Henry Rifle Forums

Wife was dusting and my SBD dauntless dive bomber made its final run. Lost a rear stabilizer, part of landing gear ,canopy and props bent. Since winters approaching I've always wanted to build a P40 warhawk. The dauntless will become target for shore battery from the USS Constitution AKA daisy BB gun

Sad when an old warbird make its final flight.

I used to shoot holes in my old beat up plastic ship models with my Daisy Model 25, then set them afire. Very cool to watch, unless you got downwind and then you would gag and choke. Of course I was thirteen at the time. Sometime around that period my clueless father took the gun and said, “is this loaded?” and shot a hole in the patio slider.... “Yeah Dad. I guess it is.” This was circa 1966.

Take pics of that bomber’s death agonies.

John Davies
Spokane WA

Looks like a hard landing!

Shame that you can’t turn the aviation mechanics loose on it and make it combat ready again.
Here’s a thought, get out the paint and tools and see if you can make it look like it limped home from run. And survived an enemy fighter attack.

When I lived in the barracks, I had several models displayed in the room. B24, PBY, F4 painted in Blue Angels livery. At first the Barracks Sergeant had told me I had to remove them prior to the weekly room inspections, but word came down from the CO, they were NOT in violation of any regulations, were tastefully displayed, and it was an aviation unit, duh.

Invariably, the young officer inspecting would enter the room, and first impression was always excellent. Highly waxed floor, neatly made racks, dust free... Then they would see the Aircraft... and be drawn like flies. They would call me over, and start asking questions...

"B25?"
"B24J Liberator Sir. "
"Did the Blues ever fly the F4?"
"Late 60s Sir, when Dad was a member," That always got a reaction.

The Sergeant Major would be standing off behind the Officer somewhere and try and hide his grin... Same drill every week. He would clear his throat, "We have three floors to look at, Sir."

"Excellent," They would usually leave reluctantly, but I always got the same ranking, "write that down Sergeant Major, Excellent Room." Some were less interested than others, but they all commented.

My Dad flew in a B-24J in the Pacific Theater during WWII.