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HistoryTruculent Turtle HistoryHistory

Circa 2013

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY:  Maritime Patrol Association Planeside Quarterly NewsletterTrucelent Turtle History "...The Historic Flight of the Trucelent Turtle... Maritime Patrol Association Planeside Quarterly Newsletter - 2013: Issue 1..." WebSite: Maritime Patrol Association [25JAN2013]
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Open VP History Adobe FileThe Historic Flight of the Trucelent Turtle - 2013: Issue 1 888KB


Circa 1985

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: Naval Aviation September-October 1985 "...The Search For The Neptune's Soul - Page 20 to 25 - Naval Aviation News - September-October 1985..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1980s/1985/so85.pdf [18OCT2004]

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Circa 1977

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: Naval Aviation June 1977 "...The Turtle Moves - Page 17 - Naval Aviation News - June 1977..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1977/jun77.pdf [08OCT2004]

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Circa 1976

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: Naval Aviation September 1976 "...Truculent Turtle - Page 26 to 28 - Naval Aviation News - September 1976..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1976/sep76.pdf [07OCT2004]

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Circa 1970

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: Naval Aviation April 1970 "...Turtle - Page 35 - Naval Aviation News - April 1970..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1970/apr70.pdf [17SEP2004]

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HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: Naval Aviation February 1970 "...The Tale Of The Truculent Turtle - Page 27 - Naval Aviation News - February 1970..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1970/feb70.pdf [17SEP2004]

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Circa 1961

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: Naval Aviation News January 1961 "...Jet Power, A world Distance Record, New techniques - Then Korea! - Page 18 - Naval Aviation News - January 1961..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1960s/1961/jan61.pdf [19AUG2004]

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Circa 1949

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...3 photographs and correspondence of "E.P. RANKIN" (pilot on the famous 1946 flight of the Turtle)..." WebSite: EBay http://shop.ebay.com/ [05DEC2010]

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HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: History ThumbnailCameraTruculent Turtle "...17MAY49 - Navy 'Turtle' Has Troubles - Publication Title: 13th Naval District Public Information Department Press Clippings, 1942-1960 - Content Source: NARA - Publication Number: P2012 - Date Range: 1947-Jan 1953 - Reel Number: 0002 - WebSite: http://www.footnote.com/..." Forwarded by Stephen Miller f134kilmil@comcast.net [21AUG2008]

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: History ThumbnailCameraTruculent Turtle "...11MAY49 - Navy 'Turtle' Has Troubles - Publication Title: 13th Naval District Public Information Department Press Clippings, 1942-1960 - Content Source: NARA - Publication Number: P2012 - Date Range: 1947-Jan 1953 - Reel Number: 0002 - WebSite: http://www.footnote.com/..." Forwarded by Stephen Miller f134kilmil@comcast.net [21AUG2008]

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: History ThumbnailCameraTruculent Turtle "...07MAY49 - Navy Flight Memorial - Turtle To Fly Overseas On 1919 Route - Publication Title: 13th Naval District Public Information Department Press Clippings, 1942-1960 - Content Source: NARA - Publication Number: P2012 - Date Range: 1947-Jan 1953 - Reel Number: 0002 - WebSite: http://www.footnote.com/..." Forwarded by Stephen Miller f134kilmil@comcast.net [21AUG2008]

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: Naval Aviation News September 1949 "...Truculent Turtle P2V-2 Flew Along - Page - 8 - Naval Aviation News - September 1949..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1940s/1949/sep49 [12JUL2004]

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Circa 1948

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: Naval Aviation News June 1948 "...Turtle - Naval Aviation News - June 1948..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1940s/1948/jun48.pdf [09JUL2004]

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Circa 1947

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: History ThumbnailCameraTruculent Turtle "...27OCT47 - Navy Notes Records - Publication Title: 13th Naval District Public Information Department Press Clippings, 1942-1960 - Content Source: NARA - Publication Number: P2012 - Date Range: 1947-Jan 1953 - Reel Number: 0002 - WebSite: http://www.footnote.com/..." Forwarded by Stephen Miller f134kilmil@comcast.net [21AUG2008]


Circa 1946

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: History ThumbnailCameraTruculent Turtle "...October 4th, 1946..." WebSite: EBay http://www.ebay.com/usr/newportgamesandphotosllc?_trksid=p2047675.l2559 [28JAN2016]

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: History ThumbnailCameraTruculent Turtle "...Later in 1946, CDR Rankin was copilot of the "Truculent Turtle" that flew non-stop from Perth, Australia to Columbus, Ohio, a distance of 11,256 miles in 56 hours and established a new world's record for non-stop distance..." U. S. Navy Property [15DEC2012]

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: History ThumbnailCameraTruculent Turtle "...FLIGHT OF THE TRUCULENT TURTLE: THOMAS D. DAVIES and E. P. RANKIN. Photograph signed: "Tom Davies" and "E. P. Rankin". Item is an original, authentically signed..." WebSite: EBay http://www.ebay.com/ [21MAR2012]

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: History ThumbnailCameraTruculent Turtle "...01OCT46 - Navy Bomber Bucked Wind - Shook Off Ice - Publication Title: 13th Naval District Public Information Department Press Clippings, 1942-1960 - Content Source: NARA - Publication Number: P2012 - Date Range: 1942-1946 - Reel Number: 0001 - WebSite: http://www.footnote.com/..." Forwarded by Stephen Miller f134kilmil@comcast.net [21AUG2008]

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: History ThumbnailCameraTruculent Turtle "...18SEP46 - Navy Plans 9,000-Mile P2V Flight - Route Over N. W. From Australia - Publication Title: 13th Naval District Public Information Department Press Clippings, 1942-1960 - Content Source: NARA - Publication Number: P2012 - Date Range: 1942-1946 - Reel Number: 0001 - WebSite: http://www.footnote.com/..." Forwarded by Stephen Miller f134kilmil@comcast.net [21AUG2008]

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...'A Page From the Past'..." WebSite: Norfolk Public Library http://www.npl.lib.va.us/history/history62.html [16MAY2003]

In late September 1946 a new milestone in aviation history was set, an 11,236-mile non-stop, non-refueled flight from Perth, Australia to Columbus, Ohio. The plane, a US Navy Neptune patrol aircraft, manufactured by Lockheed and nicknamed "Truculent Turtle," was specially fitted with extra gasoline tanks to test its capacity for long-distance flight.

The crew of four made the trip in 55 hours and 17 minutes, at an average speed of 204 mph. Their only passenger was a young kangaroo named Joey, a gift from the Australian people to the National Zoo in Washington.

The Turtle's record held for nearly 15 years, though a New York Times editor opined that the flight's significance had "no practicable application ... to commercial transport of passengers" unless such a flight could ever be accomplished at much higher speeds, with far less time spent in the air.

In the 1950s, the Turtle was put on display at the corner of Granby Street and Taussig Boulevard, where it remained a landmark for many years, until the construction of I-564 in 1967 necessitated its removal to the interior of the Naval Air Station. In 1977, the little plane was transported to a new home at the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, Florida.

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...Official photograph dated 24 October 1946 of the Truculent Turtle of the 4 way handshake after landing at Columbus, Ohio..." Contributed by ZIEMER, AT3 Robert R. vp57usn@aol.com [Updated 01OCT2002]
Turtle Pictures ThumbnailCameraPhoto ONE "...File Number: 703234 Filed: 24 October 1946 - Signed "The Turtle" Official Navy Photograph..."
Turtle Pictures ThumbnailCameraPhoto TWO "...File Number: 703234 Filed: 24 October 1946 - Public Information Information..."


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