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| USN AirGrp-100 VBF-100  circa 1970s  Shepherd-Jones 2022 |
Pilot Lt. Rodney C. Tabler, 0-130623 USNR (survived) Fresno, CA Ditched March 16, 1945 Aircraft History Built by Vought. Constructors Number 2876. Delivered to the U.S. Navy (USN) as F4U-1A Corsair bureau number 49898. Wartime History During March 1945 assigned to Air Group 100 (AirGrp-100), Bombing Fighting Squadron 100 (VBF-100). No known nickname or markings. Mission History On March 16, 1945 took off from NAS Barbers Point piloted by Lt. Rodney C. Tabler on a training mission to practice division formation flying and tactics off Oahu. Approximately one hour into the flight, the engine suddenly lost power and lowered manifold pressure and ditched off Nanakuli Beach on the southwest of Oahu. Wreckage During early 1970s, discovered by the Hickam Sea Lancers diving club by Dave Lambert and June Wilkinson. The plane was intact and upright with the canopy open at a depth of 90' on a flat sandy bottom a mile off Nanakuli Beach and became a popular SCUBA dive site. Although the plane's bureau number has not been confirmed, it matches the location of Tabler's ditching. One propeller blade was bent forward and the radio aerial was intact. On November 24, 1982 after Hurricane Iwa the Corsair was moved to a depth of 150' by the storm surge and lost. Later, rediscovered by divers in a degraded condition with the engine, cockpit and tail torn off and missing with the propeller under the wing. Memorials Tabler earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Medal with three Gold Stars and Purple Heart, posthumously. Afterwards, he was assigned to Bombing Fighting Squadron 1 (VBF-1) aboard USS Bennington (CV-20) as a Corsair pilot. On July 24 1945 pilot FG1-D Corsair 88062 that went Missing In Action (MIA) over Kure. He is memorialized at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) on the courts of the missing, court 2. References Navy Serial Number Search Results - F4U-1A Corsair 49898 U.S. Navy Accident Card - F4U-1A Corsair 49898 NARA Bombing Fighting Squadron 100 (VBF-100) War History Honolulu Star-Bulletin "SCUBA Men Dive into the Past for WWII Fighter Planes" September 2, 1971 page 59 "Recently the Hickam Sea Lancers diving club found a Navy or Marine F-4 [F4U] Corsair in 90 feet of water more than a mile off Nanakuli. Thousands of tropical fish are using the Corsair as a home. Sea Lancers Dave Lambert and June Wilkinson found the Corsair in exceptionally clear waters. The plane is in good condition, in one piece its propeller bent, the pilot's canopy open, the cockpit intact with stick, seat and instruments. Since the plane was in 90 feet, it was difficult to spot unless the diver was directly over the wreck, due to light refraction, the swarms of fish and white sand of the bottom. The Sea Lancers feel the Corsair was involved in a ditching, the prop still turning when it went in. Since the canopy is open, the pilot probably got out. [Photo] Out of the Past – A diver pokes around the cockpit of a lost Corsair, a World War II fighter relic, resting off Nanakuli in 90 feet of clear water. Note the bent propeller. – Photo by by Dave Lambert of the Hickam Sea Lancers. [Photo] Wonder Wold – Schools of fish find a sunken Corsair an excellent home but nearly obscure it from view. The tail of the airplane is at the left, the cockpit is in the center of the picture, the wing in the foreground. – Photo by by Dave Lambert of the Hickam Sea Lancers." News "Iwa's devastation leaves reefs barren" by Barbara Hastings American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Rodney C. Tabler FindAGrave - Lt Rodney Charles Tabler (photo, courts of the missing) Thanks to Blade Shepherd-Jones for additional information Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated September 26, 2024 |
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