Page Updated 10/19/10

Aircraft of VPW-1, VP-51, VX-4 Miramar Detachment, VC-11 Miramar Detachment, and VW-1 Early Years

CREDITS:
VC-11 Miramar Detachment data from George E Stewart VC-11 Miramar Detachment 1950-52.
VW-1 data from George E Stewart VW-1 1952-55 & Dan Ragan VW-1 1954-56.
Special thanks to John Moehlenkamp VW-1 1966-68 for researching, updating, and editing.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Scott A. Thompson: "B-17 in Blue" Aero Vintage Books, 1993
 

VPW-1
Tailcode 'EW' Established 1 April 1948.    Home based at Ream Field near San Diego, CA, later moving to NAAS Miramar also near San Diego.    Disestablished 1 September 1948.
Aircraft Model BuNo. Side Number Comment
PB-1W 77232   To VP-51.
PB-1W 77233   To VP-51.
PB-1W 77234   To VP-51.
PB-1W 77237   To VP-51.
 
VP-51 Tailcode 'EW'
Established 1 September 1948. Home based at NAAS Miramar, CA.    Disestablished 2 February 1950.
Aircraft Model BuNo. Side Number Comment
PB-1W 77232   Assigned to the Glenn Martin Co.
at Baltimore, MD until July 1952.
PB-1W 77233   To overhaul.
PB-1W 77234   To overhaul.
PB-1W 77237   To overhaul.
PB-1W 77236   To VX-4 Miramar Detachment.
PB-1W 77243   To VX-4 Miramar Detachment.
 
VX-4 Miramar Detachment Tailcode 'XD
Established 2 February 1950 at NAAS Miramar, CA.   Disestablished 31 March 1950.
Aircraft Model BuNo. Side Number Comment
PB-1W 77236   To VC-11 Miramar Detachment.
PB-1W 77243   To VC-11 Miramar Detachment.
PB-1W 77230   Added March 1950, to VC-11 Miramar Detachment.
 
VC-11 Miramar Detachment Tailcode 'ND'
Established 31 March 1950. On 6 June 1952 the detachment's four PB-1Ws were flown to NAS Barbers Point, T.H. Disestablished 18 June 1952.
Aircraft Model BuNo. Side Number Comment
PB-1W 77236   To overhaul October 1950.
PB-1W 77243   To overhaul June 1951.
PB-1W 77230   To overhaul April 1952.
PB-1W 77226 ND-8 Replaced 77236, to VW-1.
PB-1W 77137 ND-6 Added January 1951, to VW-1.
PB-1W 77138 ND-7 Replaced 77243, to VW-1.
PB-1W 77231 ND-9 Replaced 77230, to VW-1.
SNJ-4 27189   To VC-11 May 1952.
Note: In March 1951 four Martin P4M-1Q aircraft, along with their crews and maintenance personnel, were assigned to VC-11 Miramar Detachment at NAAS Miramar for operational training as a classified "Special Project Unit". In October 1951, after training was completed, the unit was deployed to NS Sangley Point, R. P. Redesignated VW-1 Det. A May 1953. Redesignated VW-3 Det. A June 1954. Redesignated VQ-1 June 1955.
 
VW-1 Tailcode 'TE'
Established 18 June 1952 at NAS Barbers Point, T.H. with four PB-1W aircraft.
Aircraft Model BuNo. Side Number Comment
PB-1W 77137 TE-2 To overhaul July 1953.
PB-1W 77138 TE-3 To overhaul February 1954.
PB-1W 77226 TE-4 To overhaul August 1953.
PB-1W 77231 TE-5 To NAS San Diego May 1954.
 
VW-1 Tailcode 'TE'
Starting in April 1954 the PB-1W side numbers were changed to double digits upon receipt of each new WV-2.
Aircraft Model BuNo. Side Number Comment
PB-1W 77240 TE-6 Added January 1953,
To NAS San Diego January 1954.
PB-1W 77234 TE-7 Added February 1953,
To NAS Norfolk May 1954.
PB-1W 77228 TE-8
TE-14 		Added May 1953.
Recoded TE-14 December 1954.
PB-1W 34114 TE-2
TE-17 		Replaced 77137 July 1953.
Recoded TE-17 April 1954.
PB-1W 77232 TE-4
TE-15 		Replaced 77226 September 1953.
Recoded TE-15 October 1954.
PB-1W 77226 TE-7
TE-16 		Return from overhaul January 1954.
Recoded TE-16 December 1954.
PB-1W 77235 TE-6
TE-12 		Replaced 77240 February 1954.
Recoded TE-12 December 1954.
 
VW-1 Tailcode 'TE'
One WV-1 was received in 1952, seven WV-2s were received in 1954, and at the end of 1954 there were five PB-1Ws remaining.
Aircraft Model BuNo. Side Number Comment
WV-1 124438 TE-1 Received 19 December 1952.
Transferred to VW-4, NAS Jacksonville, FL via FASRON-110 February 1955 as TE-11.
WV-2 128323 TE-2 Received 14 April 1954.
WV-2 131388 TE-3 Received 29 June 1954.
WV-2 131390 TE-4 Received 18 October 1954. Converted to WV-2Q. Crashed (VQ-2), Germany 22 May 1962 when tail tore off in flight. All 26 crew members lost.
WV-2 131392 TE-5 Received 22 November 1954.
WV-2 135749 TE-6 Received 17 December 1954. Converted to WV-2Q/EC-121M. Shot down (VQ-1) by North Korean MiGs, 15 April 1969. All 31 crew members lost.
WV-2 135751 TE-7 Received 21 December 1954. Converted to WV-2Q/EC-121M. Fire damaged beyond repair (VQ-1) at NAS Atsugi, 27 January 1966 while "curing" lower radome with heat.
WV-2 135755 TE-8 Received 21 December 1954.
 
VW-1 Tailcode 'TE'
As the WV-2s were received, they were assigned the lower side numbers and the PB-1W side numbers were moved up.
Aircraft Model BuNo. Side Number Comment
PB-1W 34114 TE-17 To storage February 1955.
PB-1W 77226 TE-16 To storage 17 January 1955.
PB-1W 77228 TE-14 To storage January 1955.
PB-1W 77232 TE-15 To storage 17 January 1955.
PB-1W 77235 TE-12 To storage 14 January 1955. Still flying as the Texas Raiders (N7227C) with the "Gulf Coast Wing" of the "Commemorative Air Force" out of Hooks Airport north of Houston TX.
 
VW-1 Tailcode 'TE'
The remaining 5 WV-2s that made up the initial compliment of 12 were received in 1955.
Aircraft Model BuNo. Side Number Comment
WV-2 135752 TE-9 Received 14 January 1955.
WV-2 135756 TE-10 Received 15 January 1955
WV-2 135758 TE-1 Replaced 124438 10 March 1955.
WV-2 137887 TE-12 Received 6 May 1955.
WV-2 137888 TE-11 Received 7 May 1955.