ATTN WADE, RANDY & ALL EAGLE SQUADRON/4thFG DEBDENANIACS
Sat Oct 07, 2006 6:26 pm
Sat Oct 07, 2006 6:57 pm
Very cool...I was just in the 334 FS for my F-15E re-qual course last month.
Too bad it's a size 38. WAY, way too small for me (I wear a current size 46 A-2 jacket).
Too bad it's a size 38. WAY, way too small for me (I wear a current size 46 A-2 jacket).
Sat Oct 07, 2006 7:19 pm
That would be cool to give that jacket a 'ride' in a current 4th FW jet, eh?
Thx, Jack for reminding me about it. I know a couple of what I call SUPER collectors who may indeed bid and win that thing. I ran across that auction the other day ... my credit card starting itching in my wallet, but while I'd LOVE to own that jacket, I'm not sure about dropping that amount of cash. Besides, I have pieces of DB all over my studio, from a brick from a 336 FS blast pen, to pieces from a P-51 crash through the fenceline, to pieces of peri-track, to pieces of the now-fallen 334 FS hangar, to actual Flak Maps that I've had dry-mounted.
I've always been fascinated by the "Then and Now" look at history. Those who are interested in the 4th FG may want to check out my Debden 'then and now' look over seven pages at:
http://wademeyersart.tripod.com/id32.html
Wade
Thx, Jack for reminding me about it. I know a couple of what I call SUPER collectors who may indeed bid and win that thing. I ran across that auction the other day ... my credit card starting itching in my wallet, but while I'd LOVE to own that jacket, I'm not sure about dropping that amount of cash. Besides, I have pieces of DB all over my studio, from a brick from a 336 FS blast pen, to pieces from a P-51 crash through the fenceline, to pieces of peri-track, to pieces of the now-fallen 334 FS hangar, to actual Flak Maps that I've had dry-mounted.
I've always been fascinated by the "Then and Now" look at history. Those who are interested in the 4th FG may want to check out my Debden 'then and now' look over seven pages at:
http://wademeyersart.tripod.com/id32.html
Wade
Sat Oct 07, 2006 8:23 pm
Chicoartist wrote:That would be cool to give that jacket a 'ride' in a current 4th FW jet, eh?
That would be really, really neat. It would especially be cool to take it on an OIF or OEF combat mission. Unfortunately for me, I'm headed to the 48FW, so my days with the "Eagle Squadrons" are over (for now!).
Like you, I wish I had the $coin$ to drop on such an item...it would be a cherished and appreciated artifact, no doubt. Hope it ends up in a good home.
Sat Oct 07, 2006 9:45 pm
what would a australian made A2 jacket??? be doing in england?
wouldnt england had us supplies mainly?
i think aussie A2 would be more found in pacific and oz
sabre
wouldnt england had us supplies mainly?
i think aussie A2 would be more found in pacific and oz
sabre
Sat Oct 07, 2006 9:48 pm
Last edited by Chicoartist on Sun Oct 08, 2006 10:27 am, edited 1 time in total.
Sat Oct 07, 2006 10:46 pm
Continuing with the 4th FG theme ...
I've always wondered just where, exactly, did Gentile's P-51B end up, that is, there are several photographs of the wreck lying in a field with her back broken - where was that? Just outside the fence? 5 miles away? Where?
Well, we know from numerous eyewitness accounts that his prop (and air scoop - as indicated in the accident report??) struck the ground in the grassy area right in front of the 336 FS dispersal shacks (see "B" below). Shangri-La's parking spot (just across the peri-track from "B") was right in front of those shacks, along the southwest corner of the field, and there were many press and station personnel waiting for him to return from Schweinfurt that day (13 April 1944).
I've personally interviewed several of these eyewitnesses, and they do remember going out in the grass later and finding "chop" marks where S-L's prop bit the ground. One of these men, a 336 FS Line Chief, told me he was in the very first jeep to arrive at the crash site (see "D" below), and Gentile simply said, "I think I f***ed up!" He said he'll never forget that - those were his first words to the guys.
I was taken to the crash site ("D") myself by the then-(wartime)-teenage son of the then-landowner in 2002. It was amazing to hold up "then" photographs -- the distant landscape, particularly looking westerly, has not changed much at all, and the hedge visible in the wartime shots is there as well, though grown larger, confirming that we had the precise spot. Pics are on my site here:
http://wademeyersart.tripod.com/id38.html
I have also located the official Accident Report, which is very interesting. See that and much more Gentile-related material here:
http://wademeyersart.tripod.com/id40.html
I have been commissioned to do a painting of the takeoff for this last mission ... see it "in-progress" here:
http://wademeyersart.tripod.com/id76.html
A GoogleEarth image shows the final flight path(s!) - evidently the 'hi-rez' Google satellite look-downs stopped short of completely covering the area. Gentile started off at "A", flew north of 334's 1934 C-type hangar (taken down in 2003), crossed the runway, got too low and struck the ground at "B", got airborne with a mortally-wounded plane and aimed for "Debden Common" (just out of the pic to our left), narrowly missed striking Howe Wood at "C", and hit the field and slid to a stop at "D".
Wade
I've always wondered just where, exactly, did Gentile's P-51B end up, that is, there are several photographs of the wreck lying in a field with her back broken - where was that? Just outside the fence? 5 miles away? Where?
Well, we know from numerous eyewitness accounts that his prop (and air scoop - as indicated in the accident report??) struck the ground in the grassy area right in front of the 336 FS dispersal shacks (see "B" below). Shangri-La's parking spot (just across the peri-track from "B") was right in front of those shacks, along the southwest corner of the field, and there were many press and station personnel waiting for him to return from Schweinfurt that day (13 April 1944).
I've personally interviewed several of these eyewitnesses, and they do remember going out in the grass later and finding "chop" marks where S-L's prop bit the ground. One of these men, a 336 FS Line Chief, told me he was in the very first jeep to arrive at the crash site (see "D" below), and Gentile simply said, "I think I f***ed up!" He said he'll never forget that - those were his first words to the guys.
I was taken to the crash site ("D") myself by the then-(wartime)-teenage son of the then-landowner in 2002. It was amazing to hold up "then" photographs -- the distant landscape, particularly looking westerly, has not changed much at all, and the hedge visible in the wartime shots is there as well, though grown larger, confirming that we had the precise spot. Pics are on my site here:
http://wademeyersart.tripod.com/id38.html
I have also located the official Accident Report, which is very interesting. See that and much more Gentile-related material here:
http://wademeyersart.tripod.com/id40.html
I have been commissioned to do a painting of the takeoff for this last mission ... see it "in-progress" here:
http://wademeyersart.tripod.com/id76.html
A GoogleEarth image shows the final flight path(s!) - evidently the 'hi-rez' Google satellite look-downs stopped short of completely covering the area. Gentile started off at "A", flew north of 334's 1934 C-type hangar (taken down in 2003), crossed the runway, got too low and struck the ground at "B", got airborne with a mortally-wounded plane and aimed for "Debden Common" (just out of the pic to our left), narrowly missed striking Howe Wood at "C", and hit the field and slid to a stop at "D".
Wade
Sun Oct 08, 2006 4:18 am
Wade , where G.E. is not hi-res. enough try local live
http://local.live.com
Shangri-La's crash site in Hi-res
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=51.98603~0.249327&style=h&lvl=17
And you can just see the white footpath in this view of the dispersal's
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=51.986611~0.272089&style=h&lvl=18
Randy
If you ever arrange a trip to Debden & would like a fellow enthusiasts company ,let me know & I would love to accompany you, like Wade I love the 'then & now ' pics & have visited many UK 8th & 9th AF airfields.
http://local.live.com
Shangri-La's crash site in Hi-res
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=51.98603~0.249327&style=h&lvl=17
And you can just see the white footpath in this view of the dispersal's
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=51.986611~0.272089&style=h&lvl=18
Randy
If you ever arrange a trip to Debden & would like a fellow enthusiasts company ,let me know & I would love to accompany you, like Wade I love the 'then & now ' pics & have visited many UK 8th & 9th AF airfields.
Sun Oct 08, 2006 10:31 am
Thanks for that link - very nice imagery.
They are at least older than Nov 2003 - that's when 334's hangar came down.
Wade
They are at least older than Nov 2003 - that's when 334's hangar came down.
Wade