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| Keywords: SB2U-2 NMNA.jpg The Vought SB2U-2 Vindicator of the U S National Museum of Naval Aviation at Pensacola Florida USA photographed in 1999 Official caption The last SB2U-2 delivered to the Navy the museum's Vindicator joined the fleet in 1939 and logged flights with four squadrons These included Bombing Squadron VB 4 and Scouting Squadron VS 41 on board the carrier Ranger CV 4 and Fighting Squadron VF 71 on board Wasp CV 7 Service in the former carrier in 1941 included duty on the Neutrality Patrol tracking hostile vessels approaching the shores of the United States Equipping VB-9 a squadron destined for service on board Essex CV 9 the museum's SB2U-2 served to train squadron pilots on the deck of the auxiliary carrier Charger ACV 30 The aircraft then transferred the Carrier Qualification Training Unit CQTU at Naval Air Station NAS Glenview Illinois in May 1943 the following month heading out over the waters of Lake Michigan with Marine Second Lieutenant A W Lemmons in the cockpit Favorable flying conditions prevailed that day of 21 June 1943 when Lemmons settled into the groove astern of the training aircraft carrier Wolverine IX-64 steaming through the waters of Lake Michigan However as can easily happen in the dangerous business of landing an aircraft on a ship events quickly turned for the worse The landing signal officer LSO stationed on the aft part of the flight deck whipped his arm across his chest the signal to cut engine power and land Lemmons for some reason did not fully respond to the LSO The SB2U-2 continued up the deck heading towards the barrier designed to stop aircraft that missed the arresting wires The pilot attempted to pull his nose up to clear this obstacle but his extended tailhook caught the top of it breaking off With nothing to stop it the scout-bomber hit the deck and rolled off the starboard bow Lemmons was rescued but his craft sank into the depths of the lake where it was destined to remain for the next forty-seven years Recovered from Lake Michigan in 1990 The aircraft was placed on display in February 1999 and is displayed in the markings of VB-9 U S National Museum of Naval Aviation website http //collections naval aviation museum/emuwebdoncoms/objects/common/webmedia php irn 26114 1999 U S National Museum of Naval Aviation PD-USGov-Military-Navy Vought SB2U Vindicator Aircraft at National Museum of Naval Aviation 1999 in aviation in the United States 1999 in Florida | ||||
