Fuselage #s and Serial #s of FAA Corsairs on 9/8/45 Gray VC Mission

[X Trapnel]

I'd like to do a model of an FAA Corsair IV that was on the 9 Aug 1945 mission during which Lt Robert Gray posthumously won the VC. All my Google efforts have come to naught. Does anyone happen to have information on the three fuselage numbers and serial number (should be KD plus three numbers) on any of the other Corsairs that accompanied Gray on his final flight? Gray's valor is certainly inspiring, but his aircraft seems to be the overwhelming (actually virtually exclusive) choice for an overall GSB FAA Corsair scheme, and I'd like to do something slightly different.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Best regards,

X

[iang]

Details of the 9th August 1841 Squadron Onagawa Wan attack are sparse. The 1841 Squadron diary survives, but the diarist S/Lt Maitland was shot down on 10th August 1945, and he only completed the Squadron Diary enteries until 23rd July. After the war S/Lt Crosland (1841 pilot) attempted to complele the diary (from discussion with other surviving 1841 pilots), but his entry for 9th August suggests 5 losses among Formdiable's Corsair squadrons, but the Admiralty report on BPF losses records only 3 Corsairs were lost that day for the entire BPF (I Victorious and 2 Formidable). In any case, Crosland's entry does not provide the information you seek.

The Admiralty documents are also vague. Neither the Report of AC1 (Admiral Vian) or the Report of Formidable gives any detail. All that is known for certain is that the flight took off at 0826 and the eight 1841 pilots were arranged in two flights:

1 Gray, 2. Storheill, 3. Maitland, 4.Reeve

5. MacKinnon, 6. Hughes, 7, Blade, 8. Abbot

Blade's Corsair was damaged after the first run , and along with his wing-man Abbot, returned to Formidable where his undercarriage collapsed on landing.

It is possible that some of these pilots were flying 1842 aircraft, though Gray's Corsair is recorded in the Admiralty Report on losses as an 1841 Squadron Corsair IV KD658

The only other source of information are the Flying Log Books of the pilots themselves. I have copies of 8 Formidable Corsair pilots' log books, including Hughes, who was Mackinnon's wing man on 9th August. He records KD538 as his Corsair for this operation.

This Corsair, by chance, was also replacement Corsair from Arbiter that was flown onto Formidable with KD658 on 20 July. I don't know for sure what side number KD538 was allocated, but I believe X/123 is the most likely.

So, in short, the only other Onegawa Wan Corsair I can identify is KD538 flown by S/Lt Albert Hughes, which was (possibly) X/123.

HTH

IG

[Bruce Archer]

I'd like to do a model of an FAA Corsair IV that was on the 9 Aug 1945 mission during which Lt Robert Gray posthumously won the VC. All my Google efforts have come to naught. Does anyone happen to have information on the three fuselage numbers and serial number (should be KD plus three numbers) on any of the other Corsairs that accompanied Gray on his final flight? Gray's valor is certainly inspiring, but his aircraft seems to be the overwhelming (actually virtually exclusive) choice for an overall GSB FAA Corsair scheme, and I'd like to do something slightly different.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Best regards,

X

Hi!

Most of the Corsair colors are known fairly well. Here is a run-down:

Corsair I (Vought built F4U-1)- Olive Drab and US Sea Grey uppers and USN Non-Specular Light Grey undersides. There is some speculation they may be DuPont "Sky Grey" (NOT FAA Sky Grey), but it does not make sense for Vought to buy a similar grey when they were required to stock Non-Specular Light Grey for USN Corsairs. Wheel Wells are undersurface color, as are the gear doors and struts.

Corsair II (Vought built F4U-1A and F4U-1D)- colors are as above. You need the serial to tell if the aircraft is a -1A or -1D.

Corsair III (Brewster Built F3A-1, F4U-1A equivalents) first deliveries were in the USN Tri-Color scheme. Here is where it gets squirrelly. As the records for Corsair production were disposed of when the Pennsylvania was closed by the USN. Mid production aircraft appear to be tonally as the Vought built Corsairs. Later built aircraft were in the MAP shades of Extra Dark Sea Grey, Dark Slate Grey, and Sky. But when the change took place is anyone's guess. There are not any documents from Brewster on how they painted aircraft.

Corsair IV (Goodyear Built FG-1 and FG-1D, which are F4U-1A and F4U-1D equivalents) were ALL finished in Glossy sea blue overall. These were the only Corsairs delivered in this scheme. Again you need the serial to tell the Fg-1 from the FG-1D.

So there you have Corsair colors.

Bruce

Edited October 7, 2013 by Bruce Archer

[X Trapnel]

Many thanks to both of you for your very helpful responses. The information on the 9 August mission was extremely interesting and impressively thorough, given the limitations on what's available.

If I may ask, what is the basis of your belief that Corsair KD 538 carried the number 123? (I hope this doesn't sound like cross-examination - I certainly don't intend it to. Just curious.) I'll likely go with this scheme assuming it's reasonably plausible.

While I've got the experts on line, I have a follow up question on painting, always a dodgy subject on Corsairs, particularly FAA Corsairs.

Based on what I've managed to pull from the internet, as a Corsair IV, I plan to paint to paint almost everything glossy sea blue, including wheel wells, both sides of the main wheel landing gear doors and tail wheel doors, and wheel hubs.

Exceptions will be interior green in the cockpit, with cockpit sides above the instrument panel black (possibly). The area inside the fuselage above the tail wheel/arrestor hook should also be interior green, I believe. Landing struts and tail wheel/arrestor hook I think should be lacquer silver. I realize there are no definitive answers, but I hope this is a reasonable interpretation.

Any thoughts or suggestions from those more knowledgeable are greatly appreciated.

Many thanks.

X

[iang]

If I may ask, what is the basis of your belief that Corsair KD 538 carried the number 123? (I hope this doesn't sound like cross-examination - I certainly don't intend it to. Just curious.) I'll likely go with this scheme assuming it's reasonably plausible.

I've reconstructed the squadron rosters for each Fleet Carrier squadron from arrival in the Far East until VJ, using primary source material (Admiralty Reports, Squadron Diaries, Flying Log books, photographs etc). I stil have a lot of gaps, but for Formidable's Operations off Japan I've got reasonable coverage of the Corsair squadrons. I know the date each Corsair was lost and in most cases the serial and BPF numbers assigned. I also know when replacements were received, with aircraft identified by their serial. These were allocated BPF numbers on the Fleet Carriers themselves. It is my assumption that replacements would be allocated to make good previous losses (and in most cases I know which BPF numbers the losses carried). On 20th July 1841 Squadron received 4 replacements from Arbiter (including KD538 and KD658). From a photograph album that I own, I know the BPF number number allocated to one of these four aircraft, leaving three others. One was Gray's, so obviously this aircraft would have no record of being flown after 9th August. The other two previous losses that had not received replacements were X/112 and X/123. I know that X/112 was flown by 1842 Squadron on 9 August. By a process of elimination, therefore, I'm able to assign the two remaining Corsair serials to X/112 and X/123, and for various reasons, with X/123 being more likely Hughes' (which he records as KD538 in his log book)

Of course, it is worth stating the obvious here. I have no direct evidence linking X/123 with KD538. I've arrived at this conclusion entirely on the basis of elaborate triangulation from a number of different sources. This process also allows me to potentially identify Gray's Corsair. I believe I have a good candidate for his aircraft.

Edit:

I forgot to mention one or two things relating to the colours of these Corsairs. I agree with your assessment for the most part. However, on KD431 I believe that the landing struts are GSB and, personally, I would use this aircraft as a guide. The other point worth noting is that many Formidable Corsairs carried spinner hubs painted in different colours. I interpret these as flight/section markings, but that is a guess. I've no idea what colour the spinner of X/123 was painted.

Edited serial/code material again - which just goes to show that writig from memory is a dangerous thing.

Edited October 16, 2013 by iang

[Stein Meum]

I have had access to Storheill's log book and photoalbums during my research on Storheill's operational carreer. He did the ferry flight (0:30 min) from Arbiter to Formidable. I have been able to make these Serial No./Codes tie-ups: 116/X KD336(?), 140/X KD300, 137/X KD483, 126/X KD334, 120/X KD647, 143/X KD828, 132/X KD729. Tie-up's that need Serial No's: 111/X KD???, 116/X KD???, 133/X KD??? On 22nd August, Storheill logs his last flight in a Corsair: 115/X Formidable to Maryborough. KD658? His photo album has several photos of the Corsairs. Among them "my plane" as he wrote on the back of one of them, 124/X. A plane he never logged a flight in, btw. Many of the photos show scenes of physical exercises performed by crew members on deck. In the background of some of them is Sydney Harbour Bridge. According to the negatives numbers, these photos are taken post-war. In the background are Corsairs parked in neat rows. One of them is 115/X. Unfortunately, the serials have been sensored on the negatives (scratched out) making them difficult to read.

Do these tie-ups agree with your material, iang?

Stein

[Scooby]

All of the replies are fascinating, I have been following iangs research for sometime now and this is the most detailed info he has released to date.

I would love to see everyone's photo albums. I have access to a FAA Corsair pilots album as well, this pilot has provided me with photos for my collection. He also has a post war photo of 115/X, no serial is visible.

[Chris Preston]

Hi Everyone,

I've got a Tamiya 48th scale Corsair underway that I want to finish as Hammy Grey's aircraft, being RCNR myself, and from the same Canadian Province as Grey. I've been following this thread (and other's) on the markings for the aircraft he flew on his last mission with lots of interest, and with some help from friends of mine here in Victoria who are also interested in Grey's last mission, I put together my own thoughts, and submit them for your consideration.

Both friends of mine have given me much food for thought on what aircraft Grey was flying on his last mission, so I've been poking around both the Hyperscale and Britmodeller Forums, searching for anything to do with FAA Corsairs, and as both of them have said on both forums, *115/X was not the aircraft he was lot in. Also, another well-informed member from this board and others has indicated that he's narrowed the possibilities down to 2 possibilities, and is confident that the aircraft Grey was lost in was serial number KD658 (by process of elimination rather than by direct evidence).

That being said, and using the information that one of my friends posted on both Hyperscale and Britmodeller - here:

Note: 1. LCdr Bigg-Wither took off at 0600 with 12 1841 Sqn Corsairs (see notes in parenthesis below)
2. Lt Gray took off at 0826 leading 8 1841 aircraft.
0405 to 0815 113
0525 to 0855 115
0811 to 1155 119, 120
0925 to 1205 115
1110 to 1455 112
1430 to 1825 115, 116, 117, 118, 122, 123, 124, 130, 131, 134, 135, 137, 138, 140, 141, 142, 145.

On 10 August the following aircraft were flown:

111,115,116,117,119,121,122,123,124,125,132,134,135,136,138,140,142, and 146.

The following aircraft from 1841 and 1842 Squadrons are a possibility:

113 - but only had 11 minutes turnaround time having landed at 0815;
114 - barrier prang on 30 Jul 45 and not shown to have flown (Connolly flew 114 on 9 August 1945);
126 - last flown 5 August 45;
127 - not on strength having crashed at sea 21 May 1945;
128 - last flown 4 August 1945;
129 - last flown 28 Jul 45(Glading of 1841 Sqn flew 129 on 9 August 1945);
130 - last flown 7 August 1945 (MacKinnon flew 130 on 9 August 1945);
133 - last flown 25 July 1945;
139 - last flown on either 17 of 30 July 1945;
143 - last flown 30 July 1945; and
144 - last flown 28 July 45 (MacKinnon of 1841 Sqn flew 144 on 10 August 1945.

Based on the above information, I noted that of the aircraft that sortied in the AM of 09 AUG 45, the only 2 aircraft that do not appear again as flying on 10 AUG 45 are 112/X and 120/X, but 112/X did fly in the PM of 09 AUG 45.

So........was Grey flying Corsair 120/X, Ser No. KD658 ? I made a list of aircraft flying in the forenoon and afternoon of 09 AUG, then a list below of aircraft flying on 10 AUG. The only one that doesn't appear in the afternoon of 09 AUG OR as being flown on 10 AUG is 120/X (112/X is shown as having flown on

09 AUG from 1110-1455).

Your thoughts?

Cheers,

Chris Preston,

Victoria, BC

[Stein Meum]

Well, the first thought of mine is that KD658 can have been renumbered prior to Grey's last mission. But for what reason?

Stein

[iang]

I have had access to Storheill's log book and photoalbums during my research on Storheill's operational carreer. He did the ferry flight (0:30 min) from Arbiter to Formidable. I have been able to make these Serial No./Codes tie-ups: 116/X KD336(?), 140/X KD300, 137/X KD483, 126/X KD334, 120/X KD647, 143/X KD828, 132/X KD729. Tie-up's that need Serial No's: 111/X KD???, 116/X KD???, 133/X KD??? On 22nd August, Storheill logs his last flight in a Corsair: 115/X Formidable to Maryborough. KD658? His photo album has several photos of the Corsairs. Among them "my plane" as he wrote on the back of one of them, 124/X. A plane he never logged a flight in, btw. Many of the photos show scenes of physical exercises performed by crew members on deck. In the background of some of them is Sydney Harbour Bridge. According to the negatives numbers, these photos are taken post-war. In the background are Corsairs parked in neat rows. One of them is 115/X. Unfortunately, the serials have been sensored on the negatives (scratched out) making them difficult to read.

Do these tie-ups agree with your material, iang?

Stein

Hi Stein,

Storheill's log is one I haven't seen, so thanks for the information.

For Operations off Japan

116/X:KD336. This must be an error as this Corsair was ditched following the KK attack on 9.5.45

120/X:KD647. Agreed. This was one (possibly the only) survivor from Operation Iceberg in May

126/X:KD334. Agreed - though s/d 18.7.45 (S/Lt Stadwick 1842 KiA)

132/X: KD729. Agreed - though s/d 10.8.45 (S/Lt Maitland 1841 KiA)-This was the third Corsair 132/X for Ops off Japan

137/X: KD483 This looks like an error. KD483 from Striker to Formidable 14.5.45 for Iceberg (137/X). During Ops off Japan 137/X was KD697 (s/d 24.7.45, S/Lt Swart KiA). However, KD483 was one of the few Corsairs to survive the serious hangar fire on Formidable in May 1945, which resulted in nearly all her Corsairs being salted. What date did Storheill fly KD483? Was it after 24.7.45?

140/X: KD300 Agreed - though hit by flak and ditched 28.7.45 (S/Lt Wells OK). This was the second Corsair 140/X for Ops off Japan

143/X: KD828 Agreed, -though this was the 4th Corsair 143/X for Operations off Japan

HTH

IG

Edited October 16, 2013 by iang

[iang]

Hi Everyone,

I've got a Tamiya 48th scale Corsair underway that I want to finish as Hammy Grey's aircraft, being RCNR myself, and from the same Canadian Province as Grey. I've been following this thread (and other's) on the markings for the aircraft he flew on his last mission with lots of interest, and with some help from friends of mine here in Victoria who are also interested in Grey's last mission, I put together my own thoughts, and submit them for your consideration.

Both friends of mine have given me much food for thought on what aircraft Grey was flying on his last mission, so I've been poking around both the Hyperscale and Britmodeller Forums, searching for anything to do with FAA Corsairs, and as both of them have said on both forums, *115/X was not the aircraft he was lot in. Also, another well-informed member from this board and others has indicated that he's narrowed the possibilities down to 2 possibilities, and is confident that the aircraft Grey was lost in was serial number KD658 (by process of elimination rather than by direct evidence).

That being said, and using the information that one of my friends posted on both Hyperscale and Britmodeller - here:

Note: 1. LCdr Bigg-Wither took off at 0600 with 12 1841 Sqn Corsairs (see notes in parenthesis below)

2. Lt Gray took off at 0826 leading 8 1841 aircraft.

0405 to 0815 113

0525 to 0855 115

0811 to 1155 119, 120

0925 to 1205 115

1110 to 1455 112

1430 to 1825 115, 116, 117, 118, 122, 123, 124, 130, 131, 134, 135, 137, 138, 140, 141, 142, 145.

On 10 August the following aircraft were flown:

111,115,116,117,119,121,122,123,124,125,132,134,135,136,138,140,142, and 146.

The following aircraft from 1841 and 1842 Squadrons are a possibility:

113 - but only had 11 minutes turnaround time having landed at 0815;

114 - barrier prang on 30 Jul 45 and not shown to have flown (Connolly flew 114 on 9 August 1945);

126 - last flown 5 August 45;

127 - not on strength having crashed at sea 21 May 1945;

128 - last flown 4 August 1945;

129 - last flown 28 Jul 45(Glading of 1841 Sqn flew 129 on 9 August 1945);

130 - last flown 7 August 1945 (MacKinnon flew 130 on 9 August 1945);

133 - last flown 25 July 1945;

139 - last flown on either 17 of 30 July 1945;

143 - last flown 30 July 1945; and

144 - last flown 28 July 45 (MacKinnon of 1841 Sqn flew 144 on 10 August 1945.

Based on the above information, I noted that of the aircraft that sortied in the AM of 09 AUG 45, the only 2 aircraft that do not appear again as flying on 10 AUG 45 are 112/X and 120/X, but 112/X did fly in the PM of 09 AUG 45.

So........was Grey flying Corsair 120/X, Ser No. KD658 ? I made a list of aircraft flying in the forenoon and afternoon of 09 AUG, then a list below of aircraft flying on 10 AUG. The only one that doesn't appear in the afternoon of 09 AUG OR as being flown on 10 AUG is 120/X (112/X is shown as having flown on

09 AUG from 1110-1455).

Your thoughts?

Cheers,

Chris Preston,

Victoria, BC

120/X was KD647. 120/X was also definitely off-loaded at Maryborough on 23.8.45 (I have a photo showing this aircraft after being off-loaded)

Sorry

IG

Edited October 14, 2013 by iang

[Stein Meum]

Storheill logged 126/X on 17/7, the day before the plane was shot down. He joined 1841 Sqn on 20/6 and left on 16/9-45.

He logged 132/X on 30/7.

He flew 116/X on 9/8, the V.C. mission. But it can't have been KD336. Could it have been one of the 4 Corsairs ferried over from Arbiter 20/7?

Could it be that there were further Corsairs ferried from HMS Arbiter, or elsewhere,after 20/7 that were not recorded by Maitland's successors, and that the 115/X in the post-war photo is not KD658?

Stein

I have a few more serials on Corsairs he flew on 1841 Sqn prior to embarking on HMS Formidable: KD476, KD710 and KD384.

Storheill flew 133/X on 10/8. Hit in oil cooler and ditched near the USS Yorktown. Do you have a serial on this loss, iang?

Stein

Edited October 14, 2013 by Stein Meum

[iang]

Hi Stein,

The aircraft Storheill ditched on 10.8.45 is recorded as KD560 in Formidable's loss report

As for KD658 - this is recorded on 9.8.45 in Formidable's daily loss report as an 1841 aicraft. It was not 115/X as this aircraft was on USS Shangri-la when Gray took off,

On 20.7.45, 1841 received 4 replacements from Arbiter and 1842 received 3 from Ruler. I have the serials of all of these. Two flyable duds were flown off Formidable on the same day (138/X to Arbiter and 141/X to Ruler)

IG

[Stein Meum]

Tnx for KD560 link to 133/X!

Stein

[gingerbob]

The other point worth noting is that many Formidable Corsairs carried spinner hubs painted in different colours. I interpret these as flight/section markings, but that is a guess. I've no idea what colour the spinner of X/123 was painted.

It strikes me that the spinner (hub) of a Corsair wouldn't be terribly easy to see from plane to plane, which makes its value as a section marking questionable, but I don't have any other suggestion for why they'd use different colours, so I'm not saying you're wrong.

Nice to see people putting their clues together on this!

bob

[Troy Smith]

It strikes me that the spinner (hub) of a Corsair wouldn't be terribly easy to see from plane to plane, which makes its value as a section marking questionable, but I don't have any other suggestion for why they'd use different colours, so I'm not saying you're wrong.

Nice to see people putting their clues together on this!

bob

Possibly for use on deck, would be visible from the front, and a simple way of seeing sections.

[iang]

Here's a photo showing the coloured hub. Looking through my phtographs, simlar markings are visible on a number of (but not all) Corsairs when Formidable entered Sydney Harbour on June 27th. They can also be seen on some of the Corsairs caught up in the two KK attacks in early May1945 and in some photos from Operation Goodwood during the previous year. Close-up photos of 1841 Squadron Corsairs seem to show a darker colour hub, without the white band (possibly blue or green as red was prohibited), so I did consider whether this was a simple deck recognition marking to distinguish 1841 and 1842 aircraft. However, although I haven't yet found a 1841 Squadron Corsair with a hub with a white band and coloured tip (If anyone has one I'd be interested to know), there are photographs of 1842 Squadron Corsairs with dark coloured hubs (135/X:KD244 springs to mind - although this particular aircraft had a very short service life with 1842 squadron).

Returning to the photo, this was 1842 squadron 143/X that S/Lt Harrison (1841 Squadron pilot) landed on 24.7.45. I have four or five photos of this incident in a photograph album compiled by a Formidable crew member.

I assume that the pilot next to the prop is S/Lt Ronnie Harrison RNVR himself. I also have a copy of Harrison's Flying Log book. He was part of the strike escort with Air Group Leader attacking Tokushima, Shikoku on this sortie. The aircraft suffered hydraulic failure landing and the starboard undercarriage collapsed. The Corsair was subsequently ditched.

I think the prop spinner hub tip is yellow.

Edited October 16, 2013 by iang

[tonyot]

I`ve never noticed this detail re the coloured hubs before so well done for spotting it Ian and thanks for sharing it,

Cheers

Tony O

[Scooby]

As an enthusiast of FAA Corsairs I find this entire thread fascinating, great research.

[iang]

While we are on the subject of Formidable's Corsairs, S/Lt Maitland (I841 diarist) records that before Iceberg, in early March 1945, much time was spent polishing and making ready Corsairs, including painting personal motiffs to adorn the fuselages. He goes on to describe some of these motiffs as very impressive.

I've yet to find a clear picture of a Formidable Corsair with personal motiff. I have several photos of the same from Illustrious (where nearly all of her Iceberg Corsairs seemed to carry a motiff), some from Victorious and Colossus, but none from Formidable other than a partial photo showing a (very large) motiff behing the cowl on 12?/X. Has anyone got a photo of a Formidable Corsair in BPF markings with motiff?.

Edited October 20, 2013 by iang

[Scooby]

Ian,

I will check with the FAA Corsair pilot that I know. I think I have told you about this person before, he was an avid photographer and has many images from the war which were never published. He opened a photography chain after the war which is still popular to this day.

When will you release or publish what you have?

[iang]

Thanks. I'd be interested to hear what he has. As to my plans, I've still got about 50 or 60

Flying Log Books to get copies of and go through and then I think I will have seen all the primary evidence that still exists in the public domain. Then I don't know, precisely. I plan a series of three books on fleet carrier operations 1944-45: Eastern Fleet, BPF Iceberg, BPF Operations off Japan, but I don't get much time to write at the moment and retirement, which would provide the time, is 5-10 years away. So I think the answer is that publication will not be any time soon, as in the last year I think I've added about 5 pages of text......

Edited October 21, 2013 by iang

[Scooby]

On 10/16/2013 at 6:03 AM, iang said:

Here's a photo showing the coloured hub. Looking through my phtographs, simlar markings are visible on a number of (but not all) Corsairs when Formidable entered Sydney Harbour on June 27th. They can also be seen on some of the Corsairs caught up in the two KK attacks in early May1945 and in some photos from Operation Goodwood during the previous year. Close-up photos of 1841 Squadron Corsairs seem to show a darker colour hub, without the white band (possibly blue or green as red was prohibited), so I did consider whether this was a simple deck recognition marking to distinguish 1841 and 1842 aircraft. However, although I haven't yet found a 1841 Squadron Corsair with a hub with a white band and coloured tip (If anyone has one I'd be interested to know), there are photographs of 1842 Squadron Corsairs with dark coloured hubs (135/X:KD244 springs to mind - although this particular aircraft had a very short service life with 1842 squadron).

Returning to the photo, this was 1842 squadron 143/X that S/Lt Harrison (1841 Squadron pilot) landed on 24.7.45. I have four or five photos of this incident in a photograph album compiled by a Formidable crew member.

I assume that the pilot next to the prop is S/Lt Ronnie Harrison RNVR himself. I also have a copy of Harrison's Flying Log book. He was part of the strike escort with Air Group Leader attacking Tokushima, Shikoku on this sortie. The aircraft suffered hydraulic failure landing and the starboard undercarriage collapsed. The Corsair was subsequently ditched.

I think the prop spinner hub tip is yellow.

Ian, in the five pictures you have of 143/X, do you have one of when it was pushed off the deck into the ocean?

[iang]

KD244:143/X was stripped and swung out by crane, rather than being pushed off.

[Scooby]

On 3/3/2019 at 12:37 PM, iang said:

KD244:143/X was stripped and swung out by crane, rather than being pushed off.

I didn’t know that detail, so you must have that sequence. I have one of it floating in the water, which you likely already have.