Ext Rare WWII USN VF-33 Hellcats Decal on Paper from USN Ace & Eventual CDR James Kinsella

NOTE: All of these USN patches being listed on consignment with consignor code CON-DSS come from the lifelong collection of a retired Vietnam War USN Pilot who had close times with the Tailhook Association and was able to obtain some very special and unique patches. We are proud to have been given the opportunity to bring parts of this collection to market. We will be listing 25 or so now, and hope to have another offering in April or May.  

We are not 100% sure of exactly what this is. It is either a decal that was mounted to quasi-stiff paper, or it is a reverse decal, intended to be put on the inside of a glass window or plexiglass cockpit.

IN any event, it is WWII period, is on WWII period paper, and has the following written in blue fountain pen ink on back:

VF-33
WWII INSIGNIA

VIA

CDR JAMES KINSELLA

Eventual Commander James Kinsella was a WWII ACE, having scored 3 victories with VF-33, after the disestablishment of his previous squadron, VF-72, where he scored his first 2 kills.

Fighter Squadron 33, or VF-33, was an aviation unit of the United States Navy. Originally established as Escort-Scouting Squadron 16 or VGS-16 on 6 August 1942, it was redesignated as Composite Squadron 16 or VC-16 on 1 March 1943, redesignated as VF-33 on 15 August 1943, and disestablished on 19 November 1945. It was the first US Navy squadron to be designated as VF-33.

Operational History: VF-33, equipped with F6F Hellcats, was first deployed to Munda where they supported the New Georgia Campaign. While deployed in the Solomons, VF-33 was credited with 60 Japanese aircraft shot down,  and produced three aces: LTJG Frank E. Schnieder with seven kills, LT C. K. Hildebrandt with five kills, and LTJG James J. Kinsella also with five kills, three with VF-33 and two with VF-72 in the F4F-4 Wildcat.