Battleship/Cruiser floatplane pilots/crew of WW2

[Torvald Von Mansee]

Q: I was chatting w/my father about what additional duties a floatplane pilot and his crew on board a capital, non-carrier vessel might have had during WW2. We figured that the pilot would most likely be an officer (though probably not a warrant), and that he would probably also would have had some engineering background in addition to flying, and that he'd probably be responsible for the maintenance of the aircraft and would command the crew that would do that. What would his and the rest of his crew's responsibilities be? Where would they be in the ship's organizational chart? Anything else I could be asking?

[Bubblehead1980]

Originally Posted by Torvald Von Mansee

Q: I was chatting w/my father about what additional duties a floatplane pilot and his crew on board a capital, non-carrier vessel might have had during WW2. We figured that the pilot would most likely be an officer (though probably not a warrant), and that he would probably also would have had some engineering background in addition to flying, and that he'd probably be responsible for the maintenance of the aircraft and would command the crew that would do that. What would his and the rest of his crew's responsibilities be? Where would they be in the ship's organizational chart? Anything else I could be asking?

From what I have read, the pilots were usually Naval Aviators and thus Officers.A few in earlier years of the war were Naval Aviation Pilots(NAP), Enlisted men who wore the wings of gold.This program began years before the war, many fought in the early battles at places like Guadalcanal, Midway, Coral Sea and into early and mid 1943 etc, a couple even became Aces.Most were made Officers by 1944 but some NAP were left in the USN and USMC, the last retired in the 1970's. Most were Officer's but may have had some Enlisted NAP's.

I believe the planes were prob assigned to one squadron and were formed into detachments, much like how modern day Navy helicopter squdrons do, one squadron based at a NAS but when they deploy, a 1 or 2 airframe detachment goes to a certain CG, DD, DDG or FFG.The OIC of the deatchment is usually the highest ranking officer in said detachment.

I imagine the floatplanes operated in this manner, squadrons based at various places, and detachments sent out.The OIC was prob an aviator and the senior officer in detatchment, prob.Sure a certain number of enlisted mechanics etc were assigned to the detatchment and were responsible for the duties associated with the aircraft.

Of course it's possible they just sent the plane and pilots and the BB, CA, or CL had it's own mechs etc aboard.

[Torvald Von Mansee]

That seems plausible. Be in a floatplane squadron based in Pensacola, get assigned to the Atlantic fleet. Same deal with San Diego, etc.

I'm sure these fellows had additional duties on board ship, too.