Avengers at Guadalcanal

[ChuckD]

As I make progress on my Guadalcanal P-400, I'm considering my next build.  I've already got a Wildcat done up to Guadalcanal specs, so I'm considering either a Dauntless or Avenger next.  Both are kits I've already done in different liveries and both potential kits are in the stash.  I'm having a hard time identifying when the production of the TBF-1C variant began production, though what I can piece together leads me to believe it was sometime after the bulk of the fighting around Guadalcanal island had happened.  Is it possible that a -1C would have seen combat from Henderson field during the height of the Guadalcanal campaign?  Else, I'd be looking at back-dating the Trumpeter -1C kit to a -1, and I think that's probably beyond my ability.  

 

All that said, I can't really find much information about the Avengers flown from Henderson at all.  What units, what markings, anything.  Very few photos exist that I've been able to find so far.  Does anyone have a line on some good references for Henderson-based Avengers?

 

Thanks!

[ChuckD]

Fair.  Various flavors of "avengers at guadalcanal" didn't get me much.  I got a half dozen or so photos out of your search, which is about 5 more than I had before, so... progress.   This TBF sure looks like it has the holes in the wings for the .50s found on -1Cs.  It supposedly belongs to VMA-131 which was shuttled between Henderson and Espiritu Santo between November '42 and February '43.  Is this enough grounds to say that -1Cs were present at Henderson before the end of the Guadalcanal campaign?

Edited April 5, 2020 by Gewehr 43

[easixpedro]

I HIGHLY recommend finding a copy of "Dauntless Helldivers" by Harold Buell. He was a dive bomber pilot during the war. Essentially survived every major carrier engagement from Coral Sea till going stateside just prior to Leyte Gulf. He was on Enterprise when she was hit during the Battle of Eastern Solomons, and his entire flight plus other airborne Enterprise aircraft diverted to Cactus. They ended up staying for over a month! 

 

In his book he mentions that both VT-8 and  VT-10 were there and helped VMSB-131. In the early days all the squadrons pooled together (survival at its best) and flew each others aircraft till damaged beyond repair.  But that should give you more to go off of...

-Peter