VPB-200 was a Patrol Bombing Squadron of the
U.S. Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage o ...
. The squadron was established as Bombing Squadron Two Hundred (VB-200) on 1 April 1944, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron Two Hundred (VPB-200) on 1 October 1944 and disestablished on 24 October 1945.
Operational history
*1 April 1944: VB-200 was established at
NAS Kaneohe Bay
Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay or MCAS Kaneohe Bay is a United States Marine Corps (USMC) airfield located within the Marine Corps Base Hawaii complex, formerly known as Marine Corps Air Facility (MCAF) Kaneohe Bay or Naval Air Station (NAS) ...
, Hawaii, as a combat replacement unit providing instruction on multiengine patrol aircraft. The personnel and equipment for the new squadron were drawn from the HEDRON Multiengine Replacement Unit, FAW-2. The squadron's primary duties included training replacement crews, ferrying aircraft and stand-by offshore patrol for
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare (ASW, or in older form A/S) is a branch of underwater warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, submarines, or other platforms, to find, track, and deter, damage, or destroy enemy submarines. Such operations are typi ...
and rescue work. Sections of the squadron operated on
Johnston and
Midway Atolls for rescue duties. Training squadrons like VB-200 trained fresh crews arriving from the U.S. in their final phases of combat training before being sent into the combat zone. VB-200 trained crews in land-based aircraft such as the
PB4Y-1 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models des ...
,
PB4Y-2 Privateer
The Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer is an American World War II and Korean War era patrol bomber of the United States Navy derived from the Consolidated B-24 Liberator. The Navy had been using B-24s with only minor modifications as the PB4Y-1 Lib ...
and
PV-1 Ventura
The Lockheed Ventura is a twin-engine medium bomber and patrol bomber of World War II.
The Ventura first entered combat in Europe as a bomber with the RAF in late 1942. Designated PV-1 by the United States Navy (US Navy), it entered combat in 1 ...
.
*October 1944: The training squadrons at NAS Kaneohe initially worked with intact squadrons destined for combat deployments. In October 1944 the policy was changed to keep squadrons in the operational areas while sending in new crews to replace combat losses and crews due for rotation based on time-in-theater points.
*May 1945: VPB-200 conducted experiments for the
Bureau of Aeronautics
The Bureau of Aeronautics (BuAer) was the U.S. Navy's material-support organization for naval aviation from 1921 to 1959. The bureau had "cognizance" (''i.e.'', responsibility) for the design, procurement, and support of naval aircraft and relat ...
in picking up mail with hooks from surface vessels towing kites and balloons. Several successful trials were conducted but the method did not become a standard operating procedure throughout the fleet.
*24 Oct 1945: VPB-200 was disestablished at NAS Kaneohe, Hawaii.
[
]
Aircraft assignments
The squadron was assigned the following aircraft, effective on the dates shown:[
* PV-1 April 1944
* PB4Y-1 April 1944
* ]PB4Y-2
The Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer is an American World War II and Korean War era patrol bomber of the United States Navy derived from the Consolidated B-24 Liberator. The Navy had been using B-24s with only minor modifications as the PB4Y-1 Li ...
August 1944
* PV-2 January 1945
See also
* Maritime patrol aircraft
A maritime patrol aircraft (MPA), also known as a patrol aircraft, maritime reconnaissance aircraft, or by the older American term patrol bomber, is a fixed-wing aircraft designed to operate for long durations over water in maritime patrol rol ...
* List of inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons
There are hundreds of US Navy aircraft squadrons which are not currently active dating back to before World War II (the U.S. Navy operated aircraft prior to World War I, but it did not organize them in squadrons until after that war). To be mo ...
* List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons
This is a list of active United States Navy aircraft squadrons. ''Deactivated'' or ''disestablished'' squadrons are listed in the List of inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons.
Navy aircraft squadrons are composed of several aircraft (fro ...
*
* History of the United States Navy
The history of the United States Navy divides into two major periods: the "Old Navy", a small but respected force of sailing ships that was notable for innovation in the use of ironclads during the American Civil War, and the "New Navy" the ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vpb-200
Patrol squadrons of the United States Navy
Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons