F14 Fan Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Hi! I'm looking for references pictures or photos of CVG-1 aircraft onboard USS Enterprise on it's first deployment, in 1962. Those references are to put the Airwing on my 1/720 Enterprise, and i've searched high and low and it seems that no one nows about this airwing has been onboard USS Enterprise, only two sites: Airwing as in GONAVY: VF-102 Diamondbacks, F4H-1, (AF)100 VF-62 Boomerangs, F8U-1, (AK)200 VA-172 Blue Bolts, A4D-2N, (AB)300 VA-12 Flying Ubangis, A4D-2N, (AB)400 VA-15 Valions, AD-6, (AB)500 VA-64 Black Lancers, A4D-2N, (AF)600 VAH-7 Peacemakers of the Fleet, A3J-1, (AF)700 VAW-12 DET.60 Bats, WF-2, (GE)800 VFP-62 DET.60 Fighting Photos, F8U-1P, (GA)900 HU-2 DET.60 Fleet Angels, HUP-3, (HU)xx Airwing as in US CARRIERS WING AVIATION: VF-102, F4H-1, AF 100 VF-62, F8U-1, AK 200 VA-172, A4D-2N, AB 300 VA-12, A4D-2, AB 400 VA-15, AD-6, AB 500 VA-64, A4D-2N, AF 600 VAH-7, A3J-1, GL 400 VAW-12 Det. 60, WF-2, GE 700 VFP-62 Det. 60, F8U-1P, GA 900 HU-2 Det. 60, HUP-2, HU 60 I'm wondering if this is correct, both sites even have different modexes.... Since i want to depict my Enterprise with the first airwing ever onboard, i'm looking for these references just to make things right........ Or in last case, if anyone has ever donne the Enterprise with this airwing.... I know there's an CVG-6 1/720 decals available, but the squadrons aren't the same. I wonder if anyone could help.... Many thanks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 First of all I was confused, as in the title you wrote CVG-1 and then saw units that I have seen mentioned as part of CVG-6... then I saw the rest of your post, and I saw it mentioned CVG-6 decals. Problem is that it looks like the very first cruise of the carrier was done with a mixed air wing. CVG-6 bore the AF tail codes until February 1963, therefore during this first cruise AF would be the right code for planes of this wing. Volume 2 of the Squadron Signal USN Aircraft Carrier Air Units series has a picture of one of VF-102 Phantoms (AF-105) on the Enterprise during this cruise. The same book has pictures of VAH-7 Vigilantes (Modex AF-7XX) and a Skyhawk marked AF-601 however during the third cruise shortly before the tail code changed to AE. Another picture from this second cruise is mislabelled as being taken during the first cruise: it shows an RF-8 of VFP-62 (AE-9xx) and a phantom of VF-102 (AE-1XX).... these were taken after the change in tail code. The crusader squadron is proof that the carrier had a mixed air wing: there's a picture of a plane of VF-62 said to be taking off from Enterprise in 1962 and this carries modex AK-209. However VF-62 was not part of CVG-6, while VF-33 was (and was on Enterprise during the second cruise). Same for some of the attack squadrons. Squadron histories of VA-172 clearly mention the presence on the Enterprise during this period, VA-12's does not, VA-64 is mentioned as having been on the carrier later during the year (october-december). More doubts can be found about the detachments: these normally take the tail codes of the host CVG, so I'd not expect in theory to see a Vigilante coded GL on board a carrier as GL is only used "on land". As this was not really a normal cruise (so much that is often mentioned as the Caribbean Shakedown), there's a chance that the detachments kept their normally assigned tail codes. However seems weird to me that the Vigilantes would have carried a modex identical to other planes of the same "wing" (the 400 series). As VAH-7 later deployed as part of CVG-6, I'd believe the AF-700 to be correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F14 Fan Posted July 11, 2011 Author Share Posted July 11, 2011 Many thanks for your reply.... I already imagine that those first cruise would be some mix up of squadrons.... Now hunting down those schemes is a real hard task..... There's virtually nothing on the net, and i've searched for them in every possible way.... And i don't even think of finding the HUP-2 photos.... Those are a total impossible to find.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Sorted the Vigilante issue: these really used GL-4xx numbers during carrier qualification on the enterprise. I've found a picture of GL-401. The caption says these later adopted the AF7xx modex series. I don't think the schemes are too hard to find, except maybe the helicopters. I can send you pictures of the Phantoms, Crudaders and Vigilantes. If you look at a4skyhawk.org there are many pictures and at least an educated guess can be made from these as to how these planes looked like. Same for those part of detachments, it's unlikely these would have changed their usual markings for this cruise only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F14 Fan Posted July 15, 2011 Author Share Posted July 15, 2011 ... I can send you pictures of the Phantoms, Crudaders and Vigilantes.... Please, i would be gratefull, if you can do so.... ...If you look at a4skyhawk.org there are many pictures and at least an educated guess can be made from these as to how these planes looked like. Same for those part of detachments, it's unlikely these would have changed their usual markings for this cruise only. I will do so.... I've got a few more schemes from other sites, next the 1962 time frames, i guess i've got to work from them.... Many thanks for all your help..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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