Marine Fighting Squadron VMF-214 Aerial Battle

by Antonios Valamontes

Original - Not For Sale

Price

$5,900

Dimensions

34.000 x 36.000 x 1.500 inches

Title

Marine Fighting Squadron VMF-214 Aerial Battle

Artist

Antonios Valamontes

Medium

Painting - Oils On Portrait

Description

On July 1, 1942, Marine Fighting Squadron 214 (VMF-214) was commissioned at Ewa Field with two officers, twenty enlisted men, and several F2A fighters under Commanding Officer (C. O.) George F. Britt. They were initially nicknamed "Swashbucklers."

Wartime History

Assigned to the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) to Marine Air Group 11 (MAG-11), Marine Fighting Squadron 214 "Black Sheep" VMF-214 to Commanding Officer (C. O.) Major Gregory "Pappy" Boyington and was often flown by him on combat missions in the Solomon Islands and he was often photographed with this aircraft.VFM 214 operated from Piva Airfield in Bougainville.

F4U-1A Corsair Bureau Number 17883 Code 883 - Marine Fighting Squadron 214 (VMF-214)
"Swashbucklers / Black Sheep" took off on January 28, 1944, piloted by Captain Donald N. Aldrich and was written off.

By February 1943, the squadron had been deployed to the South Pacific (SOPAC) and operated from Turtle Bay Airfield on Espiritu Santo. For their first tour of duty, the squadron operated the F4F Wildcat, operating from Henderson Field on Guadalcanal until September 1943.

Afterward, equipped with the F4U Corsair, the Commanding Officer (C.O.) Major Gregory "Pappy" Boyington took command. The squadron was renamed "Black Sheep" (The Black Sheep) and was based at Munda Airfield in New Georgia and later Barakoma Airfield on Vella Lavella Island.

On August 4, 1943, F4U Corsairs from VMF-214, led by Burnett and Synar, participated in a multi-service mission fighter sweep over the Central Solomons. During the air combat, Charles Lanphier claimed one victory. A confused air combat marked by mistaken identity of RNZAF P-40s for Ki-61 Tonys, F4U Corsair pilots from VMF-214 claimed three kills, including the one claimed by Charlie Lanphier.

On August 28, 1943, the squadron took off from Fighter 1 on Guadalcanal on a strafing mission against Kahili Airfield (Buin) in southern Bougainville. En route to the target, the formation experienced bad weather and became separated. Lost is F4U Corsair 02577 pilot 1st Lt Charles C. Lanphier (POW died May 15, 1944).

On September 30, 1943, four F4Us from VMF-214 on a mission against Kolombangara spotted three ships they believed were enemy vessels. In fact, they were PT-126, PT-124, and PT-116 that fired a recognition flare. F4U pilot Alexander made a strafing attack and wounded several aboard PT-126 and was shot down by their return fire.

Known Aircraft and Losses

F4U 02566 assigned to VMF-214 then transferred to VMF-218
F4U 02608 pilot Bennett MIA October 22, 1943
F4U 02723 pilot Ashmun MIA January 3, 1943
F4U 17735 assigned to VMF-214 ultimate fate unknown
F4U 17883 assigned to VMF-214 then transferred to VMF-215
F4U 17915 pilot Boyington MIA January 3, 1943, POW survived the war
F4U 55828 pilot Alexander force landed September 23, 1943
F4U 17884 flew one mission with VMF-214, transferred to VMF-218
F4U pilot Alexander was shot down on September 30, 1943

Synopsis: A squadron of fighter planes is engaged in an aerial battle above the clouds, with one plane on fire and trailing smoke. The sky is partly cloudy with a glimpse of land and sea below, indicating that the dogfight is occurring over a coastal region.

© R is designated that the painting is a reproduction

Uploaded

March 10th, 2024

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