Local Airport "Bomber Visits" ...

[Mark Allen M]

This was not uncommon during cross country trips in the US during and right after WW2. Many were not planned as a formal stop such as an airshow, exhibit or planned war bomb tour. Most were simply going from one base to the next with an unplanned stop in between. Dad did this a couple of times right after the war to our hometown, once in a Hellcat and another time in a Corsair. Much easier back then to pull off a slight deviation as it would be today to try to "deviate" away from a scheduled flight plan.

I recall as a kid in my hometown in Northern Michigan hearing the noise of the old converted (fire bombers) Avenger torpedo bombers that would stop at the local airport for fuel unannounced. Super excited to ride my bike as fast as I could to get to the airport to just hang out until they were fueled and then watched them take off. Usually about 5 or 6 of them. No airshow, no announced gathering, just a surprise stopover for fuel. Those were the good ole days in the late 60's early 70's if I recall.


A crowd gathers at Blue Grass Field, Lexington, KY on July 11, 1942, to watch the first airplane land on the paved runway of the new airport. B-25 was being flown from Meridian, Miss., to Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio.
Link here: http://lexhistory.org/wikilex/blue-grass-field

These two photos below are interesting as this happened in New Zealand at what looks to be a RNZAF airfield.


Avro Lancaster B.Mk.I PD328 'Aries' 'M3' before conversion at Whenuapai, New Zealand 1944

[Mark Sampson]

Ha! Today I'm heading over to Marana airport (Tucson) to see the Collings Foundation tour. I should take my 1939 Speed Graphic and show how things have changed... in period style.

[seagull61785]

Mark, In that lower photo of the Lancaster at RNZAF Base Whenuapai there are a lot of vehicles. I could maybe only name less than ten percent of them.

My question is :

If you/we were to value all of the cars etc at today's prices and compare the total to the Lancaster - what would be more valuable?

A rare and priceless WWII bomber, or a whole bunch of 1940's era automobiles?

[avenger2504]

One of our Dakotas on the right with our RNZAF roundel and bars prominent.

[Craig59]

My question is :

If you/we were to value all of the cars etc at today's prices and compare the total to the Lancaster - what would be more valuable?

A rare and priceless WWII bomber, or a whole bunch of 1940's era automobiles?

The pilot in me says the Lancaster although the gearhead in me protests! It appears most of the vehicles are right-hand drive UK imports though there are a few US types thrown in the mix. Most are very utilitarian sedans and aren't really that valuable at today's prices. Among the US types, I see a '36 Ford 4-door Sedan, a '39 Ford Standard Coupe, a '34 Ford 4-door Sedan (which does appear to be a right-hand drive import version). Probably the most valuable car seen in the mix is the '28 or '29 Ford Model A Roadster.

Thanks, Mark! Another top-notch image essay!