CAF Rocky Mountain Wing

Knowing that the U.S. Navy adopted overall Glossy Sea Blue late in World War II, many people are surprised to see how long the earlier three-color camouflage remained in service. This photograph puts the transition into perspective.

These TBM Avengers belonged to Torpedo Squadron 88 aboard USS Yorktown (CV-10). The Navy photographed them over the Pacific on 22 August 1945, one week after Japan announced its surrender. The “RR” tail marking identifies Carrier Air Group 88.

Several of the Avengers still wear the older combination of Non-Specular Sea Blue, Intermediate Blue, and Insignia White. At least one aircraft wears the newer overall Glossy Sea Blue finish.

The Navy had ordered fighter aircraft into overall Glossy Sea Blue in March 1944. On 7 October, it extended the standard to other carrier-based combat aircraft, including torpedo and dive bombers. The one-color finish simplified production and maintenance, while its smoother surface offered a modest aerodynamic benefit.

The directive did not mean that squadrons immediately repainted every aircraft already in service. Existing Avengers continued flying in their three-color camouflage while newer aircraft arrived from the factory in Glossy Sea Blue. Fighters such as the F6F Hellcat and F4U Corsair displayed the new finish earlier partly because they had received the order months before the Navy extended it to torpedo and dive bombers.

Save the date! Our annual "Keep 'Em Flying" big band hangar dance is coming on October 10! Get tickets and details at https://rmwcaf.org/1940s-hangar-dance/

Here's a that goes back to the 70s, before 309 was even 309. By this time, she was back in a US Navy paint scheme, but she was still in her RCN configuration with no gun turret. What other differences can you spot?

We had a great time in Cheyenne despite the rain. Plus, you can't beat that view, right?

Find out what's next for us at https://rmwcaf.org/events/

Well, rain makes for a lousy air show, but it does make for a gorgeous photo!

We got rained out in Cheyenne today, but it wasn't a total loss. We got this beautiful photo from superfan Troy Hunsucker as a consolation prize.

The war in the Pacific was finally over.

On the evening of 14 August 1945, at 7:00 pm Eastern War Time, President Harry S. Truman announced via radio address that Japan had accepted the Allied terms of surrender. Because of time zone differences, it was already August 15 in Japan, where Emperor Hirohito would address the nation later that day, and in Britain, where it was midnight when the news broke. British Prime Minister Clement Attlee marked the moment with his own radio address, declaring simply, "Japan has today surrendered. The last of our enemies is laid low."

This is why some of the world recognizes August 14 as VJ Day, and some August 15. Of course, the formal surrender ceremony would take place aboard USS Missouri (BB-63) on September 2, so in the US, VJ-day is officially September 2. But for millions of Americans and Britons, the celebration began the moment the news broke.

On the eve of the anniversary of the Japanese surrender, here's a that our newsletter editor uncovered. This front page of the Rocky Mountain News from July 23, 1945 captures the scale of the Allied carrier offensive against Japan during the final weeks of World War II.

The headline reports Adm. Chester W. Nimitz's announcement that American and British carrier aircraft of the Third Fleet had destroyed or damaged 412 Japanese ships and 556 aircraft during a series of devastating strikes that began on July 10. Among the most significant targets was the battleship Nagato, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto's former flagship during the attack on Pearl Harbor.

These sustained carrier raids crippled Japan's remaining naval and air power, paving the way for the war's conclusion just weeks later. Newspapers like this brought home the staggering pace of events unfolding in the Pacific as Allied forces tightened the noose around the Japanese home islands.

Vintage aviation isn't our only passion. This is a beautiful Ford Model T owned by RMW Colonel Tom Howe. Here, he was putting the finishing touches on it before the Grand Junction 4th of July parade.

Did you know that Ford built about 15 million Model Ts between 1908 and 1927?

In 1929, roughly 11.3 million were still registered, an astonishing survival rate. Ford continued manufacturing replacement Model T engines until August 4, 1941, producing nearly 170,000 replacement engines after Model T production ended, specifically because so many cars were still in service. The earliest solid registration figure after World War II comes from an R.L. Polk survey of 1948, which found 49,869 Model Ts still registered in the 48 states. Today, about 10,000 to 15,000 are believed to be roadworthy and regularly driven.

📸 Blaze Herman

Recently, CAF Colonels Jim Korber, Trevor Burrell, Hyrum Webb, and Fred Suvel tackled the 50-hour maintenance on the TBM. For two weeks, “309” was inspected, checked, and tested to make sure all systems were GO for the TBM's appearance at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport in Broomfield earlier this month.