and ran in-board from the wing tip panel line. This band extended the full width of the wing. On the tail the band began at the end of the tail radio mast and extended aft and was 15 inches wide. This band stopped at the line formed by the top of the horizontal stabilizer. The individual aircraft number was carried on the standard positions for naval aircraft, i.e., tail forward of the stripe, fuselage forward of the national insignia, on the front cowl ring, and the front of the small upper door on the MLG.

Then in July 1945, these designs changed to simple letters, 24 inches high, white capital block style. These were placed in the same positions that the geometric symbols had occupied. The Intrepid was assigned the letter "E".

And during the time LCmdr. Harris was aboard the Intrepid, all Naval aircraft were the dark semi-gloss sea blue.

In all my data and references there are no photos of Intrepid aircraft from World War 2.

[Don923]

Thanks A-4 Silver Fox.

I've searched the net too and I haven't come up with anything. the book "F6F Aces" did have one small photo of the sister squadron from the USS Intrepid. Your information has given me a starting place.

I am trying to get in touch with Ens. Burley's daughter to see if she has a couple of pictures. He died in 1947 from a brain tumor.

You can find a picture of him, and his history at:http://www.concordia.lib.la.us/fburley.htm

Don923(flylo)

[Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy]

Go to the site for the National Museum of Naval Aviation at Pensacola. There's a place there where you can contact their library with your request and they'll send you anything they can find. They're wonderfully helpful. Easier to use than the National Archives...if anyone has it, they would.

[Joe Hegedus]

If you can locate a copy of the 1/48 Aeromaster special "US Navy-Marine Top Guns in WWII", SP48-08, one of the aircraft in that set is a VF-18 Hellcat from fall 1944. The markings are pretty basic, as were most F6F's. A squadron emblem on the fuselage below the windscreen, an aircraft number on the fin and a white cross on the upper part of the fin on a tri-color airplane. I don't think that any one particular pilot, other than maybe the CAG, would have a "personal" airplane by that time so it's quite possible that your desired aviator would have flown that airplane, at least at some point.

Joe

[Don923]

Thanks Guys for the help.

Don923(flylo)

[don f]

An Aeromaster decal set that may be a little easier to find than the SP set is AMD 48-251. This decal set shows up from time-to-time on eBay. This decal set has the markings for white "39" with a "+" on the tail. The Hellcat is in GSB and is reported as serving on the Intrepid in October, 1944. The decal sheet is marked 48-251A so I presume that this is a revision. I have no idea what AMD revised. I hope you can find an image of Harris's aircraft. If you do so, will you share it with us? I also would love to make a model of his aircraft.

Don

[Don923]

Thanks Don for your information, If , and when I do find an image of Cecil Harris's bird I will post it here.

I hope you took the time to go to the Concordia Library link I provided to read about his wingman. Jimmy Burley whom is from my area.

Again Thanks

Don923(flylo)

[Milo]

Hi guys! Has anyone found out anything more on this? Thanks!

[chriss7606]

Being the U.S. Navy's second highest scoring ace you think there would be a lot written about Cecil Harris, but unfortunately there is not. I did research on him a while back just because there is hardly any mention of him. I found he was a school teacher before his navy days and stayed in the service (reserve side if I remember correctly). He was well liked and respected by the men under his charge but his superiors disliked him and treated him badly from what I remember reading. Cecil Harris retired from the reserves with a fairly low rank considering how long he was in and the experience he had....the higher ups wouldn't promote him. He unfortunately passed away in prison on his birthday. Quite a sad end for someone who gave so much. I'll do another search and post the links. I haven't been able to find a picture of his aircraft specifically but I'll give it a shot.

[StevenJ]

What course of events brought him to prison?

[Milo]

What course of events brought him to prison?

Your guess is as good as mine.

http://www.acepilots.com/usn_harris.html

It's a shame that a veteran who served his country with such distinction had to die under those circumstances. Pretty depressing if you ask me...

[chriss7606]

That was the same site I found too. I was going to post the link today, but since it's already there I won't double post it. I don't know why he was in jail, but I do agree it's depressing. I say by all means do the model of Harris' Hellcat and keep the memory of his service alive. I'm pretty sure wherever he is now, he's appreciate that people are taking an interest in the contribution to WWII history he played.

As for specific markings, from what I remember reading I don't think Cecil Harris was assigned a particular airplane like some of the other aces were (Dave McCampbell had his 'Minsi', Al Vraciu flew #19 off the Intrepid and #32 off the Lexington, and others..). I think he flew whatever aircraft happened to be avaliable for that particular mission. Af course, the long out of print Aeromaster 'USN/USMC Top Guns' sheet has been mentioned. I don't know how they arrived at the particular a/c number represented but it may have been documented that Harris flew that airplane on one or more occasions. I think if you build just about any of the Intrepid's F6Fs with the white + G-symbol you'd be ok. Also I don't know if they'd be able to help any but you might contact the U.S.S. Intrepid museum and see if they can provide any more information.