Warbird Information Exchange

I was sent this photo from one of the 401BG Veterans' sons:



On the back is written Alexandria, Louisiana.
I'm presuming that the photo was taken at Alexandria AAF during the crew's time at the CCTS.
I found a few other crew photos taken there, and the crew number 3734 dates it around May 1944. This ties in with his father's timeline, as his crew started flying combat operations early in July 1944.

Can anyone add anything more, or comment on the B-17 in the background?
From the pitot tube it looks to be a B-17F modified with B-17G cheek gun windows and a different top turret.

Thanks in advance,
PB

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Paul Bellamy

401BG Association Historian & Honorary Life Member
401BG Historical Society (UK) Member
1st Air Division HQ Historical Society (UK) Founder Member
Director of Archives & Collections, Airfield Research Group Archive, Alconbury
RAF Alconbury Base Historian

That is the standard production B-17F top turret.

TonyM.

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"Welcome back Mr. Lasky."

The bulged "lump" at the back looks a bit unusual, but it may be a trick of the photo.

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Paul Bellamy

401BG Association Historian & Honorary Life Member
401BG Historical Society (UK) Member
1st Air Division HQ Historical Society (UK) Founder Member
Director of Archives & Collections, Airfield Research Group Archive, Alconbury
RAF Alconbury Base Historian

I have seen that particular type "Lump" on other F top turrets, So it is not unusual. No markings visible makes it rather hard to ID other than an upgraded F model.

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Aviation Illustration Website
http://shepartstudio.com/illustration/

Yup, you're both quite correct.

Even the A-1A turret on display at Dayton has the bulged back panel.
It's just something I hadn't noticed too often before, and the photo is taken from just the right angle to emphasise it.

All the best,
PB

_________________
Paul Bellamy

401BG Association Historian & Honorary Life Member
401BG Historical Society (UK) Member
1st Air Division HQ Historical Society (UK) Founder Member
Director of Archives & Collections, Airfield Research Group Archive, Alconbury
RAF Alconbury Base Historian

I hope, someday, to be able to research all of the CCTS stations. Every time I see one of these photos I wonder where the master lists of crews can be found......

Notice the NMF G peeking out on the right side of the photo?

Scott

The cheek windows became standard on mid production F models but these look to have been added because of the repaint.The top turret is correct for that model and there are more than a few mods on the standard turret by the way.Maybe a combat veteran returned to training unit the date being 44 and all.

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Hang The Expense

The later style cheek windows like this were installed at the Mod Centers initially. Notice, too, that this particular airplane has the large window in the same position as the G installation. Most Fs that got these windows had the right window far forward and the left one at the second window, just the opposite of the G.

Scott