Rome Air Depot, old pics from my collection

[AEH]

I finally got a photo scanner and have some old pics I thought I'd share. These are from Rome Air Depot in New York, later Griffiss Air Force Base.

[Pat Carry]

Great set of photos, thanks. My favorite, the airborne B-26!

[AG pilot]

Very nice photos! I especially like the close-ups.

[Chris Brame]

That P-80 has a good story behind it - plus it's a current survivor:

http://www.thisdayinaviation.com/26-january-1946/

Couple things I've never seen before - that cover inside the nose of the B-17, a B-24 in RAF Coastal Command colors but with its USAAF datablock intact (became BZ715), the winter shutters on the AT-7 engines (short career - wrecked in Miami Oct. '46/reclaimed early '47), and an oddball - what's the NC- registered bird doing a flamingo pose with one leg raised - Northrop Alpha?

Thanks for posting all these goodies!

[tulsaboy]

Is one of those an A-24?

[zorro7]

AEH:

Good day!

Thanks for taking the time to scan & post those hidden treasures. If you run into P-63 photos plz post them also. I like those of the B-26 Marauder & the all the close-up of the Beech-17 Staggerwing also. Good job!

Last edited by zorro7 on Sun Mar 24, 2013 6:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[JohnB]

Yes, that's an A-24. I wonder if the Helldiver is a Navy ac or a A-25, hard to tell with B&W photos.

Also, notice the RAF marked Liberator has USAAF name and number under the pilots window. I don't think all Lend Lease aircarfat had that. So perhaos a direct transfer?

[The Inspector]

Yes, that's an A-24. I wonder if the Helldiver is a Navy ac or a A-25, hard to tell with B&W photos.

Also, notice the RAF marked Liberator has USAAF name and number under the pilots window. I don't think all Lend Lease aircarfat had that. So perhaos a direct transfer?

4279820 CURTISS A-25A-25 CS SHRIKE delivered to RFC 3/20/45 That boy was rawhiding the brakes by looking at the photo of the steels, wonder what the frictions looked like?

4118207 B-26B-10-MA was l/n 426 but is in one of Baughers open holes.

Looking @ the photos of that A-24 that must have been one interesting cartwheel

[zorro7]

P-39/P-63 folks:

While looking at these pics will someone venture to comment on why the main gears of P-39 seem to collapse on landing?? I know of a similar problems with a P-63 also.

I also would like to hear comments/notes on the different variations of the U.S insignia on AAF aircraft??

Tks

[daviemax]

Great Stuff - thanks!

Please advise if there is any information on the rear of the B-17 depicted. Obviously the nose configuration is not standard.

B-17s were operated out of Rome for research projects, this is obviously one of them.

Thanks for your help!

[zorro7]

DMax:

Good day!

I've seen in Wix sometime ago a pic of a B-17 with a nose engine installed. This may be the test platform for such a project.

[daviemax]

Zorro7

Unfortunately this aircraft isn't one of them (the three that were used as five-engine test aircraft are well-documented).

It is possible this aircraft was used for weather and/or electronics research. The eight holes in the modified nose cone are noteworthy.

Dave

[Randy Wilson]

Chris - I tend to agree that the low wing type with the bent left gear is a Northrop Alpha - the wheel pant assembly seems to match better than a Gamma or other of the family.

Randy

[AEH]

Thanks all, glad you enjoyed some of what I've been hording all these years!

As for the B-17, I don't really have any further information on it other than some cryptic sketches on the back of the photo:



Probably not related, wish I had more information to offer...

These pictures are part of a lot I've had for about 20 years. They are from the estate of a fellow who was an airplane mechanic in upstate New York for nearly forty years. First as a civilian then with the Air Corps and later the Air Force. The collection contains photos, manuals, logs, drawings, and documents from 1927 up to the early sixties. Fascinating stuff.

Thanks again!

-Andrew

[daviemax]

Andrew

Thanks so much. Looks like auto exhausts to me (in plan view).

Well . . . another B-17 mystery. There are several aircraft that were assigned to, or spent time at, Rome. Over time we can hopefully ID this aircraft and determine its mission, dates, etc.

Dave