, ▁resulting ▁in ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁all ▁hands . ▁ 1 7 ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 4 : ▁Lieutenant ▁Mal col m ▁E . ▁Na fe ▁was ▁making ▁a ▁test ▁hop ▁in ▁an ▁aircraft ▁that ▁had ▁been ▁experien cing ▁maintenance ▁difficulties . ▁On ▁board ▁as ▁crew ▁were ▁maintenance ▁personnel ▁from ▁the ▁H ED R ON ▁along ▁for ▁the ▁test ▁flight . ▁The ▁pilot ▁radio ed ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁a ▁fire , ▁then ▁the ▁aircraft ▁went ▁out ▁of ▁control ▁and ▁crash ed ▁into ▁the ▁j ung le ▁near ▁the ▁base ▁with ▁a ▁loss ▁of ▁all ▁hands . ▁ 1 1 ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 4 : ▁VB - 1 3 1 ▁returned ▁to ▁NAS ▁Nor folk , ▁Virginia , ▁under ▁the ▁oper ational ▁control ▁of ▁FA W - 5 . ▁After ▁home ▁leave , ▁the ▁squad ron ▁depart ed ▁NAS ▁Nor folk ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁March ▁for ▁NAS ▁Wh id bey ▁Island , ▁Washington , ▁arriv ing ▁on ▁ 6 ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 4 . ▁ 1 4 ▁April ▁– ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 4 : ▁The ▁squad ron ▁comm enced ▁training ▁at ▁NAS ▁Wh id bey ▁Island ▁under ▁the ▁oper ational ▁control ▁of ▁FA W - 6 . ▁Equ ip ment ▁on ▁the ▁aircraft ▁was ▁upgrad ed ▁to ▁include ▁new ▁rad ar , ▁new ▁navig ational ▁g ear ▁and ▁improved ▁rad ios . ▁New ▁weapons ▁were ▁also ▁installed ▁at ▁this ▁time , ▁including ▁a ▁ch in ▁gun ▁package ▁consisting ▁of ▁three ▁guns , ▁increasing ▁the ▁P V