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HistoryFASRON-102 HistoryHistory

Circa 1960

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...(FAETU (PACific/AtLANtic), FASRON-3, FASRON-102, VP-8, VP-24, VP-44 and VP-56) - Naval Aeronautical Organization OPNAV NOTICE 05400 for Fiscal Year 1960 dated 1 February 1960 is: DECLASSIFIED per Office of Chief of Naval Operations on 1 February 1965 by Op-501 - Atlantic Fleet Support Stations..." WebSite: Naval Historical Center http://www.history.navy.mil/a-record/nao53-68/fy1960-feb60.pdf [11MAR2007]

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Circa 1959

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: Naval Aviation News December 1959 "...This Super Connie - Page 12 - Naval Aviation News - December 1959..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1950s/1959/dec59.pdf [16AUG2004]

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HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: WV-2 AircraftCameraFASRON-102 WV-2 BUNO: Unknown "...Navy completes 25,000 mile flight for Project Magnet..." Contributed by Mahlon K. Miller mkwsmiller@cox.net [29JUL2001]

A U.S. Navy WV-2 Super Constellation transport completed a 25,000 mile Project Magnet survey flight of the South Pacific, October 15, 1959. The flight, first of a series, acquired data about the earth's magnetic field over ocean area's. Project Magnet is an airborne geomagnetic survey by the Navy which will cover 500,000 miles to gain information for the Navy's Hydrographic Officer 1955 world magnetic charts. These charts will bring up-to-date information gained 30 or more years ago, and will be available to maritime, aviation, and scientific communities of the world. A second plane used in the project, an R5D transport, left Washington D.C. on September 17 to fly a track around the world and is presently surveying the Indian Ocean. Crews for the two Project Magnet aircraft are composed of military personnel and civilian geophysicists from the U.S. Navy Hydrographic Office.

Released by the Department of Defense October 16, 1959

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: WV-2 AircraftCameraFASRON-102 WV-2 BUNO: Unknown "...Navy plane begins round-the-world flight in Project Magnet..." Contributed by Mahlon K. Miller mkwsmiller@cox.net [29JUL2001]

This Wednesday morning (November 11, 1959) a Navy WV-2 Super Constellation begins another in a series of Project Magnet flights to map the magnetism of the oceans of the world. The flight from Naval Air Station, Anacostia, D.C., will take a Navy Hydrographic Office geophysical team to Mexico City, Mexico; Lima, Peru; Rio de Janerio, Brazil; Luanda, Angola; the Indian Ocean island Maritius; Singapore; Guam; Midway; and San Francisco before returning to Anacostia about December 11.

Project Magnet is an airborne geomagnetic survey which will send the WV-2 and another Navy aircraft, an R5D, on survey flights to gather information for the 1965 World Magnetic Charts. The aircraft, assigned to Fleet Aircraft Service Squadron 102, Naval Air Station, Norfolk, Virginia, will fly some 600,000 miles of tracks spaced about 200 nautical miles apart over all the accessible ocean areas of the world. Polar regions and land masses will also be surveyed, as practicable. Several globe-circling flights through the north and south magnetic and geographical poles are planned.

Project Magnet will provide basic data for essentially all United States nautical and aeronautical charts. Most of today's magnetic variation charts of ocean areas are based on data collected prior to 1929, when the last of the wood-hulled ships used for magnetic surveys was destroyed by fire.

Released by the Department of Defense November 10, 1959.


Circa 1956

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: Naval Aviation News December 1956 "...FASRON-102 Opens School - Page 35 - Naval Aviation News - December 1956..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1950s/1956/dec56.pdf [09AUG2004]

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Circa 1955

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: FASRON-102CameraFASRON-102 History "...FASRON-102 NAS Norfolk, Virginia 1955..." Contributed by SAMUELSON, Kenneth R. krsmws@juno.com [08SEP2004]

UPDATE "...1st Class Storekeeper Jim Bradley who worked for me and is kneeling directly in front of CDR Harschutz. Don't know whether you know this or not but the P6M (4 engine jet powered seaplane) was under development and FASRON-102 was in charge of maintaining the undeveloped base for the P6M at NAAS Harvey Point, North Carolina. When I visited for a fixed asset audit, there were concrete ramps leading up from the water and little else except a comfortable house our Navy caretaker lived in. I don't believe the prototype plane ever got into the air so production on the P6M never began for a variety of reasons. NAAS Harvey Point, North Carolina was used mainly as a hunting preserve and that is about the only use it had. One of our officers at FASRON-102 was a national trap shooting champion so he spent time there hunting with high profile people...." [10SEP2004]

CDR Edward F. Harschutz (7th from left) was the CO at the time for FASRON-102. He was a member of the "Black Cats" flying Catalina patrol planes on long flights searching for Japanese ship in the Pacific. LCDR I. J. Allison (9th from left) was the Ops officer. Ensign John Keener is sitting to my right. I am 5th from left. Can't remember any other folks. I was very familiar with Project Magnet and worked with the crew often on special needs for foul weather gear, special equipment etc. In the 1955 era they were flying an R5D.

At the time I served with FASRON-102 in the seaplane area of NAS Norfolk, Virginia Captain, later Vice Admiral, James H. Flatley Jr. was the CO of NAS Norfolk, Virginia. He was one of the inventors with CDR later, ADM John Thatch of the Thatch Weave a combat tactic used in WII by Wildcat Pilots against the Zero. He was a genuine war hero and CAG CDR aboard the Yorktown in 1943. His picture is on the cover (waiting to take off in an F6F) of the Yorktown history book you can purchase at the Yorktown bookstore. His bronze bust is on the hanger deck at Yorktown CV 10 at Charleston SC.

The XO at NAS Norfolk, Virginia during my time in Norfolk, was CDR Walter S. Reid the Co pilot and Engineer on the Truculent Turtle which as you know set the long distance flying record in 1946. The Truculent Turtle sat at the Granby St. corner of the Air Station for many years. I had an opportunity to meet both men from time to time at various events (one a Captain's Mast with Flatley, defending one of my men) and on business in the disbursing office at NAS where I worked for several months.

I remember well a most horrible accident relating to a P5M taking off in from Willoughby Sound at night. The pilot was confused and crashed into a barrier wall near the road to the seaplane area. Few of the crew had their dog tags on and it created delays which coused some deaths to occur due to lack of blood type info. Needless to say the "always wear your dog tags" order came down very quickly. On another occasion in 1955 I believe, a fighter pilot coming in from the east crashed into a home on Granby St. and wiped it out as well as severly damaging several other homes.

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: Naval Aviation News December 1955 "...Internal Loading Speeded - Page 34 - Naval Aviation News - December 1955..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1950s/1955/dec55.pdf [07AUG2004]

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Circa 1954

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...I took the 3 attached photos in early 1954, not long after joining VP-44. All are of the Breezy Point Seaplane Base, which is part of NAS Norfolk, Virginia. They were taken during a rare east to west take-off, which uses a short water runway, and comes close to the Breezy Point tower and gives a good view of the VP-44, VP-56 and FASRON-102 flight lines, ramps and hangars..." Contributed by STUPKA, Bill wrstupka@gate.net [13MAY2007]

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Circa 1952

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...FASRON-102, FASRON-103, FASRON-104, FASRON-795, VP-3, VP-5, VP-21, VP-24, VP-44, VP-49, VP-661, VP-861, ZP-1, ZP-2, ZP-3, ZP-4 and ZX-11) - Naval Aeronautical Organization OPNAV NOTICE 05400 for Fiscal Year 1953 dated 1 October 1952 is: DECLASSIFIED per Office of Chief of Naval Operations on 1 February 1965 by Op-501..." WebSite: Naval Historical Center http://www.history.navy.mil/a-record/nao53-68/fy1953-oct52.pdf [14MAR2007]

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HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...Memories: One happy memory at FASRon...I was in a crew of 5 metal and engine guys working on corrosion in the bilges of our PBM #611. (The old girl was always in need of maintenance!!). Anyway, our chief came up to the ladder and shouted, "Hey, how many of youse guys are up in there?". As I was closest, I replied, "Chief, they're 5 of us". The chief then thought for a second....."OK, half youse guys come down here. I gotta another job for you." And that REALLY happened sometime in the summer of the 1952..." Contributed by ZIMMERMAN, Bill zman402@verizon.net [05NOV2003]


Circa 1948

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...PBY BUNO: 63993 USN History Card..." WebSite: Yahoo PBY Group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PBY/ [11FEB2007]


Circa 1944

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...PBY BUNO: 63993 USN History Card..." WebSite: Yahoo PBY Group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PBY/ [11FEB2007]


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