Aircraft of VW-1 Introduction

CREDITs:
VPW-1, VP-51 & VX-4 data extracted from "B-17 in Blue" author scott A. Thompson.
VC-11 Miramar Detachment data from George E stewart VC-11 Miramar Detachment 1950-52.
VW-1 data from George E stewart & Dan Ragan VW-1 1952-55 resp. 1954-56.
special thanks to John Moehlenkamp VW-1 1966-68 for researching, updating, and editing.
Ernest D. Ruff, UsN Ret.:
LTJG, VX-4 Miramar Detachment 1950 - LTJG,:
VC-11 Miramar Detachment 1950-52:
LTJG, LT, Plank Owner, VW-1 Barbers Point 1952-53:
LT, LCDR, VW-1, Guam 1958-60

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
scott A. Thompson: "B-17 in Blue" Aero Vintage Books, 1993
Peter J. Marson : The Lockheed Constellation series, Air-Britain, 1982
Curtis K. stringellow and Peter M. Bowers : Motorbooks Intnl, 1992
Kenneth E. Wixey : Lockheed Constellation, lan Alien ltd, 1987
scott A. Thompson: "Final Cut The Post War B-17 Flying Fortress: The survivors:" Aero Vintage Books,

The squadron

This work is intended as a history of the aircraft rather than the squadron, crews, airborne radar, or missions. Only a minimum chronicle of the squadron is given here as framework for the individual aircraft stories.

VW-1 was established at NAs Barbers Point, Oahu, T. H. (Territory of Hawaii) on 18 June 1952. However; the cadre that was to be born as VW-1 began gestation in February 1950 at NAAs (Naval Auxiliary Air station) Miramar, san Diego, CA with four PB-1W aircraft operating as a detachment of Air Development squadron Four "VX-4" based at NAs Patuxent River, MD. This organizational structure was revised in March 1950 and the group, still based at Miramar, became a detachment of Composite squadron Eleven "VC-11" based at NAs North Island, san Diego, CA.

In June 1952, VC-11, Miramar Detachment, with four PB-1W aircraft moved to NAs Barbers Point, T.H., and became the establishing detail for VW-1. The squadron's missions were:

Airborne Early Warning (AEW) and CIC services to the Pacific fleet

Reconnaissance

Anti-submarine Warfare (AsW) support

Electronic Countermeasures support

Air sea rescue support.

In July 1957, the squadron moved to NAs Agana, Guam, Marianas Islands, where it was based until disestablished in July 1971.

The Aircraft

U.s. Navy Airborne Early Warning squadron One operated two of the most universally recognized aircraft in the world, the Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" and the Lockheed L-1049C "super Constellation". This is the history of each of the aircraft that served in the squadron.

What follows is a record of each aircraft that served in the squadron; its origin, a tabulation of its time of service in the squadron, subsequent service and ultimate disposition, fate, or location today.