More questions than answers ...

[Mark Allen M]

A few photos for your intellectual consumption? I can certainly draw my own conclusions but I'm thinking others may be willing to add their own feedback.

Photo #1

Photo states: A 385th Bomb Group B-17 dropping supplies over an airfield somewhere in the Netherlands in May 1945. (U.S. Air Force photo)
My observation: Allied (or) Axis forces strategically placed explosives in the runway and taxi lanes to disable the field, but I'm not sure what the rows are leading up the road on the right. Could those be smoke pits?

Photo #2

Photo states: RCAF DeHavilland Mosquito slipping under the Eiffel towers skirt. The pilot has been credited to either the 409th or 410th squadron.
My observation: Not sure I'm buying the idea of a Mossie flying under the Eiffel tower but perhaps it could have happened. Looks like a "doctored up" photo to me. Think of what's going on in the minds of those folks standing there in the foreground if indeed this took place.

Photo #3

Photo states: A Lockheed P-38 Lightning makes a low pass over Brisbane, Queensland, Australia ca. 1943
My observation: Again looks like a "doctored up" photo to me.

Photo #4

Photo states: South Korean F-51 Mustang.
My observation: Anyone want to take a guess as to what's written?

Photo #5

Photo states: B-25 of the 345th Bomb Group Air Apaches.
My observation: First, what are the entenna's on the top & bottom used for? second, I'm sure the copyright has been revoked for the Apache emblem as of late.

Photo #6

Photo states: C-47 & C-17 flying in tight formation.
My Observation: Is the C-47 and the C-17 scale really this different? One looks quite large, the other looks quite small. Illusion from the angle? I've seen a few C-17's but cannot recall it being this large.

Photo #7

Photo states: General Electric GAU-8A displayed next to a Volkswagen Beetle for size comparison. (U.S. Air Force photo)
My observation: Really? what airplane would this big gun go into? Again I'm having a problem with the scale here, but ....

[Ken]

B-25: Early static discharge wicks perhaps? Experts chime in now ...

C-17: Yes, it really is big, even when next to a C-130.

GAU-8: gun system installed in the A-10; airplane built around the gun dimensions including nose gear offset.

[JohnTerrell]

The South Korean F-51D photo is of a very well known Korean War era Mustang. That was the personal mount of Maj. Dean Hess, the leader of the "Bout One Project", in which USAF pilots trained and served alongside the fledgling Royal Korean Air Force, in particular the 51st Provisional Fighter Squadron. A minister, the writing on the nose of his Mustang, in Korean, read "By Faith I Fly!" Dean Hess also took part in the "Kiddy Car Airlift", which was the rescue of some 950 orphans and 80 orphanage staff from Seoul, via C-54 Skymasters, as the North Korean forces began to capture the city in December 1950.

His 1956 book, and then the 1957 movie, "Battle Hymn", is the story of Dean Hess and his storied actions during the Korean War. In the movie, there is quite a bit of Mustang footage, using then operational National Guard Mustangs painted to look like those from the ROKAF.

Last edited by JohnTerrell on Sun Jun 22, 2014 10:45 am, edited 1 time in total.

[gary1954]

[quote="Ken"]B-25: Early static discharge wicks perhaps? Experts chime in now ...

My thoughts as well

[Cherrybomber13]

According to the interwebs
"Plane flying under Eiffel Tower. a royal Canadian air force plane (de Havilland Mosquito) from the 409th squadron flies under the tower in autumn of 1944.photographer unknown.I read a blurb in a tourist book about this tower and they mentioned rumours of a plane flying under the tower.This photo is from my father’s squadron’s souvenir book and is perhaps the only proof of this happening.
http://planeshots.tumblr.com/post/35968914395/plane-flying-under-eiffel-tower-a-royal#disqus_thread

From a Flickr Comment on the photo "The aircraft is a Mosquito Mk XIII of 409 Sqn RCAF Pilot Warrant Officer Bob Boorman RCAF and the Navigator Flt Sgt Bill Bryant RAF a fellow Aircrew Association Member who gave me a signed copy of the photo which was taken on the 14th September 1944 by a Stars and Stripes photographer. Sqn Ldr Nic Shelley, RAF (Retired)."


plane flying under eiffel tower by spiv piddler, on Flickr

[Mark Allen M]

Thx gents, good stuff. Still not sure on that Mossie photo. Doesn't look real at all IMHO. Great F-51D scheme and one I would be more than happy to see on a current mustang. If anyone dare do it as it certainly has a great message to be taken in many different ways.

Photo #8

Photo states: B-26's attack on Trier Pfalzel RR bridge attack c 1944.
My observation: There's a mathematical formula that could pretty much pin down if there could have been a real disaster with the bombs dropping and the B-26's below. Calculation would certainly include, altitude, airspeed, trajectory angle and bomb weight. Another observation would be, are those angled stripes painted on those B-26's below or some sort of shadow? I'm thinking painted on markings.

Photo #9

Photo states: USAAF Consolidated B-24 Liberator over unknown target.
My observation: Way, way too close a call here. A couple more feet to the left and there's a real problem. Wondering how common this really was. Seen the photo sequence of the B-17 hit by dropping bombs so it did indeed happen.

Photo #10

Photo states: A damaged B-24 Liberator from the 376th BG in flight over Toulon c 1944
My observation: Wow! tough airplane, or is it in some real trouble in this photo.

[Cherrybomber13]

regarding the GAU-8
Maybe this will help explain the scale...

gu copy by Cherry Bomb Photography, on Flickr

[Steve Nelson]

Photo #8: I think the diagonal lines on the wings are the shadows of the tails. Judging by the shadows on th bombs and the shadows cast by the smoke clouds below, the sun is low on the horizon at about the planes' 5:00 postion.

SN

[Mark Allen M]

Perfect observation Steve. I now see that conclusion clearly as well. What's your thoughts on the bombs dropping? Close call or not so much?

[Chris Brame]

Photo #1

Photo states: A 385th Bomb Group B-17 dropping supplies over an airfield somewhere in the Netherlands in May 1945. (U.S. Air Force photo)
My observation: Allied (or) Axis forces strategically placed explosives in the runway and taxi lanes to disable the field, but I'm not sure what the rows are leading up the road on the right. Could those be smoke pits?

They may be the remains of a couple rows of trees alongside the road that were removed when the airfield was built; look above and to the right of the B-17 and you can see a similar row of trees. Any guesses as to where in Holland this is? Looks like a pretty good-sized base.

[JohnB]

RE: The C-47 and the C-17.

Compare the sizes of the doors...in this case the open paratroop door of the C-47 with the forward door of the Globemaster.
It compares very well.

Old photointerpretation trick, start with something of a known size to get scale. Doors are especially useful.

[Eric1001]

Photo #1


Photo states: A 385th Bomb Group B-17 dropping supplies over an airfield somewhere in the Netherlands in May 1945. (U.S. Air Force photo)
My observation: Allied (or) Axis forces strategically placed explosives in the runway and taxi lanes to disable the field, but I'm not sure what the rows are leading up the road on the right. Could those be smoke pits?

They may be the remains of a couple rows of trees alongside the road that were removed when the airfield was built; look above and to the right of the B-17 and you can see a similar row of trees. Any guesses as to where in Holland this is? Looks like a pretty good-sized base.

It is Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam.
It already was the largest civic airfield in the Netherlands by the start of the war.
Of course the Germans turned it into a Fliegerhorst, even adding some new runways.
It became their main military airfield in the Netherlands.
Because of that it was bombed verry often by the allied air forces.

The Germans did indeed destroy most of the airbase, but they did this on September 17th 1944, when it looked like Operation Market Garden would succeed.

The air droppings on Schiphol were done from May 2 till May 7, 1945. It seems the Americans did most or all of them.

The damage to Schiphol was so big that it took a while to get it back into operation, the first plane was a DC-3 that landed on July 8, 1945.

Right now it is of course the primary hub for KLM, and officially named Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.

Eric

[Mark Allen M]

Than you Eric for the information. The link below covers these "chow hound" missions.
http://www.100thbg.com/mainmenus/chowho ... d_main.htm

[Mark Allen M]

Photo #11

Photo states: ANG Stang with three kills.
My observation: Why kills on an Air National Guard P-51?

[51fixer]

Photo #11

Photo states: ANG Stang with three kills.
My observation: Why kills on an Air National Guard P-51?

Probably goes with the pilot whose name is on the Canopy Frame.