SQUADRON MODIFICATIONS
While in the Central Pacific, VMB-613 personnel made numerous modification to their aircraft, most visibly, the removal of the upper turret. A summary of these modifications is provided below.
Modifications made by Engineering:
Removed oil dilution system;
Removed heater system excluding hot air ducts, scoops, and internal lines;
Removed propeller anti-icer systems;
Removed armor plating at stations 224 and 218;
Removed navigator's table and reinstalled it a station 208;
Removed waist gun windows:
Replaced oil scavenger pump drain valve with brass plugs;
Installed safety catch on pilot's escape hatch;
Drilled two #10 drain holes in the bottom of the fuselage at station 541;
Removed paint from leading edges of wings, center section, empennage, engine cowling, and nose;
Installed stainless steel anti-chafing clamps on engine mounts;
Installed sub-machine gun stowage bracket at station 304;
Installed Mk-IV drift sight and stowage provisions in navigator's compartment;
Installed astrodome in top turret well;
Installed extension to bomb bay door control switch;
Installed gun camera bracket on copilot's side of cockpit;
Re-routed wiring over bomb panel stations 113-132;
Reinforced rib at station 380-375 on right-hand outboard wing panel;
reinforced aft bulkhead of radome;
Re-worked pilot's clear view window hinge;
Patched fuselage where AN/AAR-2 antenna was removed;
Installed spoilers to waist window openings;
Installed clips to rocket launchers;
Rendered throttle spring ineffective on aircraft with "HA" carburetors;
Replaced "HA" carburetors with "HAR" carburetors;
Shortened SRC-511A antenna mast;
Installed cover over auto-pilot control panel;
Installed microphone clip to instrument panel;
Installed louvers in bomb bay doors, and;
Installed guard to fuel shut-off valves in cockpit.
Modifications made by Ordnance:
Removed op turret and canopy;
Removed blister guns and fairings;
Removed blister guns ammunition boxes and chutes;
Removed waist guns, ammunition boxes and chutes;
Rewired cannon firing circuit;
Installed Mk 5-4 latches on rocket launchers, and;
Changed nose gun charging cable to 1/8 inch and spliced it directly to the sub-assembly.
Modifications made by Radio-Radar:
Removed AN/ARR-2radio homing equipment;
Rewired aircraft interphone equipment;
Relocated port and starboard antennas;
Installed antenna matching unit, model 6077 to AN/APN-4 Loran equipment;
Shortened SRC-522A VHF antenna to permit clear line of fire for top turret, and;
Replaced mounting rack in wing-tip radar nacelle.
