Warbird Information Exchange

I just answered my previous question about the ID of that stylish crash truck...The photo above with the Cessna AT-17/UC-78 on final has a caption..."1941 Class 100 Holabird Crash Truck USA W- 50370, Stockton Army Airfield, CA., 1942". From the website: https://www.firetrucks-atwar.com/index.html

"The Class 100 Crash Truck was built on the QM (Army Quartermaster) Depot, 2 1/2 ton, 6x4 chassis. It could travel at speeds up to 60 mph on hard surface roads and 50 mph across the airfield."
Since they were assembled by the Army, I wonder who supplied the front fender and hood?

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Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.

I am still keen to see those RNZAF P-40 shots that you said you have, thanks Mark. Or any other coloured photos/slides of RNZAF WWII topics, please. Happy New Year!

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David my sincere apologies. Long story short, I have a large folder full of RNZAF images both b&w and actual color (not colorized) on my office server, and that server is in the process of being reconfigured with added speed, larger hard drives and updated cloud access. Perhaps next week I can post some of what I have for you.

I'll see what I can do in the meantime though.

M

Here's the link the the "National Archives Color Photographs of U.S. Navy Activities"
https://catalog.archives.gov/search-wit ... &limit=100

A few examples below:


Routine Shots of SNJs at NAS Miami, Florida, ca. 1943


Men Laying Mats, Construction of New Bomber Strip, Bougainville


F4U Corsair Fighters on Vella Lavella Airstrip, Solomon's, ca. 1943

No problem Mark. I am happy to wait.



My first thought on seeing this was it looks like Torokina, Bougainville. But that would make it a fighter strip. Perhaps it is one of the bomber strips at Piva, a little further inland?

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458th Bomb Group B-24's with Blue Nose Mustang escorts. If I recall these photos were taken during a practice run.

BTW .... B-24H-10-DT, serial number 41-28697. 'Spotted Ass Ape'. She was assembled by the Douglas Aircraft Company at their Tulsa, OK assembly plant. She flew as the assembly ship for the 458th BG out of Horsham St. Faith. She was lost in a crash landing on 9 March 1945, when her right main landing gear collapsed after landing.

Per WIXer jdvoss's Fuselage Codes site, this is a Midland AAF (Texas) RB-34 bombardier/navigator trainer; Baugher's list says 41-38206 (FD754) to RCAF as FD754.

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All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

A bit more about the B-36 44-92080 photo above. Randy

https://www.airhistory.net/photo/506073/44-92080/492080

Full history of B-36B s/n 44-92080:

B-36B s/n 44-92080 for Project SAC-9PB-93
Available 25Jul49
Accepted 31Aug49
Assigned to 7th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) Carswell AFB 31Aug49
(Kirtland 14Feb50-06Mar50)
To Convair, Fort Worth 24Apr51
Redesignated as B-36D 31Oct51
Assigned to 92nd Bombardment Wing (Heavy), Fairchild AFB 12Nov51 (327th Bombardment Squadron)
Accident (struck snow bank on landing); recommended salvage 29Jan52
Struck off 27Mar52