Warbird Information Exchange

... where a USAAF B-17 & B-24 storage area was located. For both allied and axis aircraft who felt it necessary (for many reasons) to land in Switzerland. The war would then be over for them - the photos here were taken immediately after WW2.






Interesting 'display' of USAAF heavy bombers.

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Zero Surprise!!...

Any close ups of the two on display with the Jungmeister?

I think it's a Jungmann. Interesting set.

None that I have found other than these. No specifics on these photos other that they all landed in Switzerland. This chapter in WW2 history has always been quite interesting. Lots of stories of both allied and axis pilots and crews mingling together once they were grounded there. Not sure on the credibility of these stories. Fascinating though if indeed it happened.




Rows of snow covered B-17's & B-24's,sit in storage after landing in Switzerland




































Any idea what this states? ... guess I could Google translate it

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Zero Surprise!!...

It says:
The last Flying Fortress in the World
for exhibition in St. Gallen

Eric

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Greetings,
Eric
Zeist, the Netherlands

The text on the trailer is a moving and storage company in "Zorich".

Was this an atempt at using the radar to track incoming aircraft??
I have never seen this type of use before!!

Sean

Here's some more interesting details and video on that "B-17, St Gallen"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwVf4vEZ0BA

https://www.google.com/search?q=%22B-17 ... kQ_AUIBygC

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Zero Surprise!!...

This video is fascinating as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8eeXW5J1o0

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Zero Surprise!!...

I guess I should know the answer, but I don't ...

I thought those airplanes & crews were interred in Switzerland for the duration. So, why the maintenance work and test hops? And the enlisted guys doing the work, were they former gunners & flight engineers, if not, who were they? Guess I don't know as much about the outcome of those airplanes and crews as I thought I did.

Ken

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"Take care of the little things and the big things will take care of themselves."

A friend of mine wanted to write a story about a Swiss girl with a US and a German pilot each vying for her affections in such a case as that, both interned for the duration. The problem was, once he started researching the details, he couldn't find any basis for the stories of the crews mingling together in Switzerland.

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Life member, 91st BG Memorial Association
Owner, 1944 Willys MB #366014
Former REMF (US Army, O3)

I'm guessing it's "ZURICH" but with big umlauts in the U

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Zac in NZ
#avgeek, modelbuilder, photographer, writer. Callsign: "HANDBAG".
https://linktr.ee/zacyates

"It's his plane, he spent the money to restore it, he can do with it what he wants. I will never understand what's hard to comprehend about this." - kalamazookid, 20/08/2013
"The more time you spend around warbirds the sooner you learn nothing, is simple." - JohnB, 24/02/22

I have read innumerable articles about the aircraft and crews that made the decision to divert to Switzerland due to excessive damage and/or crew injuries. Brave men indeed.

However, my question is in these images, the aircraft look relatively undamaged. In a few you can see feathered props etc; but, not major damage. Were they repaired by the Swiss?

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Cheers!

Lance Jones

Ever read this? http://www.amazon.com/Strangers-Strange ... 0897472780
I've met a couple of vets over the years who were on missions that skirted very close to the Swiss border and they all told me the briefings were VERY specific to not only not go close to the border and for the love of God NOT shoot or bomb across it, but that the hints were made that if someone decided to call it an early war, there were aircraft ready to 'do something' to stop them.
I have no idea how accurate or realistic those threats were, but I've heard that from way too many vets to think they're all making that story up!

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Life member, 91st BG Memorial Association
Owner, 1944 Willys MB #366014
Former REMF (US Army, O3)

I think if you look this up you'll find the crews just had enough and decided to land in Switzerland . You'll notice there is very little damage to them and one engine feathered was no reason to land in Switzerland . Many many of them made it home on three. Many many crews were being lost at this time, two hundred planes going out, maybe fifty or less returning. Many were lost forming up in weather!