CHARLES GRAHAM & RICHARD HILL ra) RRS a -. KOOKABURRA TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS £0.60 uk SEL rgSeries 3 No 7 HISTORIC AIRCRAFT BOOKS PUBLISHED BY KOOKABURRA TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS DANDENONG, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA © CONTENTS COPYRIGHT KOOKABURRA TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS 1972 Cover. A US Marine Corps F4U-1 Corsair, unit unknown, on Torokina airstrip, Bougainville Island, in December 1943, (US Navy/National Archives 80-G-K372)MARKINGS OF THE ACES US Navy Book 2 CHARLES GRAHAM & RICHARD HILL Illustrated by Charles Graham Taken in March 1944, this shot shows Ira Kepjord and his division ov: and Crossbones” marking was a distinctive feature. Bougainville Island. The “Skull g's No 3 is unusual in that it retains the red- Jim So bordered fuselage marking. The pilot of No & is believed 10 have been Hal Jackson. (US Navy/National Archives 80-G-217817) In mid-September 1943, following the successful completion of her “shakedown cruise”, the new carrier BUNKER HILL with Air Group 17 aboard, anama Canal. After a brief stop at San Diego to pick up VF-I8 as passengers, the BUNKER HILL proceeded into the Pacilic, The Air Group's fighter squadron, VF-17, was one of the first Navy squadrons to be equipped with the new F4U-1 Corsair, With Lt-Cdr John T Blackburn as CO, and having adopted the “Jolly Roger” as the unit symbol, VF-17 was to become Known as the “Skull and’ Crossbones Squadron” or alternatively as “Blackburn's Irregulars”. The poor deck landing characterist F4U were to prevent VF-17 from becoming the first carier-based Corsair squadron to see combat. Prior to reaching Pearl Harbor, VE-17 was ine formed that it would be detached’ from Air Group 17 and utilized as a land-based squadron, Tt was not until the following March that modifications resulted in the Corsair being officially accepted for carrier operations. Leaving VF-18 to fill their vacated place in the BUNKER HILL air group, VF-17 went ashore at Pearl Harbor, and shortly afterwards found their