Picture Quiz

Yes, but what's the story? Why is a P-47 about to be carrier launched?

 

The P-47 launch was not a test. It was part of an actual combat mission in the midst of a large scale operation.

 

are the p47s being transfered to new airstrips in the soloman campaign?.

 

Not the Solomans, but the correct ocean although much later and farther North.

 

Not that far North. To my knowledge, the only other time AAF planes were carrier launched into combat was the Doolittle Raid.

A large scale naval battle resulted from the landing troops the P-47 were to support as soon as an airfield was secured.

 

Not the Philippines, but getting much closer...

 

The Marianas is correct, although the P-47s were part of the Saipan invasion force, long before the bombers arrived. The carrier in the photo is the jeep USS Manila Bay. She along with two other jeep carriers, the Natoma Bay and Sargent Bay, each carried a squadron of the 318th FG to be direct-lauched to Aslito airfield, as soon as it was secured. From DANFS:

After loading 37 Army P-47 fighters, Manila Bay sailed 5 June for the Marianas. Steaming via Eniwetok, she reached the eastern approaches to Saipan 19 June. During the next 4 days she remained east of the embattled island as ships and planes of the Fast Carrier Task Force repulsed the Japanese Fleet in the Battle of the Philippine Sea, and inflicted staggering losses on the enemy, thus crippling the Imperial Navy's air strength permanently.
On 23 June, Manila Bay came under enemy air attack during refueling operations east of Saipan. Two fighter-bombers attacked her from dead ahead, dropping four bombs which exploded wide to port. Intense antiaircraft fire suppressed further attacks; and, as a precautionary and rather unusual move which Admiral Spruance later characterized as "commendable initiative," Manila Bay launched four of the Army P-47s she was ferrying to fly protective CAP until radar screens were clear of contacts. The Army fighters then flew to Saipan, their intended destination. Manila Bay launched the remaining planes the next day and returned to Eniwetok, arriving 27 June.

The posted photo was taken 23 June as Manila Bay prepared to launch the CAP flight (three days after the First Battle of the Philippine Sea). Attached is a photo of one of the Jugs launching, and the Manila Bay under attack.

There are several sources of video of the Jug launches on the web, one is here:
http://www.patricksaviation.com/videos/Richard/1536/#

Your turn.

 

Betty with cross, maybe something like this...
Bataan 1 and Bataan 2 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

I've been waiting for something to happen here. Either catching a good one and picking an answer or something. Do you mind if I put out one which might be fun if not "historically" signifigant?

Like who is this young lady?

 

Sorry for delay, I tried to find some books with good pictures at home, but I couldnt...

 

Pocahontas with a wardrobe malfunction (I mean the swastika, not the J. Jackson kind)

Actually, the face looks like it could be a young Hanna Reitsch, just a WAG.

 

Nope, she is the daughter of an affluent American family. The "get-up" is for a Campfire Girls Jamboree, and an "authentic" Native American garb produced just for her.