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Ben Case and the SB2C Helldiver

The late, great Steve Barber brings the Commemorative Air Force Helldiver to bear for the lens near Midland, Texas. (Photo by John Dibbs/Facebook.com/theplanepicture)
“We were launched while our fleet was 180 to 200 miles northeast of Manila. My group was assigned to hit Japanese ships in Manila Harbor. As we approached our dive area at 10,000 feet, big, black puffs of smoke from anti-aircraft fire began popping all around us.” Leslie Bennett Case, known as Ben, is describing the first combat by Air Group Eighty aboard USS Ticonderoga (CV 14) on November 5, 1944. Case was a dive-bomber...

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All the stories featured in Flight Journal are as unique and varied as the airplanes and warriors who flew them. From popular warbirds like the P-51 Mustang and Me 109 to the Lockheed SR-71 and futuristic hypersonic fighters, we cover the whole spectrum of aviation. We’ve heard from countless readers over the years about how much they enjoy the compelling stories and beautiful photography.

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