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  Henschel HS 129

Posted by: Guest
17.04.2007, 16:21
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[color=orange][size=150]See below (bottom of page) for details[/size][/color]

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[color=orange]Hs 129 A-0 White '10' W.Nr. 3010 SG 101, France 1944.
All Henschel Hs 129s were finished in a standard factory-applied splinter pattern, comprising Black-Green 70/Dark Green 71 upper surfaces and Light-Blue 65 undersides. This machine carried the last two figures of the Werk Nummer in white on the outboard faces of the engine nacelles. The full W.Nr. was painted in white on the rear fuselage with the factory call sign, 'GM+OG' being applied in black on the fuselage sides and beneath the wings. A large pike's mouth marking was painted in red, black and white on the nose. The latter feature was intended to enhance the shspe of the nose as a recognition aid and a German recognition publication ot the period describes the nose area as '... like a pike s nead*. All surviving Hs 129 A-Os later served with the Lurtwarre's ground-attack schools and although most went to Deblinlrena in Poland, this example also served in France with SG 101 based at Clermont-Ferrand where it was eventually 65% damaged in an Allied bombing attack on 30 April 1944. This aircraft carried the standard under-fuselage bomb racks. The National insignia were: B2 crosses on the wing undersides. Bl crosses on wing upper-surfaces and fuselage sides and H2 Hakenkreuze.

Hs 129 B-l Blue 'K' W.Nr. 0166
5./Sch.G 1. Eastern Front. June 1942.
This aircraft was camouflaged in the standard RLM 70/71/65 splinter pattern. The markings show a white lined triangle painted on the green fuselage sides. The machine carried the standard yellow theatre markings of the Eastern Front on the nose, underside wing tips and fuselage band with the Berlin Bear Staffel badge painted behind the cockpit. The position of the W.Nr.0166 in white is unusual. Also, contrary to popular belief, little evidence has come to hand to confirm the widespread use of the colour blue for Staffel identity codes in Hs 129 units. However, evidence suggests that this is one such aircraft which, in addition, also had its spinner tips painted blue. The aircraft carried the infantry assault badge on its nose. The aircraft was fitted with an MK 101 cannon. The national insignia were: B2 crosses on wing undersides, B6 crosses on wing upper-surfaces. B5 crosses on fuselage sides and H2a style Hakenkreuze.

Hs 129 B-l Chevron - White '0'
5./Sch.G 1. Eastern Front. Summer 1942.
This aircraft carried a large black triangle - the marking of the Schlachtflieger units - outlined in white behind the fuselage cross and yellow theatre markings on the nose, wing tip undersides and fuselage band. An unknown four-figure Werk Nummer was carried in whtte at the base of the fin and the spinner tips were also painted white. The Berlin Bear Staffel badge was applied behind the cockpit and the camouflage was the standard RIM splinter pattern 70/71/65. The aircraft was fitted with an MK 101 cannon. The national insignia were: B2 crosses on wing undersides. Bla crosses on wing upper-surfaces, B3 crosses on fuselage sides and H2a style Hakenkreuze.

Hs 129 B-2 Yellow '3' w.Nr. 0350 Pz.Ja.St./JG 51. Eastern Front. Spring 1943.
While aircraft of the Schlachtgeschwadem were marked with code letters, the machines of Panzerjager Staffel 'Molders' were marked with coloured numbers as used by standard Jagdgeschwader (Fighter Units). The aircraft shown here is camouflaged in the standard 70/71/65 RLM splinter pattern and still bears traces of a temporary white washable winter paint. In particular, the wings, from the tips to the outside of the engine nacelles still retained some of the temporary white finish and irregular white patches can also still be seen on the cowlings. However, only residue traces of white were left on the rest of the machine where the temporary paint had not been completely washed off. Heavy exhaust staining marked the wing upper-surfaces white paint. The Eastern Front yellow theatre markings were applied to the nose, underside wing lips and fuselage band. The aircraft was fitted with an MK 101 cannon. The national insignia were: B2 crosses on wing undersides. Bla crosses on wing upper-surfaces, B3 crosses on fuselage sides and H2a style Hakenkreuze.

Hs 129 B-2 Blue 'A' w.Nr. 0296 4.(Pz)/Sch.G 2. El Adem, Libya 1942-43.
This aircraft fell into Allied hands at El Adem where it had made a bad landing due to the waterlogged state of the airfield. The withdrawing Germans had attempted to destroy the machine by placing demolition charges on the engines and fuel tanks. A tropical camouflage scheme had been applied directly over the standard factory finish greens 70/71 splinter pattern and the W.Nr. 0296 in white is still visible on the fin. A British A.I.2(g) Crashed Enemy Aircraft Report about this machine, described the tropical camouflage as consisting of greenish-brown blotched with purple on the upper-surfaces and light-blue 65 undersides. White African tactical markings were applied to the nose, underside of wing tips and rear fuselage band. The spinner tips were painted with a 1/3 blue segment with the remainder in white. A badge was stencilled on the upper nose panel which was based on the German Army Tank Assault Badge which consisted of a laurel wreath with a tank in the centre. The wreath itself was surmounted by an eagle clasping a swastika. The aircraft was fitted with an MK 101 cannon. The national insignia were: B2 crosses on wing undersides, Bla crosses on wing upper-surfaces. B3 crosses on fuselage sides and H2a Hakenkreuze.

Hs 129 B-2 White Chevron - Blue '0'
4.(Pz)/Sch.G 2. Caste! Benito. Libya. February 1943.
This was one of five Hs 129s examined by the RAF on Castel Benito airfield. The nose, wing tip under-surfaces and rear fuselage band were painted white denotng the African Theatre with the white-tipped spinners carrying a one third medium blue segment. The camouflage consisted of a faded tan, similar to 79 with green 71 mottles on the upper-surfaces with light blue 65 underneath. The Tank Assault Badge crest was stencilled in aluminium paint on the upper nose panel, a metal pennant of the Staffelkapitan was mounted on the radio mast. There were three 'kill' markings on the starboard side of the rudder indicating earlier successes in Russia. A four-digit Werk Nummer commencing '03' was applied in white to the base of the fin in the standard position but photographs are too indistinct to state with certainty what the complete Werk Nummer was. Curiously, the British A.I.2(g) Report on this aircraft also omits to mention this information. The aircraft was fitted with an MK 101 cannon. The National insignia were: B2 crosses on wing undersides, Bla crosses on wing upper-surfaces, B3 crosses on fuselage sides and H2a Hakenkreuze.

Hs 129 B-2 Red 'C'
8.(Pz)/Sch.G 2, El Aouina, Tunisia, early 1943.
The camouflage on this aircraft consisted of an almost continuous wavy line sprayed in a sand colour over the standard splinter pattern 70/71 green upper-surfaces with the undersides in light blue 65. This overspray, known as 'Wellenmuster', is believed to have been developed by the Erprobungsstetle Rechlin as the most suitable camouflage for aircraft operating over both land and sea in the Middle East. On this machine, the tan overspray on the port-stde spinner has been so densely applied that it gives the impression of green mottles on a sand background. The starboard spinner of this aircraft was a replacement in plain Black-Green 70 and an oversprayed white Werk Nummer appeared at the base of the fin. The aircraft was fitted with an MK 101 cannon. The National insignia were: B2 crosses on wing undersides and fuselage. Bla crosses to upper-surfaces and H2a Hakenkreuze.

Hs 129 B-2 Purple 'X' w.Nr. 0278
8.(Pz)/Sch.G 2, El Aouina. Tunisia, early 1943.
Found abandoned at El Aouina, this machine had an upper-surface camouflage consisting of the standard splinter green 70/71 scheme with a faded sand-coloured overspray on all upper-surfaces. This was also applied to tone down the white of the fuselage African Theatre markings. The wing tips had white undersides but this aircraft did not have the white nose and brightly coloured spinners seen on other Hs 129s operating in the Middle East. The factory call sign, 'DQ+ZN' in black, appeared on the wing undersides with the W.Nr. 0278 in white being slightly obscured by over spray paint. Although the RAF A.I.2(g) report on this aircraft describes the colour of the identification letter as 'purple', this was probably the result of either red being applied over an earlier blue X and bright sun causing severe bleaching and discolouration. The aircraft was fitted with an MK 101 cannon. The National insignia were: B2 crosses on wing undersides and fuselage, Bla crosses wing upper-surfaces and H2a Hakenkreuze,

HS 129 B-2 Red 'J' W.Nr. 0364
8.(Pz)/Sch.G 1. Kuban, Russia. May 1943.
This machine was camouflaged in the standard 70/71/65 green splinter pattern which appears very faded and dusty, particularly around the rear fuselage and tail area. Eastern Front yellow theatre markings appeared on the rear fuselage band, nose and undersides of the wing tips. A thin white band separates the red tip from the basic black-green 70 spinner colour. The W.Nr. 0364 appeared in white on the fin. The Infantry Assault Badge was stencilled in white on each side high in the centre of the fuselage and on the upper nose panel which had added details in black separately stencilled over the white. The additional fuselage badges were, like the II.Gruppe bar. features seen only In the Spring of 1943. The tank 'kill' markings in white, vary in outline and detail and were seen only on the port side of the rudder and may have been applied solely for propaganda photographic reasons as the photos show the aircraft with different numbers of kills. In any event, the display of victory symbols was not a feature many Schtachtflieger carried into action for fear of Russian reaction should the pilot crash-land in enemy territory. This aircraft was shot down by ground fire on 27 May 1943. The aircraft was fitted with an MK 101 cannon. The National insignia were: B2 crosses on wing undersides, B6 crosses on wing upper-surfaces, B5 crosses on fuselage sides and H2a Hakenkreuze.

Hs 129 B-2 White 'K'
as flown by Lt. Walter Krause. 10.(Pz)/SG 9. early 1944.
This aircraft carried the standard 70/71/65 splinter camouflage pattern and yellow theatre markings with random temporary white winter scheme overpainted. The white paint although appearing to be haphazardly applied was clearly brushed on with care so as not to obliterate the aircraft code letter or national insignia. This aircraft was fitted with an MK 103 cannon. The National insignia were: B2 crosses on the wing undersides, B6 crosses on wing upper surfaces. B5 crosses on fuselage sides and H2a Hakenkreuze.

Hs 129 B-2
of the Rumanian Air Force Grupul 8 Asait, late 1943.
Camouflage is the basic German 70/71/65 splinter pattern with Michael's crosses in the standard positions and yellow theatre markings applied in the Luftwaffe style. While most Rumanian Hs 129s at this time carried a white three digit number on the vertical tail surfaces, this machine is unusual in that it had a white 'V* on the rear fuselage and a single number '2' on the fin, which has lead to speculation that it may have been flown on operations by a Luftwaffe instructor attached to the Rumanian unit. As no Rumanian aircraft were fitted with 30 mm under-fuselage cannon, this aircraft had a central bomb rack in addition to wing racks.

HS 129 B-2
60 Asalt Escadrila, Grupul 8 Asalt, Rumanian Air Force believed to have been flown by Lt. Lazar Muntean.
Camouflage and markings consisted of standard RLM splinter pattern of 70/71/65 with yellow theatre markings in the Luftwaffe style and with Michael's crosses. The skull and bone marking in white on the fin was a personal marking as was the inscription 'Hai fetito' ('Come on gin") also in white. The aircraft was fitted with bomb racks only.

Hs 129 B-2 Number 222b
Escadrila 42. Rumanian Air Force. Transylvania. 1944.
Freshly repainted in an overall green believed to be of Russian origin, this aircraft is depicted after the Rumanians changed sides to fight against their former German allies. The earlier Michael's crosses have been replaced by roundels and the fin flash now extends down the whole length of the rudder. The Rumanian system of individual aircraft markings allowed for aircraft lost to be replaced by aircraft carrying a small suffix letter to the white code number; this Aircraft 222 would have been replaced by 222a and this in turn by 222b. The white fuselage band, wing tip undersides and nose were recognition markings intended to indicate to Soviet forces that the German aircraft was friendly. Bomb racks only were fitted.

Hs 129 B-2 Red 'F'
14.(Pz)/SG 9. Hungary 1945.
This aircraft was finished in the RLM standard 70/71/65 splinter pattern and carried a late-war variation of the yellow theatre markings. In lieu of the standard yellow wing undersides and nose, this machine retained the yellow fuselage band but the starboard wing underside carried a large yellow 'V marking. This marking was applied to many aircraft operating in Hungary between 29 September 1944 to 7 March 1945. The open end of the *V" was wrapped around the leading edge of the wing and terminated in a position approximately level with the leading edge of the upper wing cross. A six-figure Werk Nummer appeared at the base of the fin in white and in accordance with an order dated 20 July 1944. 'handed' white spirals were applied to the spinners over the 70 Black-Green. The aircraft carried an MK 103 cannon. The National insignia were: B2 crosses on wing undersides. B6 crosses on wing upper-surfaces. B5 crosses on fuselage and H2a Hakenkreuze.

Hs 129 B-3
The aircraft illustrated is a standard Hs 129 B-2 W.Nr. 140404 which was converted in June 1944 to a B-3. carrying the 7.5cm BK cannon. The machine was tested at Rechltn ano Tarnewiu sun retaining its original C/12 D gun sight. The standard RLM splinter finish had been applied together with the yellow Eastern Front theatre markings. From this evidence it would appear that the theatre markings were applied at the factory as the aircraft still carries its call sign of 'DO + XG' on the fuselage as also on the underside of the wings. The National insignia were: B2 crosses on wing undersides. B6 crosses on wing upper surfaces. B5 crosses on fuselage and H2a Hakenkreare.[/color]

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  Lancaster

Posted by: Guest
16.04.2007, 01:40
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[color=orange][size=150]See below (bottom of page) for details[/size][/color]

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[color=orange]Lancaster B I LM220/WS-Y of No IX Sqn, Bardney, 1944
This Lancaster was fitted with bulged bomb-bay doors to allow it to carry a 12,000-lb Tallboy bomb for use against the Tirpitz. Its bomb log included 15 red bomb symbols for night operations and 27 yellow bombs denoting daylight operations, with bombs 39 and 40 bearing a superimposed R indicating a shuttle-bombing mission that landed in Russia. It also included two silhouettes of the Tirpitz, representing attacks on the German pocket battleship, during which LM220 was flown by Flt Lt W D Tweddle and crew. The nose art of an elderly gentleman with a pint of beer, and the slogan GETTING YOUNGER EVERY DA Y referred to a contemporary advert for the products of William Younger's brewery. Although damaged in March 1945, LM220 survived the war, only to be scrapped at No 5 MU in November 1946. W4964/WS-J Still Going Strong was broadly similar in appearance, albeit with white tailfins, and this aircraft was commemorated by the RAF's Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, whose B I (PA474) wore this scheme between 1993 and 1999. No IX Sqn was worthy of such commemoration, having flown 3495 Lancaster sorties, and having lost 177 aircraft in the process. One squadron member. Flt Sgt G Thompson, was also awarded a posthumous VC.

Lancaster B I RA530/DX-Y of No 57 Sqn, East Kirkby, early 1945
Coloured tailfin stripes became common during the later part of the war, allowing aircraft to easily distinguish formation leaders, Master Bombers or aircraft equipped with G-H during daylight missions. In Nos 1 and 5 Groups, whole coloured tailfins were sometimes used to indicate which base an aircraft was from. This H2S-equipped Lancaster served with No 57 Sqn at East Kirkby until 20 March 1945, when it caught fire and hit a house at Stickney soon after taking off. Its red tail and black stripe denote a G-H aircraft. NX611, the Lancaster now owned by Lincolnshire farmers Fred and Harold Panton (who farm what used to be East Kirkby airfield) is today painted in No 57 Sqn colours (as DX-C Just Jane) on its starboard side.

Lancaster B I EE176/QR-M of No 61 Sqn, Skellingthorpe, 1945
MICKIE the MOOCHER flew briefly with No 7 Sqn and then with No 97, before becoming one of three No 61 Sqn Lancasters which completed more than 100 missions, clocking up an incredible 122 combat operations (including aborts) before being retired to No 1653 HCU Unit (as H4-X) and then finally relegated to ground instructional duties with BOAC at Whitchurch. MICKIE's bomb log never showed more than 115 missions, although official records suggest that its tally may have been as high as 128 ops. This made the aircraft a natural choice for commemoration when the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Lancaster was repainted at the end of the 20th Century. No 61 Sqn flew more Lancaster operations than any other frontline unit, and one of its pilots, Flt Lt Bill Reid, won a VC while serving with the unit in 1943.

Lancaster B I HK554/JN-F of No 75 Sqn, Mepal, August 1944
This No 75 (NZ) Sqn aircraft is typical of late-war Lancasters, being anonymous but for its serial and squadron codes. Aircraft with nose art were photographed more often, but were never common, except on some units. This aircraft does have an unusual code presentation, however, with JN placed aft of the roundel on both sides of the rear fuselage, forcing a cramped, two-row presentation of the serial number. This was standard on No 75 Sqn Lancasters, whether wearing AA or JN codes, the latter being used by C Flt only. HK554 flew as JN-Z and then as JN-F with No 75 (NZ) Sqn, before transferring to No 44 Sqn in the spring of 1945. It was struck off charge in March 1946. The bomber is seen here with the bulged bomb doors that were necessary in order for it to carry larger weapons like the 8000-lb HC bomb or the 12,000-lb Tallboy.

Lancaster B III NE181/JN-M of No 75 Sqn, Mepal, August 1944
While No 75 (NZ) Sqn used the codes AA, C Flt always used the letters JN. THE CAPTAIN'S FANCY survived 101 operations with the unit, some of the later trips skippered by Sqn Ldr Jim M Bailey, OC C Flt, who took over the aircraft from Sqn Ldr Nick Williamson. The latter pilot had taken a fancy to the 'FANCY, and flew six sorties in the aircraft, piloting NE181 on its 99th trip and his last mission of his tour. Bailey captained the aircraft on its 100th mission, to Krefeld, on 29 January 1945. The aircraft passed to No 514 Sqn, but did not fly operationally with its new owners. NE181 amassed a 101-mission bomb log, and was earmarked for delivery to New Zealand, but instead went to No 5 MU at Kemble. It was struck off charge in September 1947.

Lancaster B III PB532/HW-S2 of No 100 Sqn, Elsham Wolds, April 1945
After service with No 550 Sqn, PB532 was passed to No 100 Sqn, where it was christened Santa AZUCAR. The machine was the regular mount of Flt Lt O Lloyd-Davies, whose musical aptitude was reflected in the use of notes as mission symbols, and whose South American origins inspired the aircraft's name. No 100 Sqn moved from Waltham to Elsham Wolds on 1 April 1945, where PB532 served out the rest of the war. It was finally sold for scrap in July 1952 after service with the Telecommunications Flying Unit and the Transport Command Development Unit, followed by storage at No 15 MU.

Lancaster B I LL757/SR-W of No 101 Sqn, Ludford Magna, July 1944
OOR WULLIE was typical of No 101 Sqn's ABC-equipped Lancasters, with a profusion of antennas serving its high-powered transmitters, and quickly gaining a Rose tail turret housing a pair of 0.50-in machine guns. No 101 Sqn began using the Rose turret in May 1944, prior to it being officially cleared for service in September. This aircraft was the regular mount of Pit Off Waughman and his crew until it failed to return from an operation to Stettin on 30 August 1944 with 214 hours on the clock. Flt Lt W A M B Stewart and his nine-man crew were posted missing.

Lancaster B III ED888/PM-M2 of No 103 Sqn, Elsham Wolds, November 1944
ED888 began its career with No 103 Sqn in May 1943, flying 54 sorties as PM-M and PM-M2 before being taken over by No 576 Sqn when the latter unit formed from the C Flts of Nos 101 and 103 Sqns in December 1943. Re-coded as UL-V2, and then as UL-M2, 'Mike Squared' flew 77 further operations with No 576 Sqn, including the unit's first mission -to Berlin on 2/3 December 1943. Pit Off Jimmy Griffiths and his crew completed their 30th trip in ED888 before handing the veteran machine (in which they accounted for two enemy fighters) over to Pit Off J B Tinkle' Bell, whose first trip was also ED888's 100th mission. The aircraft later returned to No 103 Sqn for nine further sorties, taking the total to 140, the last being a mission to Koln on Christmas Eve 1944 in the hands of Fig Off S L Saxe, or Flt Lt John Barnes, according to some sources. ED888 was damaged in an accident in February 1945 and was sent to No 10 MU. It had flown more operations than any other Lancaster, and had amassed more than 940 hours, but was scrapped in 1947. The DFC on the aircraft's huge bomb log was applied by the station commander at Elsham Wolds after the aircraft's 102nd trip.

Lancaster B III JB663/ZN-A of No 106 Sqn, Metheringham, 6 November 1944
KING OF THE AIR served with No 106 Sqn for its entire career, starting with a mission to Berlin on 26/27 November 1943. The bomber finally completed its 100th operation on 4 November 1944, and went on to fly 111 missions, retiring to No 24 MU in March 1945 before being struck off at No 15 MU Wroughton in October 1946. No 106 Sqn had fared less well, despite one of its members having won a VC. A mock funeral was held at Metheringham on 2 February 1946 as the unit disbanded.

Lancaster B III PB509/OJ-C of No 149 Sqn, Methwold, early 1945
No 149 'East India' Sqn traded its Short Stirlings for Lancasters in August 1944. With yellow bars on the tailfin indicating its status as a G-H Master Bomber (Nos 75, 90,195, 218 and 622 Sqns used the same G-H markings), PB509 also featured very elaborate nose art consisting of a white horse drawing a Roman chariot, as well as a 30-mission bomb-log. The aircraft subsequently passed to No 186 Sqn as XY-Y, before going to No 1659 HCU. It was finally struck off charge in December 1945.

Lancaster B III ME812/AS-F of No 166 Sqn, Kirmington, June 1944
Pit Off Sid Coole and his crew flew Fair Fighter's Revenge into Linton-on-Ouse after an abortive mission against a V2 site. This aircraft (Coole's second Fair Fighter's Revenge) bore the image of a short-skirted and large-breasted miss bending a cane on its nose. Seen here with eight bomb symbols in its bomb log, ME812 went on to fly more than 100 operations (probably 105), most of them as P4-F of No 153 Sqn (from October 1944), and often in the hands of Sqn Ldr F R 'Paddy' Flynn. The aircraft retained its name and nose art and survived the war, being struck off charge at No 20 MU Aston Down on 25 October 1946.

Lancaster B III PB480/TC-G2 of No 170 Sqn, Hemswell, March 1945
This aircraft, flown by Flt Lt Bob Chandler and crew, carried a distinctive circular No 1 Group gas detection patch on its nose, and artwork of all seven of Disney's dwarves, together with the legend Hi Ho! Hi Ho! It's off to work we go. This was painted on canvas by wireless operator Sgt Ron Woodin, and was then stuck onto the aircraft's aluminium skin. PB480 had served with No 625 Sqn as CF-J before going to No 170 (which formed from a flight of No 625), and ended its days as a ground instructional airframe (6710M).

Lancaster B III ND758/A4-A of No 195 Sqn, Witchford, October 1944
No 115 Sqn's C Flt applied its assigned A4 code with the '4' in a much smaller size, as seen here. When No 195 Sqn formed from this flight in October 1944, it retained both the code and the method of presentation. The Bad Penny! (an ex-No 75 (NZ) Sqn machine) was flown by Fig Off D S McKechnie and his crew, before being passed to No 3 LFS in November 1944. The aircraft then flew with No 1653 CU and was struck off in May 1947.

Lancaster B II LL725/EQ-Z of No 408 Sqn, Linton-on-Ouse, 24 April 1944
ZOMBIE of No 408 Sqn bore a bomb log which included two Swastikas representing enemy fighters shot down by the aircraft's gunners, five bomb symbols indicating targets in Germany and a row of Maple leaves representing targets in the occupied countries of Europe. The nose art portrayed a cloaked and cookie-toting skeleton, applied by rear gunner Sgt George Allen. ZOMBIE joined No 408 Sqn after brief service with No 423 Sqn, and was usually skippered by Fig Off EMC Franklin. It eventually went missing during a mission against Hamburg on 15/16 March 1944. No 408 Sqn's B lis were duly replaced by Merlin-engined B Xs, one of which (FM212/EQ-W) survived the war and is today displayed on a pole in Windsor, Ontario.

Lancaster B X KB732/VR-X of No 419 Sqn, Middleton St George, 1945
The Lancaster B X was essentially a B III built under licence by Victory Aircraft Ltd at Malton, Ontario. X-TERMINATOR was one of the first 75 aircraft built in Canada, so it used US Packard Merlin 38 engines, whereas later aircraft used the Merlin 224. This machine flew 75 operations with No 419 Sqn before returning to Canada on 5 June 1945. No 419 disbanded in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, in September 1945. The aircraft was struck off in April 1948, surplus to requirements. Sister aircraft KB726/VR-A was the bomber in which Pit Off Andrew Mynarski won his VC, and the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum flies its airworthy B X (FM213) in these colours.

Lancaster B I NG347/QB-P of No 424 Sqn, Skipton on Swale, 1945
NG347's nose art showed a young lady about to remove her bikini top, beside which were painted representations of the DFC and DFM medal ribbons - awards made to members of the aircraft's crew. The Piccadilly Princess served only with No 424 Sqn, and was eventually struck off charge in May 1947. No 424 traded its Halifaxes for Lancasters in January 1945, and flew 29 raids with the new type, totalling 388 sorties. It lost five Lancasters through enemy action, and two more in operational accidents. Post-war the unit moved to No 1 Group in August 1945 but disbanded on 15 October 1945.

Lancaster B X KB848/NA-G of No 428 Sqn, Middleton St George, May 1945
FIGHTIN' PAPPY had a devil's head insignia on its nose, which was surrounded by 30 'sunburst' mission symbols by the time it flew back to Canada on 31 May 1945. The aircraft was ferried home by Flt Lt G Cox and his crew, the aircraft leaving Middleton St George on 31 May and staging to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, via the Azores, arriving on 8 June. KB848 was later modified as a Mk 10 DC drone carrier, carrying Ryan Firebee target drones until retirement in April 1964. The aircraft's nose was then preserved by the Canadian National Aeronautical Collection at Rockcliffe, Ottawa. Like many Canadian-built B Xs, FIGHTIN'PAPPY had a Martin mid-upper turret with a pair of 0.50-in machine guns mounted further forward than the usual turret.

Lancaster B X KB864/NA-S of No 428 Sqn, Middleton St George, May 1945
On the port side, Sugar's BLUES carried a glamorous girl on its nose, adapted from a Vargas painting in the August 1944 issue of Esquire, and its bomb log was presented in the form of diving maidens. This was applied by Sgt Tom Walton, a No 428 Sqn wireless operator and air gunner. To starboard, the same aircraft wore a different badge, with a scythe-wielding cartoon ghost dropping a large red bomb. KB864 returned to Canada on 2 June 1945, flown by its regular skipper, Flt Lt Bob Laturner, and was struck off charge on 16 January 1947. Some of the unit's aircraft did survive, and KB944, a sister aircraft which flew operationally with No 425 Sqn, is today painted in No 428 Sqn markings as NA-P and displayed at the Canadian National Aviation Museum at Ottawa. KB864's markings, meanwhile, are carried by the Lancaster cockpit section held by the Nanton Air Museum.

Lancaster B I ME649/AR-J* of No 460 Sqn Binbrook, 1944
No 460 Sqn replaced its Halifaxes with Lancasters in October 1942. A No 1 Group squadron, No 460 moved from Breighton to Binbrook in May 1943, and then to East Kirkby immediately after the war. When pictured, this Lancaster had flown 63 missions. It went missing during a raid on Essen on 12/13 December 1944. ME649's replacement as 'J-Jig2' was rare interim B VII NX560.

Lancaster B I ME701/JO-F of No 463 Sqn, Waddington, 1944
No 463 Sqn was the third RAAF Lancaster unit in Bomber Command, and it soon gained a reputation for efficiency and good morale. Formed at Waddington on 25 November 1943 from No 467 Sqn's C Flt, the unit remained there until July 1945, when it moved to Skellingthorpe. ME701 Whoa Bessie was damaged beyond repair by flak over Beauvoir on 29 June 1944, the aircraft being written off after landing safely at base.

Lancaster B III ED611/JO-U of No 463 Sqn, Waddington, June 1944
UNCLE JOE of No 463 Sqn is portrayed as it appeared at the start of its 100th operation, with 100 UP TONIGHTchalked on the nose below the Joseph Stalin nose art. Stalin was superimposed on a red star, and red and yellow stars formed the aircraft's bomb log. The UNCLE JOE nose art had been applied while the aicraft was serving with No 44 Sqn (as KM-J), but the use of stars as a background and as a 'bomb log' began with the RAAF unit. Eventually transferred to No 101 Sqn, ED611 had the Stalin artwork painted on to a red shield, and 113 mission marks were applied as rows of crossed Union Jacks and Red Flags. A lucky aircraft, UNCLE JOE was eventually retired from operations and passed to the Bombing Trials Unit, before being struck off charge in January 1947.

Lancaster B I RF141/JO-U of No 463 Sqn, Waddington, May 1945
Hoping to repeat UNCLE JOE's success, No 463 Sqn named its next 'U-Uncle' after the earlier aircraft. "UNCLE JOE" AGAIN joined No 463 Sqn in February 1945, and carried a similar portrait of Stalin, albeit superimposed on a red flag instead of a red star. Stars were applied below the cockpit as a mission tally. This aircraft also survived the war, being retired to No 22 MU at Silloth in October 1945 and scrapped in March 1948.

Lancaster B I LM130/JO-N of No 463 Sqn, Waddington, early 1945
Fig Off Ray Hattam's NICK THE NAZI NEUTRALIZER was one of the No 463 Sqn aircraft adapted to carry cameramen from the RAF's Film Unit, and thus accompanied special attacks (like those against the Tirpitz) as well as participating in normal, routine, 'Main Force' operations. NICK'S bomb log used mission symbols which consisted of suitably satanic tridents in red and yellow. The aircraft crashed at Metheringham on 11 March 1945.

Lancaster B I DV372/PO-F of No 467 Sqn, Waddington, October 1944
OLD FRED completed 49 operations with No 467 Sqn, latterly in the hands of Flt Lt Jim Marshall, before going to No 1651 HCU at Woolfox Lodge, with whom it suffered a major accident on 4 October 1945. The aircraft's nose art (which was over-painted during the aircraft's time with the heavy conversion unit) consisted of a cartoon wolf, with the legend OLD FRED on a scroll which linked the RAF and Australian flags. The bomb log was applied in the form of miniature roundels. The full code of PO-F was repeated on the nose, under the front turret. DV372's nose ended up in London's Imperial War Museum, where the artwork was re-discovered and uncovered, and where the nose section remains on display to this day. One of the aircraft's sister-ships on No 467 Sqn also survives in a London museum, PO-S gracing the Bomber Command Hall within the RAF Museum at Hendon.

Lancaster B II DS842/JI-F of No 514 Sqn, Waterbeach, Spring 1944
No 514 Sqn was the only unit to form from scratch with the Lancaster II, the remaining operators converting from other aircraft types. No 514 also had the distinction of being the last unit to fly an operation with the type. Fanny Ferkin II, the mount of Pit Off Bob Langley and his crew, attracted the attention of the propaganda photographers when it diverted to Deenethorpe, home of the Eighth Air Force's 401st Bomb Group. The aircraft, fitted with bulged bomb-bay doors and an FN 64 ventral turret, served until May 1944, and then went to No 1668 HCU, before being struck off charge in March 1945.

Lancaster B III ED905/BQ-F of No 550 Sqn, North Killingholme, November 1944
After service with No 103 Sqn (as PM-X) and No 166 Sqn (as AS-X), the bomber joined No 550 Sqn in the summer of 1944. With a new nose-art obscuring the crossed British and Belgian flags previously carried, the aircraft was named Press On Regardless. The new artwork included a heraldic shield dominated by a pretty girl and a pint of beer, and the motto AD EXTREMUM. Flt Lt D A Shaw took the aircraft on its 100th operation (to Bochum) on 4/5 November 1944. ED905 was eventually transferred to No 1 LFS and then to No 1656 HCU, with whom it suffered an undercarriage collapse at Lindholme and was struck off charge on 20 August 1945.

Lancaster B III PA995/BQ-V of No 550 Sqn, North Killingholme, 1944
Formed in November 1943 from No 100 Sqn's C Flt, No 550 Sqn moved from Waltham to North Killingholme on 3 January 1944. By the time Fig Off George Blackler completed his 37th, and final, operation (his 27th in this aircraft) on 5/6 March 1945, The Vulture Strikes must have seemed like a 'lucky kite', since it was also the aircraft's 100th trip. But even in March 1945, with the loss rate plummeting, and even in an aircraft that had completed 100 operations, Bomber Command was still a dangerous place to serve. Fig Off C J Jones and two of his crew found this out on 7 March, when they took PA995 on its 101st and final trip, going down during a mission to Dessau.

Lancaster B I LM227/UL-I of No 576 Sqn, Elsham Wolds, 1945
This unnamed Lancaster was one of at least three No 576 Sqn aircraft which completed 100 operations or more. Its simple nose art consisted of Saturn and a trail of stars above a huge bomb log. The aircraft was captained by Flt Lt Stuart Simpson during the final weeks of the war, and its record included 39 day bombing missions and seven Operation Manna food-dropping sorties. LM227 was finally struck off charge on 19 October 1945.

Lancaster B I DV385/KC-A of No 617 Sqn, Woodhall Spa, mid 1944
DV385 was one of the aircraft delivered to No 617 Sqn to replace the 'Provisioning' Lancasters which had survived the 'Dams Raid', although in the event, several of these were destined to remain in use with the unit, or with Scampton's Station Flight, until the end of the war, mainly dropping Tallboys and 12,000-lb HC bombs and carrying supplies for the SOE. Five such veterans of Operation Chastise remained in use at the beginning of 1945, comprising the aircraft flown by Maltby, Martin, Knight, Shannon and Gibson (ED906, ED909, ED912, ED929 and ED932). Thumper Mk III, by contrast, was a standard Lancaster B I, albeit with bulged doors to allow the carriage of a Tallboy or a 12,000-lb HC bomb. The aircraft's bomb-log included mission marks with a 'D' indicating D-Day missions, and a swastika denoting an enemy fighter shot down. Mainly flown by Flt Lt R H Knights and his crew, Thumper Mk III participated in two attacks on the Tirpitz and was finally struck off charge in April 1945 at No46MU.

Lancaster B I ED763/KC-Z of No 617 Sqn, Woodhall Spa, October 1944
'HONOR' participated in three attacks on the Tirpitz, being flown by Flt Lt Stuart Anning for the third of these, on 12 November 1944. The aircraft was fitted with the SABS (Stabilised Automatic Bomb Sight) used only by No 617 Sqn, and lacked the normal mid-upper turret. ED763 was used for a number of attacks against viaducts and other targets, dropping both the 12,000-lb HC bomb and the Tallboy. The aircraft was struck off charge on 14 May 1945.

Lancaster B I (Special) PD119/YZ-J of No 617 Sqn, Woodhall Spa, Spring 1945
PD119 was one of a batch of 32 B I (Special) aircraft specifically built to carry the 22,000-lb Grand Slam bomb, 24 bombers eventually being issued to No 617 Sqn. Delivered during January-March 1945, the aircraft were painted in day bomber camouflage, and lacked all but the rear turret. This carried a reduced ammunition load, to save weight. Squadron codes were repeated on the top surfaces of the tailplanes, as pioneered by No 83 Sqn and other units. This particular aircraft flew at least three operational Grand Slam missions in the hands of No 617 Sqn's CO, Gp Capt J E Fauquier RCAF, attacking the Arnsburg Viaduct on 19 March, the Bremen bridge on 23 March and U-Boat pens at Farge on 27 March. After service with Nos 156 and 15 Sqns, the aircraft went to the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough, where it was eventually struck off charge in September 1950.

Lancaster B III EE134/PG-Y of No 619 Sqn, Strubby, October 1944
The unnamed EE134 bore an unusual mock-heraldic crest on its nose, containing a skull and other portents of doom, below which was an impressive bomb log recording the bare bones of an operational career with Nos 49 and 619 Sqns, including no less than ten trips to Berlin. After service with No 619 Sqn, the aircraft passed to No 5 LFS, where it flew as CE-0 until struck off charge at the end of March 1945. The aircraft ended its days as a tethered ground rig with inboard engines only, used for fire detection and extinguisher trials by Rolls-Royce at Hucknall.

Lancaster B I LL966/LE-P of No 630 Sqn, East Kirkby, late 1944
LL966 served as a G-H Master Bomber with No 630 Sqn, and so featured a black horizontal bar across its fin and rudder. Unusually for a No 630 Sqn aircraft, it did not have its individual letter code repeated in a square on the nose. LL966 was one of three bombers lost on 14/15 February 1945 during an attack on Rositz. NX611, the Lancaster now owned by Lincolnshire farmers Fred and Harold Panton (who farm what used to be East Kirkby airfield), is today painted in No 630 Sqn colours (as LE-C) on its starboard side.

Lancaster B VI ND673/F2-V of No 635 Sqn, Down ham Market, 1944
Formed at Gravely on 20 March 1944 as a Pathfinder Lancaster squadron, No 635 received five Lancaster B Vis from July 1944, briefly using these to augment its B Is and B Ills, losing one before passing the remainder on to trials units in October and November. With their 1635 hp Merlin 85 engines, the B Vis were used as Master.[/color]

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  P51 Mustang

Posted by: Guest
15.04.2007, 21:20
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[color=orange][size=150]See below (bottom of page) for details[/size][/color]

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[color=orange]P-51D-5-NA (NA.109) 44-13383 Swede's Steed III of 1st Lt William Y 'Swede' Anderson, 353rd FS/354th FG, Ninth AAF
Anderson named each of his Mustangs Swede's Steed. The third steed was this P-51D-5-NA. Soon after the eighth kill marking was applied the aircraft was modified with a dorsal fin fillet.The yellow spinner and nose band, with dark blue triangles superimposed, was an unofficial unit recognition device applied as the 354th FG decamped to France in the wake of the invasion. A prancing horse insignia was applied to the tail in orange.

P-51B-1-NA (NA.102) 43-12375 BONNIE "B" IIof Capt Donald M 'Buzz' Beerbower, 353rd FS/354th FG, Ninth AAF
Beerbower's second named aircraft was a Malcolm-hooded B. Seen here with 15 kill markings, BONNIE "B" II had full D-Day stripes, the overlap between these being grey. The yellow nose has not yet had its triangles applied, an omission pre-dating the unit markings adopted after the 353rd's brief P-47 interlude. The white fin and rudder recognition band was removed following an order dated 23 March 1944, but white wing and tailplane bands were retained, as were the black fin bands applied to natural metal aircraft.

P-51D-5-NA (NA.109) 44-13628 BONNIE B III of Capt Donald M 'Buzz' Beerbower, CO 353rd FS/354th FG, Ninth AAF
When other long-serving pilots were rotated home, Beerbower stayed behind as CO of the 353rd FS. Downed by flak on 9 August 1944, he was leading scorer of the 354th FG with 15.5 kills at the time of his death, and was duly awarded a posthumous DSC. When the 353rd FS replaced its white (black on natural metal aircraft) nose bands and spinners, it initially applied a yellow spinner only - this colour was later extended over the nose band, with a saw-tooth of black or dark blue triangles pointing forward. The P-51 has partial D-Day stripes, these having been removed from upper surfaces of USAAF aircraft in late July 1944.

P-51D-5-NA (NA.109) 44-13693 Angels Playmate of Capt Bruce W Carr, 353rd FS/354th FG, Ninth AAF
Carr was transferred to the 353rd FS from the 363rd FG while facing a court martial for insubordination, having caused problems with his over aggressiveness in the air and rebelliousness on the ground. These qualities were recognised as being potentially useful by Glenn Eagleston, who arranged for Carr's transfer. The latter ended the war with 14 confirmed air-to-air victories, 3 more unconfirmed, and 11 strafing kills. Unusually, Carr's second-last aircraft had dark blue triangles on its yellow nose band - the marking used by the unit before it traded its P-51s for P-47s, but generally replaced by a simple yellow band and spinner after the squadron regained Mustangs. Carr's replacement Angel's Playmate, 44-63497, received in April 1945, was almost identical, but had the plain yellow nose. Fourth overall in the Ninth's air-to-air scoring table, Carr's 11 strafing victories made him the top overall ace of this AAF.

P-51B-10-NA (NA.104) 42-106602 SHELLELAGH of Capt Kenneth H Dahlberg, 353rd FS/354th FG, Ninth AAF
Although he was one of the 353rd's top-scorers, Dahlberg was not allocated a P-51 of his own, and today denies that he ever flew an aircraft named 'Dahlberg's Dilemma'as has been reported elsewhere. Other aircraft flown by Dahlberg included Little Horse and Rogers' Beantown Banshee. He also flew two aircraft named after the traditional Irish weapon. Both were Malcolm-hooded P-51BS, and were similarly marked. This SHELLELAGH had originally been delivered in olive drab finish, and had been stripped to natural metal. The other similarly-named aircraft had SHILLELAUGH superimposed on a stylised club, and had D-Day stripes and camouflaged top decking and upper-surfaces. The 'owners' of these aircraft remain unknown.

P-51D-20-NA (NA.122) 44-63607 of Lt Col Glenn T Eagleston, CO 353rd FS/354th FG, Ninth AAF
Eagleston used a succession of similarly marked P-51s, the last of which wore 231/2 kill symbols, although his official tally was only 181/2,

P-51B-7-NA (NA.104) 43-6833 Beantown Banshee of Capt Felix M Rogers, 353rd FS/354th FG, Ninth AAF
Although Beantown Banshee was used by Ken Dahlberg to score some of his kills, it was one of two similarly-named P-51s regularly assigned to Felix 'Mike' Rogers, himself a seven-victory ace with the 353rd, and today the highest-ranking surviving Mustang ace. It has full D-Day stripes, and a yellow spinner provides the only unit identity beyond the 'FT' codes. The black nose ring is a vestige of the recognition markings applied to P-51s in the ETO. The aircraft is a rare P-51B-7-NA, with an extra 75 US gallon fuel tank in the fuselage. This P-51B was amongst the first 769 delivered in olive drab and grey (43-7083 was the first sent from the factory unpainted). Only 200 P-51Cs were delivered camouflaged (up to 42-103178).

P-51B-1-NA (NA.102) 43-12173 "Peg O'my Heart" of 1st Lt George Bickell, 355th FS/354th FG, Ninth AAF
This P-51 wears an olive drab and neutral grey scheme, prior to the introduction of recognition markings designed to differentiate friend from foe. Unit identity codes were stencilled in white.

P-51D-20-NA (NA.122) 44-63702 "Grim Reaper" of Capt Lowell K Brueland, 355th FS/354th FG, Ninth AAF
Although Brueland remembers Wee Speck' as being his long-term P-51, "Grim Reaper" carried 12 kill marks, representing most of his accredited 121/2 aerial victories. White spinners and nose bands were replaced by blue or white spinners, with a blue and white checkered nose band.

P-51B-1-NA

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  Pregnant Spit

Posted by: Guest
15.04.2007, 04:15
Forum: Screenshots, Images & Video
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170-Gal ferry tank

thats some drop tank!

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  B29 Super Fortress & Nose Art

Posted by: Guest
15.04.2007, 03:27
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[color=orange][size=150]See below (bottom of page) for details[/size][/color]

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[color=orange]B-29-25-BW 42-24457 Battln' Beauty of the 25th BS/40th BG, Chakulia, India, October 1944
The 40th BG's costliest mission of the war was the raid on the Burmese capital of Rangoon on 14 December 1944. Despite objections from some senior officers, the decision was made for each of the participating B-29s to sortie with a mixed bombload of 12 1000-lb and six 500-lb HE bombs. Prior to striking at Rangoon, the formation had made two attempts to bomb its primary target, the Rama VI bridge in Bangkok, but this was obscured by cloud cover. The crews diverted to their secondary target - the railway marshalling yards at Rangoon. Just after bomb release, a mixed bombload exploded prematurely beneath the low element of the formation, and 11 aircraft in the immediate vicinity received varying degrees of damage. The four B-29s of the low element were so badly holed that they duly crashed, whilst five others limped back to emergency bases. Only two returned to Chakulia, one of which (42-6237 Sir Troferpus) had a fatally wounded crewman aboard. Two complete crews successfully bailed out, including that of Battln' Beauty, commanded by Capt Cornelius Myers. A total of 17 men were killed during the mission, and a further 29 became PoWs - all of them survived to be liberated by the British in May 1945. Aside from 42-24457, the other aircraft to be lost were 42-24726, flown by Capt Howard Gerber (11 killed), 42-93831 commanded by 1Lt Wayne Treiser (five killed and six PoWs) and 42-24574 '293', flown by Capt Bob Shanks (11 PoW). Battln' Beauty is depicted as it appeared in October 1944, wearing early-style CBI markings that consisted of four nine-inch bands under a coloured fin tip. When, in September 1944, Gen Curtis LeMay took command of B-29 operations in the CBI, one of the changes he instigated was to eliminate a squadron from each of the 58th BW groups - this came into effect on 12 October. The 40th BG selected the 395th for disbandment, as it had experienced the most losses. Its aircraft and crews were duly transferred to the remaining three squadrons. From October onwards, each aircraft within the 40th BG was assigned a 63-in aeroplane-in-squadron identifying letter that was located below the radio call number, the latter being an abbreviated version of the bomber's serial number. The location of the fuselage national insignia varied depending on where the aircraft had been manufactured. Boeing's Wichita plant (-BW) placed them centred at station 756, and inclined Vn degrees to the horizontal datum. Most 40th BG B-29s had the unit badge applied, via a stencil, to the port side of the nose. The badge incorporated the logo KAGU TSUCHI, THE SCOURGE OF THE FIRE GOD, and the example shown in the nose art section appeared on B-29A-45-BN 44-61746, which was also assigned to the 25th BS. This particular aircraft had nine mission marks in the form of weather vanes to the left of the badge, these indicating its participation in weather missions where a single B-29 reported conditions at the target area for the group's attacking aircraft. Above these symbols is the aircraft's serial block.

B-29-45-BW 42-24752 WICHITA WITCH of the 44th BS/40th BG, West Field, Tinian, June 1945
The 58th BW moved to Tinian in April 1945, and that same month XXI Bomber Command introduced a standardised marking scheme for the then 20 bomb groups within its command. Previous B-29 markings were difficult to see from a distance, so the new system made full use of the aircraft's large fin area by employing group symbols that were between 10 and 12 ft high. The 58th BW utilised a large equilateral triangle containing a 'group' letter - the 40th BG's was 'S'. The fin tip colour representing the different squadrons was retained, but the aeroplane letter was dropped in favour of an aeroplane number, located on the fuselage. As with other B-29 bomb groups, the 40th's numbers ran sequentially upwards through each of the squadrons. Note that WICHITA WITCH has been fitted with the later style streamlined housing (developed by the Denver Modification Center) for the APQ-13 radar antenna. During its nine-month combat career, 42-24752 was commanded by Capt Robert Tisserat, 1 Lt Richard D Covey and Maj John F Miller, before returning to the US war weary on 19 August 1945.

B-29-10-BW 42-6352 FU-KEMAL of the 676th BS/ 444th BG, Forward Base A-3, Kwanghan, China, December 1944
Flown by aircraft commander William H DeLacey, FU-KEMAL was originally assigned to the 679th BS. However, when the unit disbanded in October 1944, it was reassigned to the 676th BS. The aeroplane is seen in early CBI-style markings, comprising a yellow aeroplane number within a black diamond on the fin and a 24-in band in the squadron colour just forward of the side blisters. FU-KEMAL is equipped with an SCR-729 antenna (behind the cockpit), which was part of an early IFF interrogator system that was able to measure the range and bearing of other aeroplanes. FU-KEMAL still wears the winged bull badge of the 679th BS, and also boasts mission markers that credit it with the destruction of six ships and the completion of 12 combat missions and 35 'hump' trips. The 58th BW had to supply itself using its own B-29s, hauling fuel, ammunition and spare parts some 1200 miles from India to forward bases in China. Six round trips were required to gather enough fuel for one aeroplane to mount a combat mission.

B-29-45-BW 42-24720 FU-KEMAL-TU of the 676th BS/444th BGf West Field, Tinian, June 1945
On 30 August 1945 FU-KEMAL-TU ditched following a PoW supply drop - its crew was quickly rescued. The bomber wears late-style 444th BG markings comprising the 58th BW triangle (13-in high) and the group letter 'N' (55-in high), as well as individual aeroplane numbers on its fuselage sides and on the outer cowlings. The squadron colour is also used on the outer cowlings and prop bosses. FU-KEMAL-TU has the 676th BS badge applied to nose, the marking consisting of a dragon throwing a bomb. This aircraft also features three 'hump' and 41 combat mission markers. Finally, the seven black hearts beneath the bomb log represent combat missions where a crew member was injured, and therefore awarded a Purple Heart.

B-29A-10-BN 42-93857 HELLON WINGS of the 677th BS/444th BG, West Field, Tinian, May 1945
HELLON WINGS has a mission tally board crediting it with seven 'hump' trips, two reconnaissance flights and 23 bombing sorties. Its nose art was inspired by the 'January girl' in the 1945 Esquire calendar by Vargas, with the addition of a pair of angel's wings to denote her aeronautical 'canvas'. The name TOM below the cockpit refers to the aeroplane commander, Tom Welch, whilst the name STRETCH below the navigator's window refers to the nickname of 'nav' Robert K McKay. The names AM (red) and FERN (black) appear under the port sighting blister of Ambrose Reinhardt (left side gunner) whilst Bob Mclnerney (Radar Operator) has had the word MAC painted onto the national marking. Not shown is the legend ASCEND POLIE that appears under the tail gunner's window on the starboard side, denoting its occupant, Hugh Poison. Navigator 1 Lt McKay remembers: 'HELLON WINGS was the third aeroplane assigned to Crew No 8 of the 444th BG's 677th BA in about November 1944. I flew ten bombing missions out of India and China, seven 'hump' crossings and the two photo-recon missions in this aircraft. We moved to Tinian at the end of April 1945, and from here I flew 13 more bombing missions in HELLON WINGS. The one I remember most was the fire-bombing of Tokyo from 9000 ft. Gen Curtis LeMay had just arrived, and he ordered our first B-29 low level night bombing mission. IP * was Fujiyama, and we turned onto a 90-degree heading due east over the city, where the search lights lit up the sky. Bombs from other B-29s flying too high were coming down past us from above, and flak was bursting all around. After bomb release, the updraft of the fire was so great that we were thrust up 1000+ ft and thrown to our left, which was to the north, where we had been told not to go. The radar was working well, and it showed us we were crossing the northern end of Tokyo Bay. We took a heading south as soon as we got out of the action. Back at Tinian, we found very little damage to the B-29 except an oil leak in one engine that was hit and several small holes.'

B-29-1-BW 42-6223 Lady BOOMERANG of the 770th BS/462nd BG, Pairdoba, India, July 1944
Lady BOOMERANG was constructed as part of the first B-29 production block of 50 aircraft built by Boeing following completion of the 14 pre-production YB-29s. One of the original Superfortresses assigned to the 462nd BG, on 16 December 1943, its I rst aircraft commander was Capt Smith, who was later replaced by Capt J M Miller. The aircraft was lost whilst being flown by the latter crew when it ran out of fuel following a mission to Singapore on 23 August 1944. Two crewmen were killed in the crash-landing and Lady BOOMERANG was salvaged three days later. It was one of the few B-29s finished in the AAF's early war olive drab scheme - note that its wings have bare metal leading edges following the removal of their rubber de-icing boots. The bomber also has the early two gun upper forward turret and mixed 0.50-cal machine guns/20 mm cannon tail armament. Crews had been instructed to remove the cannon in September 1944, but some chose to retain them after that date. Lady BOOMERANG appears in the group's early CBI markings, its B-29s being adorned with 63-in aeroplane-in-squadron identifying letter codes located above the radio call number on the fin, whilst the rudders were painted with the squadron colour. When the units were reorganised in October 1944, all group aircraft had their rudders painted red, the squadrons then being indicated by a 4-ft number applied below the radio code -the 771st was disbanded at this time. Lady BOOMERANG, like other early 462nd BG B-29s, has its nose art applied on the starboard side.

B-29-5-BW 42-6299 "humpin honey" of the 770th BS/462nd BG, Chengtu, China, July 1944
B-29 "humpin honey" was accepted by the AAF on 10 January 1944, and delivered to the 462nd BG the following day at Walker Army Air Field, in Kansas. It departed the US on 10 April for assignment with the Twentieth Air Force, arriving in India six days later. It took part in the 7 December raid on the Manchuria Aeroplane Manufacturing Company, and an adjacent arsenal at Mukden - 80 B-29s hit the primary target, and ten others bombed a nearby marshalling yard. Superfortress gunners claimed ten Japanese fighters shot down, ten probably destroyed and 30 damaged for the loss seven B-29s, including "humpin honey". The aircraft's right gunner, Sgt Walt Huss, remembers: 'We were rammed down over Mukden by a "Tojo" fighter piloted either by Sgts Tadanori Nagata or Yoshihiro Akeno of the 104th Sentai. Left gunner Sgt Ken Beckwith and I were the only survivors. My crew was, 1 Lt A M Colby (pilot), Lt Frank ODonnell (co-pilot), Lt Joe Kremer (navigator), 1 Lt Mark Cleland (bomb aimer), 1 Lt Charles Krueger (flight engineer), Sgt Raoul Zavala (radio operator), Sgt Herb Roth (radar operator), Sgt Charles Rudy (central fire control), S/Sgt Ken Beckwith (left gunner), Sgt Walt Huss (right gunner) and T/Sgt Ken Gwaltney (tail gunner).' Both Huss and Beckwith were captured, and they spent the rest of the war in the Japanese PoW camp in Mukden.

B-29-10-BA 42-63393 RUSH ORDER of the 768th BS/462nd BG, Chengtu, China, November 1944
RUSH ORDER was first assigned to Maj Slack and his crew, and they commenced combat missions with the aircraft just 15 days after it was delivered, hence the aircraft's nickname. The bomber went on to survive the war, and was finally scrapped in 1949. However, Maj Slack and his crew were shot down by fighters over Bangkok on 6 January 1945 whilst flying B-29-20-MO 42-65254 (unnamed, tail code 'K'). That day XX Bomber Command launched its final mission against targets in Japan when it attacked an aircraft factory and urban areas in the city of Omura - the secondary target on this day was Nanking, in China. Forty-nine B-29s from the 58th BW were despatched from Chengtu, and they ran into heavy fighter opposition. Gunners claimed four kills, six probables and ten damaged for the loss of a solitary B-29. Maj Slack's RUSH ORDER is depicted in profile just before it transferred to Tinian with the group, where it remained coded '11'. At that time it had completed 12 combat missions and 18 'hump' trips - the manufacturer's 'B-19' code was removed so that the latter's tally could be applied.

B-29-50-BW 42-24801 PHONY EXPRESS of the 770th BS/462nd BG, Tinian, April 1945
PHONY EXPRESS was delivered to the 462nd BG on 21 October 1944 as a replacement aeroplane, and it later transferred to Tinian with the group. It is seen in profile with the late-style Tinian markings comprising the 58th BW triangle and the group letter 'U'. The group's distinctive red rudders were retained at the request of the then group commander. The PHONY EXPRESS'S flight engineer, Lt Rudy Thompson, remembers his aircraft's demise: 'Our crew did not have this aeroplane for too long - we got it on 7 March 1945 and lost it on 16 May. That night, Capt Abranovic's crew readied PHONY EXPRESS for a night fire-bombing mission to Nagoya. The captain went over the escape procedures in case of an emergency. As our crew had been together for over a year, we were familiar with this procedure, so this was not always done. As it turned out, it must have been fate that the captain decided to review escape plans before this flight. The take-off was normal, but immediately after we lifted off, at about 1200 ft, the right scanner reported fire coming from the No 3 engine. I immediately discharged both fire extinguishers into it, but by this time the flames were past the scanner's window and the extinguishers were having no effect. The captain rang the bail out bell and we all exited the aeroplane at about 1000 ft. Some of us landed in the water and the rest on land. The Fifth Fleet was in Saipan Harbor, and the captain stayed with the aeroplane until he made sure that it would not crash into any naval vessels. He left the aeroplane at about 400 ft, and his 'chute opened just in time - he landed in the water just off shore. Capt Abranovic was sent home, while the rest of us finished our 35 missions, except for the CFC, who broke his foot upon landing and was also sent home. The aeroplane crashed close to North Field and was completely burned out.'

B-29-25-MO 42-65276 Raidin Maiden //of the 793rd BS/468th BG, Kharagpur, June 1944
The 468th BG flew its first combined mission with the 58th BW on 5 June 1944 from Kharagpur to the railway marshalling yards at Bangkok. Its next raid was conducted ten days later, and this time the target was the Imperial Iron and Steel Works at Yawata - the first time B-29s had sortied to the Japanese home islands. The group went on to establish the best operational record within XX Bomber Command, and the 468th was rewarded for its efforts when it was presented with Gen Billy Mitchell's personal house flag in August 1944. The emblem created to mark this award appears on the fin of Raidin Maiden II, whilst the group's early CBI marking, which consisted of two 15-in-wide bands spaced 30-in apart can be seen on the rudder. Finally, the last three digits of the serial appear as an aeroplane identifier on the fin. Both Raidin Maiden II and Raidin Maiden (B-29-5-BW 42-6265) before it were piloted by Capt Joyce.

B-29-55-BW 42-24893 Lil Organ Annie of the 794th BS/468th BG, West Field, Tinian, July 1945
Lil Organ Annie was delivered to the AAF on 30 November 1944 and joined the 468th BG in India on 1 February 1945. It flew six combat missions in the CBI before transferring with the group to Tinian, from where it completed a further 25 combat missions. Surviving the war, Lil Organ Annie was finally scrapped on 12 November 1953. The bomber is depicted in Tinian-style markings, comprising the 58th BW triangle and the group letter 'I'. The significance of the outer cowling star motif is not known.

B-29-20-BA 42-63492 LUCKY IRISH of the 870th BS/497th BG, Isely Field, Saipan, March 1945
The second of pilot Lt W M Kelly's B-29s to bear the title LUCKY IRISH, 42-63492 survived the war. His first LUCKY IRISH (B-29-40-BW 42-24622, also marked A Square 26) failed to live up to its name when it had to be ditched by the Wagner crew Field, Saipan on 31 October 1944. The aircraft went on to fly 52 missions, and survive the war. It is depicted here in the early-style 500th BG markings that the bomber wore when it arrived on Saipan.

B-29-25-MO 42-65296 THE ANCIENT MARINER of the 883rd BS/500th BG, Isely Field, Saipan, May 1945
THE ANCIENT MARINER, flown by Ray Clinkscales and crew, arrived on Saipan on 1 December 1944. After flying six missions in her, its original crew then flew a variety of B-29s until eventually being assigned B-29-80-BW 44-70113 The Marylyn Gay. THE ANCIENT MARINER went on to fly 52 missions, and having survived the war, it was scrapped in May 1954. Like HELLON WINGS and BETTY BEE, this aircraft was equipped with the 'Porcupine' equipment to jam Japanese radar defences. Primarily located on the underside of the rear fuselage, this equipment used a variety of blade antennae, and was operated by one or two specialist crewmen. Initially, few aircraft had this equipment, and those that did performed the jamming role for other B-29s, but as the war progressed more bombers received 'Porcupine'.

B-29-50-BW 42-24825 Snooky of the 24th BS/6th BG, North Field, Tinian, March 1945
Snooky was flown by Capt Clark Preston and his crew, and they became the first 6th BG asset to land on Tinian on 18 January 1945. Snooky was the nickname Capt Preston gave both to his daughter (Anita Preston) and his assigned aeroplane. On 7 April Preston and six members of his crew were killed when replacement B-29-30-MO 42-65347 crashed on take-off and exploded in the water some two miles off Tinian -four crewmen survived the incident. Preston and his crew had been forced to use this B-29 when repairs being carried out on Snooky remained uncompleted by mission time - there were more aircraft available than flight crews. Snooky survived the war, flying its last mission with the Holzclaw crew to the Mariku marshalling yards on Iwakuni on 14 August 1945. Both the names of Capt Preston and the B-29's crew chief, S/Sgt S E Spraggins, appear beneath the cockpit, together with nine red bomb mission symbols.

B-29-60-BW 44-69736 LOOK HOMEWARD ANGEL of the 39th BS/6th BG, North Field, Tinian, June 1945
LOOK HOMEWARD ANGEL is depicted in the revised 6th BG markings, which featured a 313th BW circle containing the group letter 'R', as well as the group colour red on both the tail tip and the engines' upper nacelles. This aircraft survived the war, and a crew attempted to ferry her back to the US. However, after four successive engine failures, it was abandoned on Kwajalein and eventually destroyed during fire training in mid-1946. A member of the bomber's combat crew was left' beam gunner S/Sgt William S Santavicca: 'We flew 42-24901 from the US, arriving on Tinian on 10 February 1945. We called it Tropical Queen, but it was assigned to another crew, and they renamed it Cultured Vulture. Our crew (No 3905, led by Capt John D Ralph) was assigned LOOK HOMEWARD ANGEL on 18 March, and we duly flew 14 of our 25 missions in it. While we were in Hawaii on R&R, our aeroplane was used by other crews, and on the night of 15 July Maj John Layson was air group commander on a mining mission to Rashin, in Korea. Soon after taking off, the crew discovered they would have to fly on extra power, cutting the fuel reserve. After dropping their mines one engine stopped and another started backfiring violently. They headed for Okinawa, where they became the first crew to land a B-29 on the Bolo fighter strip. "LHA" was repaired and returned to Tinian, and we flew it twice more. Our last mission was to Uji-Yamada on 28 July in Rip Van Wrinkle as the lead crew.'

B-29-25-MO 42-65286 Dinah Might of the 1st BS/ 9th BG, Iwo Jima, March 1945 The US Marines invaded Iwo Jima on 19 February 1945, and just two weeks later, on 4 March, Lt Raymond Malo made an emergency landing in Dinah Might on a runway still not fully under American control. The crew performed the emergency landing during their first combat mission due to fuel shortage caused by a malfunctioning fuel pump. They had been unable to close the bomb doors after attacking their target, and the extra drag this had caused resulted in excessive fuel consumption. Following hasty repairs, and some additional fuel poured in by hand, the aeroplane returned to Guam and went on to complete 42 missions, 18 of which were flown by its regular crew led by 1 Lt Lloyd G Butler. The Malo crew, however, were one of four crews lost on the Kawasaki mission of 16 April 1945 whilst flying B-29A-10-BN 42-93893. Butler and his crew flew 35 missions to Japan, and were credited with several enemy fighters destroyed. During their 32nd mission - a daylight raid over Kobe -Japanese fighters converged on their aeroplane and made at least 30 attacks until they were 25 miles out to sea. The crew was credited with three kills and two probables on this occasion, but they too had to make an emergency landing on Iwo Jima. The aircraft survived the war and was later scrapped in the US in May 1946.

B-29-50-BW 42-24856 GOAT JESSIE of the 5th BS/ 9th BG, North Field, Tinian, April 1945
GOIN' JESSIE was named by pilot Capt John D Fleming, whose crew flew it for 32 of its first 46 missions. The bomber completed 51 successive combat missions without an abort, totalling 700 combat hours over 135,000 miles. In that time it delivered more than 330 tons of bombs, and just happened to be the B-29 that dropped the 2,000,000th ton of bombs. Due to the bomber's outstanding maintenance record, its crew chief, M/Sgt Einar S Klabo, was awarded the Legion of Merit on 1 August 1945. GOIN' JESSIE is depicted in the revised 9th BG markings, featuring the 313th BW circle (12-in diameter) containing the group letter 'X', and the group colour white on both the tail and engine nacelles.

B-29-70-BW 44-69920 T.N.Teeny.ll. of the 1st BS/ 9th BG, North Field, Tinian, July 1945
T.N.Teeny.ll. is also depicted in late-style markings, with the addition of lead ship stripes. These were developed by the 313th BW in an effort to assist recognition, and were comprised, in this instance, of black and yellow bands (22 and 25 inches wide, respectively). T.N.Teeny.ll. flew 27 combat missions, with four aborts. Eight of her missions were flown by Capt Leon Smith's crew, whose previous aeroplane - T.N. Teeny. - had been scrapped on 16 June 1945 after its 14th mission due to battle damage. Both aeroplanes were maintained by the same crew chief, M/Sgt Johnson. James A Boyce initially served as the left blister gunner in Capt Smith's crew, before joining Lt Eugene Brown's crew. He completed 33 missions in total, flying both in T.N.Teeny. and T.N.Teeny.ll. - he and crewmate Ario Welch painted the nose art on both aeroplanes. T.N.Teeny.ll. survived the war and was eventually scrapped in October 1953. The aeroplane's nose bears 14 bombing and ten missions. The 9th BG's first mining mission was flown on 27 March 1945 over the vital Shimonoseki Straits between Honshu and Kyushu. 313th BW B-29s dropped aerial mines by parachute from between 5000 and 8000 ft at night as part of Operation Starvation, which was intended to disrupt shipping servicing the Japanese war effort. By war's end this campaign was responsible for sinking 1,250,000 tons of shipping, and almost entirely halting sea traffic in and around the home islands.

B-29-50-BW 42-24863 LUCKY LADY of the 398th BS/504th BG, North Field, Tinian, March 1945
LUCKY LADY was initially commanded by Lt Benney, followed by Capt Cole, the bomber flying 35 missions in total. Its only aborted flight came on the 24th mission. LUCKYLADYls depicted in early 504th BG markings, comprising the group * letter 'E\ the 313th BW triangle and aeroplane number '12' on the fin. Its nose art was faithfully reproduced on both port and starboard sides.

B-29-25-MO 44-65280 DMA MIGHT of the 421st BS/504th BG, North Field, Tinian, June 1945
On 26 June 1945 510 B-29s, escorted by 148 P-51s, flew a combined raid to various targets in southern Honshu and Shikoku. The 504th BG's tarqet was the Aichi. aircraft factory, at Eitoku, in Nagoya. A solitary P-51 and six B-29s (two from the 504th BG) were lost, including DINA MIGHT, commanded by Capt Bill Pitts. The bomber was shot down by fighters on the crew's 25th mission, and although Pitts and six of his crew survived, four were killed.

B-29-25-BA 42-63517 Pokahontas/Princess Pokey of the 482nd BS/505th BG, North Field, Tinian, April 1945
Pokahontas wears early 505th BG markings, comprising the group letter 'K', the 313th BW triangle and the aeroplane number '14', all of which are located on the fin. Its radio call number has also been retained. Pokahontas was one of the original 15 B-29s supplied to the 482nd BS, and it was first assigned to John Kretzer. On the night of 13 April 1945 the aircraft was lost during a mission to the Tokyo arsenal. Flown by the Locks crew, it was one of seven B-29s lost from a XXI Bomber Command force of 327 B-29s that dropped 2120 tons of bombs. Mary Reynolds was related to one of the crewmen on Pokahontas'. 'My uncle, 2Lt John J McFadden, was the navigator on Pokahontas. This aeroplane originally wore the number 14, but because my uncle had had such good luck with the number 13, they asked permission for it to be changed. So when it was shot down, it was "No 13". The name Pokahontas was only painted on the plane about three weeks before it was lost. Princess Pokey was a nickname that the crew gave her, but it was never painted on the B-29. On the starboard side of the nose they had a picture of a bulldozer driven by an African-American - these guys took care of their runways and they wanted to let them know that they appreciated their work. The crew also had an altar set up inside the plane where they prayed before take-off and when they returned. Eugene Dymek, the bombadier, had been sent home on emergency medical leave, and he got back to Tinian the day his crew was reported missing. They were shot down near Saitama Prefecture, a suburb of Tokyo, whilst returning to Tinian. Only two bodies were recovered, and the remains of what they think were the rest of the crew were brought back to the US for burial in St Louis, Missouri, in three caskets.'

B-29-50-BW 42-24850 BAD MEDICINE of the 482nd BS/505th BG, North Field, Tinian, June 1945
BAD MEDICINE flew 18 missions with the Cook crew which, unusually, stayed together from training to war's end, flying every mission together. By the time they had returned stateside for lead flight training, this aeroplane boasted no fewer than 125 individual sheet metal patches covering flak holes. All this extra metal caused considerable drag, ruining the B-29's aerodynamics, and making it the slowest aeroplane in the group. When the Cook returned to Tinian, they discovered that BAD MEDICINE was being used for ferry duty between the islands. The war-weary B-29 was eventually flown to Warner Field in Georgia, before being dropped from the inventory.

B-29-45-MO 44-86292 ENOLA GAY of the 393rd BS/509th CG, North Field, Tinian, 6 August 1945
Arguably the most famous warplane in history, ENOLA GAY shown here as it appeared when it dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima at 0915 hrs and 15 seconds (time of detonation) on 6 August 1945. Col Paul W Tibbets, CO of the 509th CG, was the aeroplane commander for the mission. All of the 509th's B-29s (codenamed Silverplate) were produced by Martin in its Omaha plant, and were unique in having many modifications. These included the addition of pneumatically-operated bomb doors (to facilitate a quick exit from the target area), Curtiss reversible pitch propellers (cuffed for extra cooling) and the removal of turrets and sighting blisters, leaving only the tail armament for defence. The side sighting blisters were replaced by a flat plate incorporating a small window. Once in-theatre, the 509th CG used the markings of other B-29 groups to conceal its special purpose from the Japanese. ENOLA GAY was marked with the 'circle R' of the 6th BG, but at the time of the Hiroshima mission lacked the red fin tip associated with that group. Despite ENOLA GAY being the assigned aircraft of Capt Robert A Lewis, it was named for Tibbets' mother - the titling was painted onto the nose of 44-86292 just hours before its historic mission. Close inspection of the publicity shots taken immediately after the mission reveal that the name and aeroplane number were both quickly repainted, appearing in a more refined script.

B-29-35-MO 44-27297 BOCKS CAR of the 393rd BS 509th CG, North Field, Tinian, August 1945
Piloted by Maj Charles Sweeney, CO of the 393rd BS, BOCKS CAR dropped the second atomic bomb on Nagasaki on 9 August 1945. Codenamed 'Fat Man', this was a plutonium-based device that was much more powerful than the uranium-based 'Little Boy' delivered by the ENGOLA GAY three days earlier. The aircraft was assigned to Frederick C Bock, hence its name. BOCKS CAR appears in fake 444th BG markings, complete with the coloured fuselage band associated with that group.

B-29-65-BW 44-69872 WHITE'S Cargo (City of Oakland) of the 30th BS/19th BG, North Field, Guam, May 1945
WHITE'S Cargo had the distinction of flying 35 missions with no aborts on its original engines, and with the same crew. Arriving on Guam with the 314th BW in mid-January 1945, the 19th BG flew its their first mission (to Tokyo) on 25 February and its last mission (to Isesaki) on 14 August.

B-29-55-BW 42-24917 NIP ON ESE/"NIPPER" of the 6th BS/29th BG, North Field, Guam, August 1945
NIP ON ESE, commanded by Capt Frank 'Red' Klassen, flew 40 combat missions, and was eventually written off in a landing accident on 2 November 1945. The aircraft's tail is marked both with the 29th BG's letter 'O' and the bomber's full serial number. Again, the only squadron identifier was the aeroplane's individual number - here, the '8' reveals its assignment to the 6th BS. All 314th BW B-29s were given a 'City of name that was applied to the starboard side of the nose, whilst a more individualistic name and nose art was allowed on the port side. A white flag incorporated the actual 'City of name, and its flagpole pointed to that city's location in the US. The city names were chosen by the crews, as Alexander 'Sandy' R Amell, navigator on City of Springfield (6th BS/ 29th BG) remembers: 'After we had flown several missions, a directive came down from 314th Wing HQ stating that all aeroplanes were to be named "City of", and that the specific city was to be picked by the crew. If the aeroplane had been previously named, the original name could remain on left side, thus NIP ON ESE also carried the name City of Oklahoma City. We had not chosen a name for our aeroplane before the "City" edict was issued, so all of our crew put suggestions in a hat and we drew one out. Our bomber therefore became City of Springfield after Springfield, MA, chosen because both the tail gunner and I were from that area. Not a very inspired name, but a good aeroplane that got us through 35 missions/

B-29-30-MO 42-65367 BATTLIN' BITCH 11/CITY of MIAMI of the 60th BS/39th BG, North Field, Guam, May 1945
BATTLIN' BITCH wears the 39th BG's letter 'P' on its tail, together with a black band representing a lead ship aircraft. The bomber's radar observer, 1 Lt Marvin Demanzuk, remembers: The port side nose art of BATTLIN' BITCH II took the form of a muscular blonde stoneage female, attired in leopard skin, wielding a huge war club. We chipped in $10 apiece to commission the work, which was completed before our departure from Salina. On our arrival in Guam, we were told to rename our aeroplanes for US cities, and that the nose art would be replaced with the city emblems. This met with strong opposition from the crews, and some bizarre city names were submitted like Increase, Mississippi, and Intercourse, Pennsylvania! A compromise was reached and the aircraft now had two IDs- CITY of MIAMI aka BATTLIN' BITCH II. BATTLIN' BITCH /was a B-24 Liberator flown by our aeroplane commander, Capt John H Keene, during his tour in the CBI. 'For the 25 May 1945 strike on Tokyo, CITY of MIAMI flew as a pathfinder, and we were one of those most severely damaged by flak whilst flying through Japanese searchlights, rockets, balls of fire and fighter attacks. We were hit both before and after we had dropped our load of incendiary bombs that helped identify the target area for the aircraft behind us. With two engines gone, we were too damaged to make it back to base, so we headed for Iwo Jima, the traditional short stop for damaged aircraft. This time bad weather prevented its normal use, and we were the only B-29 that made it into Iwo. We were put up in tents provided by the Marines. That night the Japanese, who were still a viable force on the island, penetrated the perimeter guard in an attack on our bivouac area. We drew our 0.45s and ran to assist the Marines, who chased us back into our tents. They later told us that the Japanese knew there was a crew that had taken part in the raid staying at the camp, and that we were their target. There had been extensive structural damage done to our aeroplane, so it was scrapped. 'When we got our second BATTLIN' BITCH II, the Amazon nose art was not renewed on the left side of the aircraft. From then on we led a charmed life, and did not suffer as much as a scratch. We completed 25 missions in the two aircraft, the last of these being to Mito on 2 August 1945, and we left the next day for a spell of leave in Hawaii. The war ended two weeks later, leaving us marooned on Oahu. We returned to the mainland via a Liberty ship, and never went back to Guam. There have been photos circulated of BATTLIN' BITCH II parked at Wing HQ at North Field, and on the left side of the fuselage are the insignia of the four groups comprising the wing. The assumption is that the plane was commandeered by wing when it became clear that our crew was not returning.'

B-29-60-BW 44-69800 CITY of SAN FRANCISCO of the 458th BS/330th BG, North Field, Guam, March 1945
CITY of SAN FRANCISCO was assigned to crew No 813, commanded by Capt Raymond B Smisek and piloted by 2Lt Robert C Woolson. Within B-29 crews, the pilot was referred to as the 'aircraft commander' and the co-pilot was known as the 'pilot'. The Smisek crew flew their first, and longest, mission (18 hrs 20 mins) to Koriyama on 12 April 1945, and their 21st, and last, was to Kamagaya on 1 August (14 hrs 10 mins). Smisek was awarded the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and a DFC during his four months of combat. CITY of SAN FRANCISCO flew 26 missions and later * served in Korea with the 344th BS/98th BG as Beetle Bomber. It was scrapped in the late 1950s.

B-29B-35-BA 42-63688 LOADED Dice of the 15th BS/16th BG, North Field, Guam, April 1945
The 315th BW was the last B-29 wing to be activated and see action during World War 2. Given the role of bombing the Japanese petroleum industry by night, the 315th was equipped exclusively with B-29Bs, which differed from the A-model in a number of ways. The aeroplanes were built without turrets, leaving just the tail armament for defence. The new APG-15 radar was fitted as standard for use with the tail guns (note the antenna beneath the gun muzzles). Another important difference was the addition of the new APQ-7 'Eagle' radar, this unit using a much higher frequency than the APQ-13 which meant that it could be used for precision bombing at night. A less obvious change was the addition of a small flat side window instead of the side blisters, the latter being unnecessary due to the lack of turrets. LOADED Dice was delivered to the AAF on 24 March 1945, and eft for Guam on 31 May. Here, it joined the 16th BG. Surviving the war and returning to the US :ne aircraft was finally scrapped on 4 December 1953.

B-29B-30-BA 42-63610 BUGGER of the 355th BS/ 331st BG, Northwest Field. Guam, June 1945
The 331st BG made use of the 315th BW diamond and group letter 'L\ the group being comprised of the 355th, 356th and 357th BSs. BUGGER left the US for Guam on 9 June 1945 and survived its brief time in combat. It returned to the US on 1 December 1945 and was placed in storage.

B-29B-35-BA 42-63640 The BOOMERANG of the 21st BS/501st BG, Northwest Field, Guam, August 1945
On 14/15 August 1945 the 315th BW flew the last bombing mission of World War 2. Jim B Smith participated in this historic event as radio operator on The BOOMERANG: The radar operator, Dick Ginster, said we were over Tokyo and I looked out to see. Tokyo was hidden in total blackness, and I knew that one of the 132 B-29s participating in this mission had triggered Tokyo's early radar warning system. Unbeknownst to us, the blackout had been instigated as part of a military revolt, whose objectives were to kidnap the Emperor, hold him incommunicado and issue orders to continue the war. One hour and eighteen minutes later we sighted our Nippon Oil refinery target that was located 270 miles to the north-west. Our navigator, Tony Cosola, and radar operator Ginster had done a good job. Hellish fires ignited by B-29s that preceded us shot fireballs heavenward, reaching 25,000 ft. Japanese nightfighters followed the searchlights, trying to get a hit on our big bird. A kamikaze zipped by our nose slightly off the mark. Sid Siegel manned our only firepower in the tail, while the two scanners, Hank Leffler and Henry Carlson, watched for fighters. The violent thermals wrestled with our B-29, threatening to flip us over on our back. Flying at just 11,000 ft, we wouldn't have had a chance to recover. 'Dick Marshall, the bombardier, toggled off our 20,500-lb bombload, and we took evasive action to get out of there. The elements finally released us and we headed for home. We were two hours from touchdown at Northwest Field when President Truman radioed the official end of the war. Our celebration stopped short when all four of our engines began backfiring from fuel starvation. We had the best B-29 engineer alive, Hank Gorder from North Dakota, so we had a chance. Our aircraft commander, Carl Schaher, figuring the good possibility of having to crash land in the water short of the Northwest runway, ordered the crew to ditching positions. Carl and co-pilot, John Waltershausen, tightened their shoulder harnesses. We made it by only "a wing and a prayer". No 3 shut down on the way back to the hardstand - out of gas!' The BOOMERANG was so named in the hope that this B-29 would also always come back, the crew (No 29) taking a real boomerang with them on each of their missions as a good luck charm. The nose art was added after the application of its black undersides-the latter finish (originally developed for nightfighters) was factory-applied, this glossy paint being known as 'jet'. As with similarly finished B-29s, the bomber's wing underside national insignia was painted over.

B-29B-30-BA (serial unknown) OH BROTHER! of the 411th BS/502nd BG, Northwest Field, Guam, May 1945
The 502nd BG arrived at Guam between April and June 1945, and entered combat on the last day of the latter month when it bombed Japanese-held Rota. The group flew its first mission against the Japanese home islands on 15 July, focusing on the enemy's petroleum industry. The 315th BW as a whole was responsible for the destruction of 83 per cent of Japanese oil refining capability. Successful as it was, this campaign had little impact on the war, for Japan relied on oil imports by sea, which had by this time been virtually stopped by the American blockade. OH BROTHER! was assigned to the 411th BS, its nose art depicting a drunk Mickey Mouse reclining in a cocktail glass. The names Willie Wolf and John + Dot appeared adjacent to crew stations.

F-13A-BN 42-94114 Wild WESTY'S WABBITS of the 3rd PRS, Harmon Field, Guam, July 1945
The 3rd PRS was initially based on Saipan, before moving to Harmon Field, on Guam. The first two F-13s arrived at Saipan on 30 October 1944, and the unit eventually had ten aircraft assigned to it, although these were often detached to regular bomb groups. The unit identified bombing targets and performed post-strike damage assessments, flying missions as lone aircraft without any fighter escort. Wild WESTY'S WABBITS was commanded by 1 Lt George L Westenberger, who had assumed command of this crew from previous aircraft commander 1 Lt Oran K Woodfin. The new crew's first mission was flown on 10 April 1945 to Kushira, Kokubu, Izuma, Sasebo and the Shimonoseki Straits. Their last mission was flown on 28 July to the west and north coasts of Kyushu, the southwest coast of Honshu and the north coast Shikoku. Westenberger and his crew returned home in early 1946, and this aeroplane was subsequently lost when it crashed on take-off on 11 June 1946, killing all on board.

B-29B-30BA (serial unknown) For The Luvva Mike! of the 21st BS/501st BG, Northwest Field, Guam, June 1945
The aircraft commander of this anonymous B-29 was Chuck Miller: 'I remember that it wasn't all fun and games, and these memories still haunt me. I remember the flights over Kawasaki and the green radar light that caught us on the start of our run - 12 minutes of terror that seemed an eternity. Looking at each other in the cockpit with our ghastly green complexions from the light, watching the tracers coming up from the ground and the feeling of the flack bursting under us. Al Ham, our bombardier, calling out the enemy gun emplacements until we finally had to shut him up. Finally it was over, "Bombs Away!", and we got the hell out of there. 'When we arrived back at Northwest Field, we examined the B-29 for flack holes - nary a one. Guess who caught all of our flack? Lucky Dan Garret, who had been just behind, feeling sorry for us catching the green light and all the fire, only to find out that they missed us and hit him! 'Then there was that horrible storm that caught us on a return flight. We were tossed around like popcorn in a skillet. Up 3500 ft, down 5000 ft, wings bowing like a flapping pigeon. We tried to get under it, but it was all the way down to the sea. We tried to get over it, but at 45,000 ft we were mushing and still not out of it. It was then that I asked Danny Krawetz, our able flight engineer, to lead the prayers because he was the only one that went to mass. There is a God! He was with us this night, as he was so many times. All of the emergency gear in the aft portion had torn loose and was being thrown around, and no one dared to unfasten a seat belt lest he be tossed around with the gear. Thank your dear God! We made it back. Then there was the landing fiasco when we returned to Northwest amidst a violent rain squall. We were instructed to circle and hold until the squall passed over. Finally, we were cleared to land, but the holding pattern had grown so large with all the returning aircraft that there was a scramble for clearance in. We had made three go arounds when our No 3 engine began throwing oil, but the prop would not feather and kept running away. We "Maydayed" the tower for emergency clearance, but whoever was on the approach in front of us would not pull up and go around. There was only one thing left to do as there could be no more go arounds for us. I put the bomber in a dive, flew below the cliff at the end of the island, came up in front of the other aeroplane and landed safely.'[/color]

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  How to win a head to head pass

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11.04.2007, 15:47
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fly into them

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  Mosquito

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20.03.2007, 00:52
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[color=orange][size=150]See below (bottom of page) for details[/size][/color]

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[color=orange]Mosquito fighter prototype W4052, A&AEE Boscombe Down, July 1941
Fighter prototype W4052 differed from the prototype Mosquito bomber in having two 1460-hp Merlin 21s fitted, as well as a flat bullet-proof windscreen and a solid nose, housing an Al radar antenna and four machine guns. Constructed at Salisbury Hall, it was flown out of a field adjacent to the assembly hangar on 15 May 1941 by Geoffrey de Havilland Jnr. W4052 had completed its handling trials at Boscombe Down by the end of July 1941, and after experiencing a belly-landing at Hogsnorton airfield (now Panshangeri on 19 April 1942, W4052 was repaired and subsequently used to test various airframe and radar modifications with the FIU (Fighter Interception Unit) at Ford. Having survived the war, this historic aircraft was unceremoniously sold for scrap on 28 January 1946.

NF II W4087/RS-B of No 157 Sqn, Castle Camps, March 1942
This aircraft arrived at St Athan-based No 32 MU for Al radar installation on 13 February 1942, and on 9 March it became one of the first NF lis issued to No 157 Sqn at Castle Camps. Used principally for operational training whilst with this unit, W4087 then joined No 1422 Flight at Heston on 5 May 1942. Here, the aircraft was modified to carry a Turbinlight in the nose, flying in this experimental fit for the first time on 1 December 1942. It was subsequently sent to Wittering on 7 January 1943 to carry out frontline trials with a crew from No 532 Sqn, before being passed on to No 85 Sqn at Hunsdon the following month. By this stage of the war the development of more effective airborne radar had rendered the airborne searchlight obsolete, so in August 1943 W4087 returned to No 1422 Flight, who used it until the autumn of 1944 for general radio and radar trials work. The fighter was finally Struck off Charge (SOC) on 30 January 1946.

NF II Special' DD670/YP-S of No 23 Sqn, crewed by Wg Cdr B R O'B 'Sammy' Hoare DFC* and Pit Off Cornes, Ford, July 1942
DD670 was one of twenty-five 'Special' Intruder models built for No 23 Sqn with their Al radar equipment delet-ed.On 6/7 July 1942 Wg Cdr B R O'B 'Sammy' Hoare DFC* and Pit Off Cornes used the aircraft to destroy a Do 217 16 miles east Chartres. Two nights later Sqn Ldr K H Salisbury-Hughes registered the fighter's second and third kills when he shot down a Do 217 over Etampes and a He 111 near Evreux. Finally, on 30/31 July 'Sammy' Hoare and Wt Off J F Potter destroyed a UEA over Orleans again in DD670. This aircraft later served with Hunsdon's Station Flight, before being passed on to secondline units like Nos 51 and 60 OTUs. Finally grounded near the end of the war, it then became instructional airframe 4780M, before being SOC on 31 January 1946.

NF II DD739/RX-X of No 456 Sqn, RAAF, Colerne, September 1943
Although a veteran of frontline operations with Nos 85, 157 and 456 Sqns, DD739's sole combat kill came on 3/4 July 1943 when No 157 Sqn's Fit Lts James Gillies Benson DFC and Lewis Brandon DFC used it to destroy a Do 217 over St Trond, this victory being the former's fourth of the war. Promoted to wing commander by VE-Day end, Benson (who also received a Bar for his DFC and the DSO) eventually achieved a tally of ten aircraft destroyed and four damaged, plus six V1s also destroyed - Like Benson, Brandon had also won a DFC* and DSO by May 1945. He and Brandon had originally crewed up while on Beaufighter IFs in August 1941. Following several month of action, DD739 passed to No 456 Sqn, RAAF, which had begun converting to the NF II at Valley in the spring of
1943. Coded RX-X, the aircraft was also suitably adorned with the unit's unofficial kangaroo roundel marking in the centre of the crew entry door. Moving into the frontline with the unit following its posting to Middle Wallop in March 1943, DD739 flew a series of Day and Night Intruder operations into France until lost on a Mahmoud Bomber Support patrol to Kassel, south of Hannover, on 3/4 December 1943 - its crew, Pit Offs Tommy May and Les Parnell, were both posted Missing in Action.

NF II HJ911/TW-A of No 141 Sqn, crewed by Sqn Ldr Graham J Rice, RAAF, and Fig Off Jimmie G Rogerson, RAAF, West Raynham, 27/28 June 1944
As late as 1943-44 many surviving NF Ms were refurbished. receiving new engines and equipment, including Al Mk IV or V radar sets, and then issued to No 100 Group. NF II HJ911 was one such aircraft, having been used extensively by Nos 157 (as RS-H) and 307 Sqns, before being reworked and sent to No 141 Sqn in early 1944, where it became TW-A. A veteran of many night patrols, HJ911 achieved two kills during the war, both of which were credited to Sqn Ldr Graham J Rice, RAAF and Fig Off Jimmie G Rogerson, RAAF. The first was a Ju 88 over Cambrai on the night of 27/28 June 1944, followed on 7/8 July by a Bf 110G-4 thought to be Wk-Nr 730006 D5+? of 2./NJG 3, which crashed west of Chievres, in Belgium. HJ911 later passed to No 1692 Flight in the autumn of
1944, before finally being SOC on 19 February 1945.

NF II DZ706/YP-P of No 23 Sqn, crewed by Fit Sgt Rudd and Sgt Messingham, Luqa, Malta, 10 July 1943
A well-travelled and well-used NF II, Hatfield-built DZ706 initially served with No 301 Ferry Training Unit (FTU) and No 1 Overseas Aircraft Delivery Unit (OADU) before joining Malta-based No 23 Sqn, where it was coded YP-P - the cat marking painted below the cockpit was devised by its regular pilot at the time. Fit Sgt Rudd. No 23 Sqn operated NF lis from Luqa (with detachments to Pomigliano and Alghero ) between December 1942 and August 1943, when the first FB Vis began to arrive in the Mediterranean. The unit continued to fly intruder sorties against Axis forces in Italy, North Africa and Sicily until posted back to the UK to join No 100 Group in May 1944. No 23 Sqn's first aerial victory (a Ju 88) fell to Sqn Ldr Philip Russell and Pit Off E G Pullen on 8 January 1943 during an Intruder to Tunis airfield. DZ706 was also credited with a kill when Rudd and Messingham claimed a Ju 88 probably destroyed south of Rome on 10 July and an Me 210 off the 'toe' of Italy on 18 days later. This aircraft had returned to England by the autumn of 1943, where it was passed firstly to the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) and then the Telecommunications Flying Unit (TFU), before being SOC on 21 April 1945.

NF II DD636/PS-D of No 264 Sqn, Predannack, May 1943
NF II DD636 was delivered to the RAF on 7 May 1942 and served for just under a year with the Handling Squadron at the Empire Central Flying School at Hullavington. On 16 April 1943 Predannack-based No 264 Sqn took it on charge, coding the aircraft PS-D. Within a month (on 11 May to be exact), DD636 had been intercepted and damaged by Fw 190s during a Day Ranger over France. Once repaired, the aircraft was posted across the airfield to fellow Predannack residents No 307 'City of Lvov' Sqn on 7 August 1943, and thence to No 157 Sqn, again at the Cornish coastal base, on 9 November 1943. DD636'stime with the latter unit was to last just nine days, however, for an 19 November its crew was forced to ditch in the Channel during an 'Instep' patrol after suffering an engine Failure.

NF ll/PR II DD744 of No 60 Sqn, SAAF, Castel Benito, Tripoli, August 1943
This NF II was one of a pair of fighters converted to PR II standard through the fitment of cameras and issued to No 50 Sqn, SAAF at Castel Benito, Tripoli, on 8 August 1943. DD744 flew the unit's first sortie on 15 February 1944 and jvas eventually SOC in November of that same year.

MF II W4079/RS-F of No 157 Sqn, Castle Camps, June 1942
MF II W4079 is finished in the then standard RDM2 smooth lightfighter scheme and wears No 157 Sqn's RS codes. Allocated to the unit on 12 June 1942, it attained its only aerial kill on 28/29 March 1943 when Fig Off John Roger 3eckett, RAAF (on 23 March 1944 now Fit Lt Beckett of No 305 Sqn, and his navigator, Fig Off Fred D Topping, were cilled in FB VI HX823/UP-K during a Ranger to 3ardelegen) and Fit Sgt Phillips shared in the destruction 3f Do 217E4 U5+NM Wk-Nr 4375 of 4./KG 2 with a No 68 5qn Beaufighter off Southwold. Pilot Feldwebel Paul Huth, junner Unteroffizier Werner Hans Burschel, observer Dberleutnant Gottfreid Thorley and radio operator Jnteroffizier Konrad Schuller were all killed. Following its our with No 157 Sqn, W4079 was sent back to de Havilland on 25 September 1943 for reworking, and then t :o RAE on 2 January 1944. From there it passed through a succession of secondline units, being issued to No 10 MU on 12 March 1944, No 218 MU on 22 May and finally No 51 OTU at Cranfield on 5 August. It was still with the latter unit when, on 29 November, W4079 crashed and was destroyed. Unusually, the aircraft retained its RDM2 finish throughout its RAF career.

NF II HJ711/VI-P of No 169 Sqn, crewed by 'B' Flight Commander Sqn Ldr Joseph Aloysius Hayes 'Joe' Cooper and Fit Lt Ralph D Connolly, Little Snoring, January 1944
Having served with No 60 OTU and then No 141 Sqn, HJ711 became the regular mount of No 169 Sqn's Sqn Ldr J A H 'Joe' Cooper (who designed the No 169 Sqn crest, dominated by a hunting horn, based on its motto, 'Hunt and Destroy') and Fit Lt Ralph D Connolly in late 1943. Prior to joining the unit. Cooper - a pre-war lance corporal cavalryman in the 4th Hussars, and an accomplished boxer - had been one of Bob Braham's flight commanders with No 141 Sqn at West Raynham in 1943, where he had crewed up with Connolly, an Income Tax inspector from Dulwich, in South London. Cooper and Connolly damaged a Ju 88 on 18 January 1943 flying a Beaufighter, but then had to wait just over a year (to 30/31 January 1944) to score their premier Mosquito kill, and No 169 Sqn's, in HJ711 when they destroyed Bf 110G-4 Wk-Nr 740081 D5+LB of Stab.lll/NJG 3, which crashed at Werneuchen, east of Berlin. HJ711 was subsequently lost on the night of 15/16 March 1944 during a Bomber Support mission to Stuttgart, its pilot. Fit Lt W W Foster, RCAF being captured and navigator, Fig Off J H Grantham, killed.

NF II DZ726/TW-Z of No 141 Sqn, crewed by Fig Offs Harry E White DFC and Michael S Allen DFC, West Raynham, February 1944
Issued to No 410 Sqn during the winter of 1943, DZ726 was slightly damaged on the night of 15 April 1943 when squadron OC, Wg Cdr F W Hillock, and his navigator. Fit Lt P O'Neill-Dunne, flew through HT cables during a patrol over Apeldoorn, in Holland - the aircraft brought back over 300 ft of copper cable tangled around its wings and tail. Returned to de Havilland in order to allow major repairs to be effected within the Hatfield works, the aircraft was reissued to No 141 Sqn on 18 October 1943, where it was coded TW-Z. On 15/16 February 1944 Fig Offs Harry E White DFC and Michael S Allen DFC used it to down a He 177 near Berlin, which gave them their fifth kill (and thus ace status) - the crew had opened their account back on 4 August 1941 in Beaufighter VIF V8713. Altogether, White and Allen destroyed 11 aircraft with No 141 Sqn (nine of them flying NF lis) and one with a BSDU NF XXX, as well as damaging a further four (two of these on Mosquitoes). DZ726 was eventually lost without trace during an Al exercise on 16 May 1944 whilst being flown by Fig Off J P Watkins and Fit Sgt T Pantry.

NF II (Modified) DZ659/ZQ-M of the Fighter Interception Unit (FIU), Wittering, 1943
Painted in standard Intruder finish, with Smooth Night undersurfaces and spinners, this Mosquito was the original trials aircraft for both the American SCR 720 (Al Mk X) and (later) 729 Eleanora radar, fitted in the distinctive blunt Universal nose radome. The aircraft survived the war to SOC on 28 February 1946.

NF XV DZ385 of the High Altitude Flight, Northolt, early 1943
First flown on 3 January 1943, DZ385 was one of just five Mosquito NF XVs constructed with the express purpose of attaining altitudes in excess of 45,000+ ft as a response to the threat posed by the Ju 86 high altitude bomber. Prototype MP469 was the first Mosquito built with a pressurised cabin, and it flew for the first time on 8 August 1942. The NF XV was essentially a modified B IV, fitted with an Al Mk VIII radar in its nose and powered by two-stage 1680 hp Merlin 72/73 or 1710 hp 76/77 engines driving three- or four-bladed airscrews. In order to save weight, and thus boost its performance even more, the NF XV's armament comprised just four .303-in machine guns in a special under-belly 'blister'. MP469 was delivered to the newly-formed High Altitude Flight at Northolt on 16 September 1942, but this, and the Fighter Interception Unit at Ford (which received DZ366, DZ385, DZ409 and DZ417), never had cause to use them operationally as the Ju 86s ceased flying over Britain. All five were then passed to 'C Flight of No 85 Sqn at Hunsdon, where they saw limited service between March and August 1943 (DZ385 was 'K-King'), before some were passed on to the RAE at Farnborough for pressure cabin research. Following its use with the FIU and No 85 Sqn, DZ385 was last flown by No 1409 Flight, after which it was grounded and issued to the School of Technical Training at Cranwell in October 1944 as instructional airframe 4884M.

FB VI NS997/G/VI-C of No 169 Sqn, crewed by Fit Lt R J Dix and Fig Off A J Salmon, Great Massingham, July 1944
Part of a production run of 250 FB Vis built at Hatfield between February and May 1944, NS997/G was issued new to No 169 Sqn at Little Snoring, in Norfolk, in late March 1944. By June the unit had moved to Great Massingham, and it was from here that Fit Lt R J Dix and Fig Off A J Salmon set off on a Night Intruder over Germany on 23/24 July in NS997 that resulted in them shooting down a Bf 110 near Kiel. In February 1945 No 169 Sqn re-equipped with NF XIXs, and NS997/G was flown to Marshall's of Cambridge for overhaul, before being placed in storage firstly with No 273 MU in October 1945, then No 37 MU at Burtonwood and finally No 38 MU at Llandow. Late in 1951, NS997/G was one 74 FB Vis allocated to the Jugoslovensko ratno vazduhoplovstyo (JRV, or Yugoslav Air Force), the Mosquito being flown out to Yugoslavia on 3 April 1952

FB VI PZ170/YP-D of No 23 Sqn, Little Snoring, late 1944
Hatfield-built FB VI PZ170 served with Nos 141 and 239 Sqns at West Raynham in mid-1944 before joining No 23 Sqn at Little Snoring, in Norfolk, where it was coded YP-D. It is fitted with an ASH nose radome containing an Al XV narrow-beam radar for use on low level intruder operations. Flying as part of No 100 Group's Bomber Support force. No 23 Sqn scored its first victory using ASH on 31 December 1944/1 January 1945 when a Ju 88 was shot down over Alhorn by Sqn Ldr J Tweedale and Fit Lt L I Cunningham. PZ170 remained on strength with the unit until August 1945, when No 23 Sqn upgraded to NF XXXs. It was then placed in storage until passed on to the Armee de I'Air on 7 October 1946.

FB VI PZ459/3P-D of No 515 Sqn, crewed by Pit Off L G Holland and Fit Sgt R Young, Little Snoring, February 1945
Delivered new to 'A' Flight of No 515 Sqn at Little Snoring, where it was coded 3P-D 'D-Dog', this aircraft was flown by Pit Off Leslie George 'Dutch' Holland and Fit Sgt Robert 'Bob' Young (an ex-infantryman from the 'Ox and Bucks', the famous 43rd and 52nd of Foot) on most of their ops in 1944-45. One of these missions included a low-level encounter with a He 219 nightfighter whilst coming back from a Night Intruder patrol to Hailfingen airfield, near Stuttgart, on 14/15 February 1945. Toward the end of the appointed patrol period a contact was detected closing up from behind by the rearward-looking Monica radar. Thus began a desperate 'dance in the dark' where both opposing crews relied entirely on radar to get them into a position whereby they could prevail over their assailant.. For the FB VI crew, they had to rely on the rather limited capability of the AN/APS 4 ASH (essentially an anti-shipping radar), which was up against a dedicated Al system in the shape of the excellent Lichtenstein SN-2. Having just failed to achieve firing range in their opening 'tail chase' of the Mosquito, the 'Owl' crew were now searching for their target as desperately as 'Bob' Young was in the FB VI, but as no further contact was established, both crews went home to fight another day. PZ459 later participated in an attack on Nordholz which resulted in claims for an Me 262 destroyed and two damaged. The Mosquito then passed to No 141 Sqn in the spring of 1945, and remained with the unit until it converted to NF XXXs later that year. PZ459 was then placed in storage, before being sold for scrap in July 1947.

FB VI NT137/TH-T Lady Luck of No 418 'City of Edmonton' Sqn, crewed by Fit Lt Jack H Phillips DFC, RCAF, and Fig Off Bernard M Job RAFVR, Hartford Bridge, February 1945
NT137 Lady Luck was issued new to Canadian-manned No 418 Sqn in the late autumn of 1944 as part of the unit's conversion from NF Ms to FB Vis. Crewed predominantly by Fit Lt Jack H Phillips DFC, RCAF and navigator, Fig Off Bernard M Job, RAFVR during the squadron's brief spell at Hartford Bridge in February 1945, the aircraft accompanied the unit to Coxyde (B71), on the Belgian coast, in March 1945 for the final hectic weeks of the war on the continent. Following No 418 Sqn's disbandment in September 1945, NT137 was passed to No 13 OTU, with whom it suffered a landing accident on 29 May 1946 at Middleton St George that resulted in its recatagorisation as instructional airframe 5959M.

NF XII HK119/VY-S of No 85 Sqn, crewed by Fit Lt J P M Lintott and Pit Off G G Gilling-Lax, West Mailing, May 1943
Some 97 incomplete NF lis were transferred from the Leavesden production line to Marshall's of Cambridge for conversion into NF Xlls between January and June 1943, HK119 being amongst this number. No fewer than 19 NF Xlls were subsequently issued to No 85 Sqn during the first half of 1943, HK119 arriving at the unit's Hunsdon home on 17 April 1943, where it was coded VY-S. On 29/30 May Fit Lt J P M Lintott and Pit Off G G Gilling-Lax used the fighter to down Ju 88S-1 3Z+SZ of l./KG 66 at Isfield. near Lewes in Sussex - this kill represented the first S-1 to be destroyed over the UK. Gilling-Lax had completed a first-class degree at Marlborough and Cambridge, and had been a house master at Stowe, before joining the RAF as a navigator. He and Lintott were subsequently killed shooting down a Do 217 over Kent on 9 July 1943 in another Mosquito. On 22 January 1944 HK119 joined No 307 Sqn, where it was coded EW-D and used to probably destroy a He 177 on 19 February 1944. The veteran night-fighter was still flying with the Polish-manned unit when it was written off in a landing accident at Andreas, on the Isle of Man, on 26 June 1944 - the pilot lost an engine short of the runway, forcing him to undershoot.

NF XIII MM469/NG-X of No 604 'County of Middlesex' Sqn, Lille/Vendeville, France, early 1945
The NF XIII was powered by Merlin 21, 23 or 25 engines, had Al Mk VIII radar installed in either a 'thimble' or Universal ('bull') nose and utilised a Universal wing similar to that fitted to the FB VI. The prototype NF XIII flew for the first time in August 1943, and 260 were eventually built. MM469 joined No 151 Sqn fresh from the Leavesden factory on 29 February 1944, and was passed to No 96 Sqn on 29 July 1944, No 29 Sqn on 14 December 1944 and finally to No 604 Sqn in early 1945. Following the dis-bandment of the 'County of Middlesex' squadron on 18 April 1945, MM469 was issued to No 409 Sqn six days later, from where it was retired to an MU on 7 July 1945 in the wake of the latter unit's disbandment on the first of the month. It was finally SOC on 9 October 1945.

NF XIII MM446/RO-Q of No 29 Sqn, Hunsdon, December 1944
As one of the first NF Xllls delivered to the RAF, MM446 had the early 'thimble' type nose radome associated early-production examples. Delivered to No 27 MU on 30 January 1944 for final fitting out, the aircraft joined No 151 Sqn at Colerne on 22 February 1944, where it was coded RO-Q. The unit was engaged on 'Insteps' and Rangers at the time, and on 20 April squadron OC, Wg Cdr Geoffrey H Goodman, and Fig Off W F Thomas (an ex-policeman), destroyed a W34 north of Biscarosse Lake, followed on 4 May by no fewer than four He 111s shot down over Dijon again in this aircraft (a feat for which Goodman was awarded the DFC). This took the crew's tally to eight aircraft destroyed in just two months. On 11 August MM446 was transferred to No 96 Sqn at Ford for night anti-Diver patrols off the East Coast, before moving to Odiham on 24 September to continue its war against the VI. When No 96 Sqn disbanded on 12 December 1944 (reforming nine days later equipped with Halifax Ills), MM446 joined No 29 Sqn at West Mailing 48 hours later for Bomber Support duties - hence its black undersur-faces. The fighter served until 27 February 1945, when the squadron converted to the NF XXX. War-weary and fitted with outmoded radar in comparison with the latest night-fighters then entering RAF service, MM446 was passed to Marshall's of Cambridge for the removal of its avionics, before being broken up on 28 May 1945.

NF XIII HK500/RA-I of No 410 Cougar' Sqn, RCAF, crewod by Wt Off s R Jones, RCAF, and Gregory, RCAF, Zeals, July 1944
Delivered to No 218 MU from Leavesden on 20 December 1943, HK500 was one of twenty-one NF Xllls from this batch of 137 aircraft issued to No 410 Sqn as replacements for their FB Vis. It arrived at Castle Camps on 7 January 1944, and moved with the unit to Hunsdon on 29 April 1944, from where it continued defensive night operations in the lead up to D-Day. A move to Zeals came on 18 June, by which time nightly patrols were being flown over the Normandy Beachhead. During one such sortie on 23/24 June, Wt Offs R Jones and Gregory destroyed a Ju 188 15 miles north-west of the Beachhead. HK500 was itself lost on 10 July 1944 when it overshot the runway on landing at Zeals following the failure of its starboard engine in flight. The aircraft was consumed by fire in the resulting crash.

NF XIII HK428/RO-K of No 29 Sqn, flown by Fit Sgt Johnson, West Mailing, June 1944
No 29 Sqn began receiving NF Xllls in place of its FB Vis in October 1943, and it retained these aircraft until February 1945, when it re-equipped with NF XXXs. HK428 was amongst 20+ NF Xllls delivered to the unit fresh from the factory in the autumn of 1943, the fighter being used on 17/18 June 1944 by Fit Sgt Johnson to down a Ju 88. Badly damaged in action on 22 October 1944, it was returned to de Havilland at Hatfield for extensive repairs, after which the NF XIII was passed to the Central Gunnery School, where it remained until SOC on 16 September 1946.

NF XIII HK382/RO-T of No 29 Sqn, Hunsdon, October 1944
Painted in standard Intruder camouflage on upper surfaces and Smooth Night undersides (this scheme had been adopted on 1 October 1942), HK382 was also amongst the batch of new NF Xllls delivered to No 96 Sqn in the autumn of 1943, arriving at Drem on 30 October. Its frontline life with this unit was to last just 25 days, however, for on 24 November it was damaged in a flying acci-dent that kept it grounded until September of the following year. Cleared fit to fly once again, HK382 was passed to No 29 Sqn on 20 September 1944, where it was coded RO-T. The unit converted to NF XXXs in February 1945, and HK382 was transferred to No 409 Sqn at B51 Lille/Vendeville, although its career with the Canadians was cut short on 16 March 1945 when it inexplicably dived into the ground nine miles west of its home airfield.

NF XVII HK286/G/RX-A of No 456 Sqn, RAAF, crewed by unit OC, Wg Cdr K M Hampshire DSO and Fit Lt T Condon, Ford, March 1944
One-hundred NF Ms powered by 1460 hp Merlin 21 or 23 engines were converted to NF XVII specification through the fitment of American SCR 720/729 (Al Mk X) radar - the first of these aircraft took to the skies in March 1943. Amongst those converted was HK286/G, which reached Australian-manned No 456 Sqn on 29 January 1944, where it was coded RX-A and used by unit OC, Wg Cdr Keith MacDermott Hampshire DSO and Fit Lt Tom Condon. The pair experienced great success in this aircraft, starting with two Ju 88s shot down on 27/ 28 February 1944 off the south-west coast. On 24/25 March they destroyed Ju 88 AP+3E of 6./KG 6 over Walberton, in Sussex, and three nights later they downed Ju 88s 3E+FT of 9./KG 6 and B3+BL of 3./KG 54 near Beer and Brewer Isle respectively. On 23/24 April they shot down another Ju 88 into the sea near Swanage, whilst on 28/29 April they probably damaged a Do 217 86 miles off Durrington. On 22/ 23 May they downed a Ju 88S off the Isle of Wight, and on 12/13 June claimed yet another Ju 88 over the Channel. HK286/G was finally passed to No 51 OTU on 4 January 1945 after No 456 Sqn transitioned to NF XXXs, the fighter being used for Mosquito instruction until 1 July 1945, when it was returned to de Havilland for minor maintenance work, before being placed in storage. HK286/G was SOC on 21 June 1947.

NF XIII HK425/KP-D Lonesome Polecat of No 409 'Nighthawk' Sqn, RCAF, crewed by Fig Offs R H Finlayson and J A Webster, Le Culot, France, 6 October 1944
Built at Leavesden in the second half of 1943 and delivered to No 96 Sqn when the unit converted from Beaufighter VIFs to Mosquito NF Xllls in October/ November of that same year, HK425 was passed to No 409 Sqn when it also traded in its Beaufighter VIFs for Mosquito NF Xllls in March 1944. On 6/7 October 1944 Fig Offs R H Finlayson and J A Webster destroyed a Bf 110 in this aircraft, followed on 25/26 November by a Ju 88 claimed by Fig Off R I E Britten and Fit Lt L E Fownes over Rheindahlen. The fighter's final kill came on 18/19 December when Finlayson and Webster destroyed a Ju 88 in this aircraft. Its Lonesome Polecat nose art was inspired by a drunken Indian character from a very popular comic strip of the day, Finlayson having added the name to the aircraft and then asked his parents to send him a copy of the comic from Canada for copying. However, before the publication arrived, one of his groundcrew painted the skunk on the nose ahead of the titling, and it was consid-ered to be so well done that Finlayson left it on. Having survived the war HK425 was subsequently SOC on 21 November 1945.

NF XIX MM644/VI-V of No 169 Sqn, Great Massingham, January 1945
The NF XIX, which first flew in April 1944, was powered by two Merlin 25s and fitted with Al VIM or X (SCR720 or 729) radar in a 'thimble' or Universal nose similar to that utilised by the NF XIII. MM644 was one of 280 built, being delivered to the RAF from Leavesden on 28 April 1944. It served with No 85 Sqn from 20 May 1944 until passed to No 157 Sqn on 8 December. The fighter then moved to No 169 Sqn on 14 January 1945. Following the disbandment of the latter unit on 10 August 1945, MM644 was sent to No 9 MU ten days later and stored until sold to de Havilland for scrapping on 27 October 1948.

NF XXX NT362/HB-S of No 239 Sqn, crewed by Fit Lts A J Holderness and Walter Rowley DFC, West Raynham, February 1945
No 239 Sqn was equipped with NF lis from January 1944, and FB Vis from August of the same year (one FB VI had actually been issued to the unit as early as 31 December 1943). More than 20 brand new, Leavesden-built, NF XXXs finally arrived at the unit's West Raynham base in January 1945, including NT362. The highlight of the latter aircraft's brief war came on the night of 7/8 February when Fit Lts A J Holderness and Walter Rowley DFC destroyed a Bf 110 over the Ruhr whilst flying NT362. The nightfighter was placed in storage following the disbandment of No 239 Sqn in July 1945, although it returned to the air on 9 September 1948 when it was delivered to the Belgian Air Force as MB-14. Its postwar career was to be brief one, however, for on 7 August 1950 it crashed at Beauvechain air base and was declared a Category 5 write off.

NF XXX MT487/ZK-L of No 25 Sqn, Castle Camps, November 1944
MT487 was delivered to No 218 MU on 28 September 1944 and issued to No 25 Sqn at Castle Camps on 6 October 1944 as the squadron replaced its NF XVIIs with NF XXXs. These aircraft were then used for Intruder patrols from December 1944 until 1 February 1945, when Bomber Support operations began. MT487 actually took part in No 25 Sqn's final wartime mission, which took the form of a Night Ranger to German airfields on 25 April 1945. The fighter remained with No 25 Sqn until placed in storage in February 1946, and it was subsequently sold for scrap Marshall's of Cambridge on 11 August 1948.

NF XXX MV564/G of the 416th Night Fighter Squadron, Twelfth Air Force, USAAF, Italy, November 1944
The 416th NFS (and the 425th NFS in the Ninth Air Force in England) was forced to operate Mosquitoes because of the late delivery into squadron service of Northrop's awesome P-61A Black Widow. This aircraft was lost in action on 22 April 1945.

NF XXX NT283/G/HU-V of No 406 Lynx' Sqn RCAF, crewed by unit OC, Wg Cdr Russ Bannock DFC and Fit Lt Robert R Bruce DFC, Manston, January 1945 NF XXX NT283/G was delivered to the RAF on 24 November 1944 and passed to No 406 Sqn on 18 December, where it was coded HU-V. Equipped with NF Xlls in April 1944, the unit started night intruding patrols soon after receiving its first Mosquitoes, before reverting to fighter sweeps in support of the impending D-Day landings. One of the first units to receive NF XXXs (in July 1944), No 406 Sqn commenced a nocturnal offensive over German nightfighter bases in the late summer of 1944 that would last until VE-Day. Operating from Manston, in Kent, on 5/6 January 1945, NT283/G, with squadron OC, Wg Cdr Russ Bannock DFC, and Fit Lt Robert R Bruce DFC, at the controls, destroyed a He 111 over Josum airfield. On 4/5 April the same combination destroyed a UEA and damaged an Fw 190 over Delmenhorst airfield. Following the war, NT283 saw service with both No 609 'West Riding' Sqn (from 30 April 1946) and No 616 'South Yorkshire' Sqn (from 11 July 1948 through to 24 April 1949). It was finally scrapped in November 1953.

FB VI HR147/TH-Z HAIRLESS JOE of No 418 'City of Edmonton' Sqn, RCAF, crewed by Sqn Ldr Russ Bannock DFC and Fig Off Bobbie Bruce DFC, Middle Wallop, 8/44 FB VI HR147 of No 418 Sqn was the regular mount of then Sqn Ldr Russ Bannock DFC and his navigator, Fig Off Bobbie Bruce DFC. Issued to the unit in factory-fresh condition, the fighter was to serve as the 'canvas' for a distinctive piece of nose art, and associated scoreboard, inspired by Bannock, and his exploits. In fact the artwork was applied twice, for HR147 suffered damage to its nose in an operational mishap which saw the caricature, and its background disc, repainted - at this time one of the two rows of eight swastikas was replaced with 19 VI symbols. HR147 was finally sold for scrap in October 1954.

FB VI NS850/TH-M "Black Rufe" of No 418 Sqn, RCAF, crewed by Sqn Ldr Robert Allan Kipp and Fit Lt Peter Huletsky. Holmesley South, June 1944
FB VI NS850 was also at No 418 Sqn at much the same time as HR147, and like the latter, it too carried rather stunning artwork - at least by the conservative standards of the RAF. Flown by Sqn Ldr Robert Allan Kipp and Fit Lt Peter Huletsky, this aircraft saw much action - see the front cover artwork caption and page 49 for full details.[/color]

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  German Night Fighters

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[color=orange][size=150]See below (bottom of page) for details[/size][/color]

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[color=orange]Bf 11OC (Wk-Nr 3920) 'G9+GA' of Major Wolfgang Falck, Geschwaderkommodore NJG 1, Arnhem, Autumn 1940
As the original Geschwaderkommodore of NJG 1, Falck flew this aircraft, believed to be his first machine in nightfighter finish, from Arnhem-Deelen during the autumn of 1940. Previously credited with seven victories as a Zerstorer pilot with ZG 1, Falck's staff duties with NJG 1 allowed him no further chance to improve on his score, although he did fly a number of Bf 110s during the course of a long and distinguished career. The extra kill is something of a mystery, and may have been scored by another pilot.

Bf HOC 'G9+AA' of Oberst Wolfgang Falck, Geschwaderkommodore NJG 1, Holland, June 1943
Promoted to the rank of Oberst, Falck was Geschwaderkommodore of NJG 1 until 30 June 1943. This aircraft shows typical nightfighter markings of the period, there being less colour in regard to Staffe/letters and so forth than in other branches of the Luftwaffe, as high visibility was hardly necessary.

Bf 110G-4 'G9+AA' of Oberst Hans-Joachim Jabs, Geschwaderkommodore NJG 1, Liineburg, May 1945
As Geschwaderkommodore of NJG 1 from March 1944 to May 1945, Jabs followed the standard practice of flying an aircraft with appropriate identification letters signifying his rank and position - the double chevron denoting his rank also persisted. This aircraft, fitted with FuG 218 Neptun radar, had unusually, no flame damper shrouds. The Schrage Musik installation in the rear cockpit location was common on the Bf 110. Jabs flew only with NJG 1.

Bf 110G-4 'G9+AB' of Hauptmann Werner Streib,
GruppenkommandeurI./NJG 1, Venlo, March 1941
As Geschwaderkommodore of NJG 1 at Venlo, Holland, from July 1943, Streib continued to fly a black Bf 110 in similar markings to the aircraft he had originally flown in 1940. He was later instrumental in changing night fighter colouring to a completely opposite light overall shade.

He 219 V9 'G9+FB' of Major Werner Streib, Gruppenkommandeur Stab./NJG 1, Venlo, June 1943
As Gruppenkommandeur of NJG 1 at Venlo in July 1943, Streib was directed to form a small sub-unit in NJG 1 to prove the He 219 in combat. This aircraft, used by Streib for the type's initial combat sortie, was destroyed in a crash landing at the end of sortie in which the Experte had shot down five bombers. Not visible in this profile is the double chevron denoting Streib's rank, painted aft of the cockpit.

Bf HOC 'G9+HL' of Oberst Werner Streib, Staffelkapitan 2./NJG 1, Giitersloh, July 1940
As Staffelkapitan of 2./NJG 1 at Gutersloh in July 1940, Streib flew this partially-marked machine still with its 3.Staffel detailing and day fighter finish. This practise was not unusual in the days when the night fighter force was equipped almost entirely with ex-Zerstorer Bf 110s.

Bf HOC 'G9+AC of Hauptmann Walter Ehle, Gruppenkommandeur ll./NJG 1, Arnhem-Deelen, October 1940
As the Gruppenkommandeur of ll./NJG 1 at Arnhem-Deelen in October 1940, Ehle was another pilot who had his rank chevron painted on his allocated aircraft. He flew all his night operations with NJG 1, and adding 35 night kills to the 3 he had previously achieved as a Zerstorer pilot, the first two of which were over Poland in 1939. These, plus his first six night kills, are painted on the fin of this machine, as is the common Roman 'II' aft of the badge, indicating the second Gruppe.

Bf 110E-2 'G9+BC of Leutnant Gustav Ullenbeck, Gruppen-Adjutant ll./NJG 1, Arnhem-Deelen, Spring 1941
Ullenbeck flew with ZG 76 in the Battle of Britain, during which he fired inconclusively at a Spitfire, before transferring to NJG 1. The aircraft depicted here was downed by flak on 9 May 1941 over Schleswig-Holstein, both occupants apparently escaping injury in the controlled belly-landing. Doubtless, signals were exchanged between the flak unit and NJG 1 -although the attentions of 'friendly fire' remained a constant hazard to the German night fighters. Despite Ullenbeck's aircraft being widely photographed, he is not known to have scored any night kills.

Bf HOC 'G9+BM' of Oberfeldwebel Hans Rasper, 4./NJG 1, Bergen, November 1940
While serving with NJG 1, based at Bergen, in November 1940, Rasper had his first two victories marked on the fin of his allocated aircraft, as was more or less standard practise with Nachtjagd Bf 110s. The 'Englandblitz' badge under the windscreen on both sides was also a common marking. Later flying with NJG 101, Rasper was credited with 8 night kills.

Bf HOC 'G9+LN' of Oberleutnant Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, 5./NJG 1, St Trond, Summer 1942
As a member of 5./NJG 1, based at St Trond, in Belgium, in the summer of 1942, future Experte Schnaufer had yet to score his first kill - but this came within a matter of weeks. The aircraft bears the relatively short-lived yellow rear fuselage band, which obviously compromised night camouflage, but was probably applied to assist visibility during the twilight and early morning sorties that the Nachtjagd tended to fly during its first weeks in existence. Schnaufer remained with NJG 1 until October 1944, when he transferred to NJG 4.

Bf 110C 'G9+GP' of Leutnant Helmut Niklas, 6./NJG 1, St Trond, May 1942
Operating from St Trond in May 1942, Niklas flew a standard Bf 110C, this particular machine bearing the single victory bar denoting his first kill - a significant milestone for any combat pilot. Flying with NJG 1, and later NJG 3, Niklas scored 8 victories. He was killed on 30 January 1944 during a period of heavy casualties for the Nachtjagd.

Bf 110G-4 'G9+WD' of Oberleutnant Martin Drewes,
Gruppenkommandeur III./NJG 1, Laon Athies, March 1944
Kommandeur of III.Gruppe NJG 1, based at Laon-Athies, in France, Drewes had his-then current 22 victories painted on the fin of this aircraft - a small individual touch was the rendering of a Knight's Cross above the scoreboard. The aircraft carried FuG 220 SN-2b and FuG 218 Lichtenstein C1 radars. Joining the Nachtjagd with two Zersforer kills, Drewes transferred to NJG 1 and stayed with the unit for the remainder of his service, scoring a grand total of 47 night victories.

Bf 110G 'G9+EF' of Major Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, Gruppenkommandeur IV /NJG 1, St Trond, October 1944
Gruppenkommandeur of IV./NJG 1 between March and October 1944, Schnaufer took his tally to 100 kills during this period. These were duly applied to the fin of his aircraft,, which was fully equipped with FuG 220 SN-2 radar and Schrage Musik.

Bf 110G-4 'G9+EZ' of Oberleutnant Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, Staffelkapitan 12./NJG 1, St Trond, February 1944
As Staffelkapitan of 12./NJG 1 in February 1944, Schnaufer used this Bf 110G-4, fitted with FuG 202 radar, an extended barrel nose cannon and Schrage Musik. The aircraft bears a tally of 47 kills scored by Schnaufer up to that time, his most recent being on the night of the 14th. Captured by the British at Grove, in Denmark, in May 1945, Schnaufer was interrogated and eventually allowed to return home.

Ju 88C-6 'R4+XM' of Major Prinz Heinrich zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, Geschwaderkommodore NJG 2, Stendal, January 1944
Kommodore of NJG 2 from 1 January 1944 until his death on the 21st, Sayn-Wittgenstein had his own aircraft allocated, but this machine had previously been damaged in combat and the prince borrowed another Ju 88 for the sortie on the night he died - this standard A.Staff el C-6 may well have been that aircraft. With the unit at Stendal, Germany, in January 1944, it boasted FuG 202 and FuG 220 SN-2 radar

Ju 88C-2 'R4+KL' of Leutnant Alfons Koster, 1./NJG 2, Gilze-Rijen, October 1941
1 ./NJG 2 was based at Gilze-Rijen, Holland, in October 1941 and engaged primarily on intruder duties, for which a black paint scheme with national insignia overpainted to complete the camouflage effect was ideal. Relatively few Luftwaffe units went to such lengths to hide their presence over enemy territory, but the cloak of anonomity yielded good results for the unit. Koster's successful career as an intruder pilot brought him 25 kills, his service career also taking in periods with NJGs 1 and 3 before he was killed on 7 January 1945.

Do 17Z-10 'R4+AK' of Hauptmann Erich Jung, Staffelkapitan 2./NJG 2, Gilze-Rijen, Autumn 1940
Again sporting the all-black paint finish adopted for the Nachtjagd virtually from its formation, the early Dornier night fighters were issued to a number of units, where they tended to back up the Ju 88s and Bf 110s - this example carried the Spanner infra-red sight. The grey code letters are relieved by virtually the only spots of colour on the aircraft - the red spinner tips, signifying the Staffel. Jung was the Staffelkapitan while the unit operated from Gilze-Rijen during the autumn of 1940. Flying only with NJG 2, he scored 28 victories at night.

Ju 88C-2 'R4+CK' of Leutnant Heinz Rokker, 2./NJG 2, Catania, 1942
When NJG 2 moved from Europe to Catania, Sicily, its aircraft adopted the theatre marking of a white rear fuselage band, which stood out boldly against the black overall paint. Rokker appears not to have marked his victories on this aircraft during the period, although he ultimately shot down 64 aircraft exclusively with NJG 2.

Do 215B-5 'R4+DC' of Oberleutnant Helmut Lent, Gruppenkommandeur II./NJG 2, Leeuwarden, 1942
A FuG 202-equipped aircraft in one of the non-standard 'factory' finishes applied to its night fighter variants by Dornier, this Do 215 also has an additional belly pack for the MG FF cannon. Photographic evidence would indicate that these exotic schemes, along with broadly interpreted Balkenkreuz dimensions, were not always painted over in 'regulation' colours for night fighters. The Gruppenkommandeur of ll./NJG 2 at Leewauden from November 1941 to October 1942, Lent was second only to Schnaufer in terms of night victories.

Ju 88C-6 'R4+AC' of Hauptmann Dr Horst Patuschka, Gruppenkommandeur ll./NJG 2, Comiso, Early 1943
By deleting the letter indicating the Staffel and merely chalking in the inividual aircraft letter for flight line indentification, the unit's groundcrew did all they could to 'hide' their Ju 88 charges from unauthorised eyes. But as the Kommandeur of l./NJG 2, Patuschka was entitled to put up his current victory total during operations from Comiso, Sicily, early in 1943. Serving only with NJG 2, Patuschka scored 23 victories before being killed in action (possibly in this very aircraft, Wk-Nr 360226) over Bizerte, Tunisia, on 6 March 1943.

Ju 88G-1 'R4+AC of Major Paul Semrau, Gruppenkommandeur ll./NJG 2, Kassel Rothwesten, Spring 1944
Semrau was Gruppenkommandeur of U.Gruppe between January and November 1944, when it operated from Kassel-Rothwesten, Germany. Although it bears no victory markings on the port side, Semrau's aircraft shows some individuality in that its nose armament had extended cannon barrels, one of numerous weapons variations possible with the G-series, which included the twin 20 mm belly pack shown here. The radar is SN-2, with FuG 227 Flensburg aerials on the wings. Another pilot who spent all his career with NJG 2, Semrau had scored 46 kills prior to death in action on 8 February 1945.

Ju 88G-6 '4R+AN' of Oberleutnant Erich Jung, 5./IMJG 2, Mainz-Finthen, March 1945
Flying a Ju 88 throughout his service with NJG 2, Erich Jung too served only with this one unit. Operating with 5./NJG 2 from Mainz-Finthen, Germany, in March 1945, Jung' s aircraft had SN-2, FuG 220 tail warning radar and twin Schrage Musik cannon in the mid fuselage point, one of three optional installations on the Ju 88G series. It also had the 'reversed' code '4R' rather than 'R4', which was quite common in NJG 5 from 1944 onwards. Jung scored 28 victories

Ju 88G-6 (Wk-Nr 622330) '4R+BR' of Oberleutnant Walter Briegleb, Staffelkapitan 7./NJG 2, Kassel-Rothwesten, Autumn 1944
Fitted with SN-2, FuG 220 and a forward Schrage Musik installation, this Ju 88 has its victory bars applied on the fin -a location favoured by most of the Experten known to have flown this type. By contrast to some of the early Ju 88s, Briegleb's G-6 was quite extensively marked, as was the per-ogative of a Staffelkapitan. Leading 7./NJG 2 while it was based at Kassel-Rothwesten during the autumn of 1944, Briegleb later transferred to NJG 3 but the score of 25 kills displayed here was not improved upon.

Bf 110C 'D5+AS' of Oberleutnant Walter Borchers, Staffelkapitan 8./NJG 3, Liineburg, Winter 1941-42
Borchers was the Staffelkapitan of 8./NJG 3 while it was stationed at Luneberg, Germany, during the winter of 1941-42. At that time, his aircraft carried night fighter codes over the retained Zerstorer finish, complete with the 'Haifisch' marking widely used by ll./ZG 76. This Bf 110 also kept the yellow band associated with the early night fighter force. To 11 kills as a Zerstbrer pilot, Borchers added another 48 at night while serving with NJGs 3 and 5. He was killed on 5 March 1945.

Bf 110G-4 'G9+BA' of Major Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, Geschwaderkommodore NJG 4, Schleswig, March 1945
An anomaly in that it apparently had the Stab marking 'A' rather than the individual aircraft letter in green, this aircraft was the last Bf 110 flown by the leading Nachtjagd Experte. When the war finished he was Geschwaderkommodore of NJG 4 , operating from Grove, in Denmark. This aircraft was fitted with FuG 218 Neptun radar and had the late war Eberspacher single pipe flame damping exhausts. Schnaufer and his unit's Bf 110s were captured by the British, who reportedly had this aircraft brought to England and put on public display in Hyde Park - quite understandably, given these provocative markings. Today, only the port fin survives.

Bf 110G '3C+MK' of Oberleutnant Martin Becker, 2./NJG 4, Florennes, Summer 1944
Based at Florrenes, France, during the summer of 1944, this SN-2b-equipped aircraft had an unusual treatment of the Balkenkreuz in that it had apparently been oversprayed and then partially re-applied in the form of a thin, dark grey outline. Becker's score at that time was 30, and these are represented on the fin in the usual style, but without the diagonal 'stripe', which in some instances was actually the pilot's name. Serving with NJGs 3, 4 and 6, Becker scored 53 kills.

Bf 11 OF '3C+AR' of Oberleutnant Hans-Karl Kamp, Staffelkapitan 7./NJG 4, Mainz-Finthen, Summer 1942
Another black Bf 110 in standard markings with grey codes. The individual aircraft letter was usually repeated on the extreme nose for the benefit of the groundcrew, and this machine has a dual Sfaffe//additional safety aid in that the tips of the spinners are painted white - it helped to see at least part of the aircraft if it was lined up on a dark dispersal with about a dozen others! Kamp was Staffelkapitan of 7./NJG 4, which flew from from Mainz-Finthen during the summer of 1942. He later transferred to JG 300 and had scored 23 kills by the time of his death on 31 December 1944.

Bf T10C '3C+LR' of Oberfeldwebel Reinhard Kollack, 7./NJG 4, Mainz-Finthen, Summer 1942
The common use of a white outline for the individual aircraft letter on black finish is shown here, this letter often being repeated on both the extreme nose and the leading edges of both wings inboard of the engines. Flying with 7./NJG 4 from Mainz-Finthen during mid-1942, Kollack had ten kills at that time. Early night fighter scores were represented by white bars without the detail applied later. Kollack ended the war with 49 kills, accumulated during service with NJGs 1 and 4.

Ju 88G-6 'C9+AA' of Maj Rudolf Schoenert, Geschwader-kommodore NJG 5, location unknown. Spring 1945
Geschwaderkommodore of NJG 5 from March to May 1945, Schoenert almost certainly had another aircraft that he flew regularly, this example being something of a radar test bed in NJG 5. Neither the rear fuselage aerial configuration for SN-2 or the tail warning radar was standard, although the aircraft also had SN-2 nose radar aerials. A 64-victory Experte, Schoenert flew with NJGs 1, 2, 5 and 100.

Bf 110G-4 'C9+AC of Oberleutnant Leopold Fellerer, Gruppenkommandeur II./NJG 5, Giitersloh, January 1944
Gruppenkommandeurof ll./NJG 5 from January to May 1944, Fellerer's unit operated from Giitersloh, Germany, in January when this aircraft was on strength. It exhibits some variation in the 22 victory bars in that two of them lack the diagonal stripe detail, possibly to indicate daylight kills. A FuG 202 Lichtenstein BC radar is fitted. Flying with NJGs 1, 5 and 6, Fellerer scored a total of 41 kills, his last Bf 110G, complete with decorated tailfin, being discovered by US troops.

Ju 88G-6 'C9+AC" of Major Hans Leickhardt, Gruppenkommandeur II. IN JG 5, Hagenau, late 1944
Gruppenkommandeur of ll./NJG 5 from May 1944 to March 1945, Leickhardt's machine is shown when operating from Magenau circa winter 1944-45. Leickhardt was apparently one of relatively few pilots to fly a Ju 88 in combat equipped with the latest Morgenstern radar. His aircraft bears a camouflage scheme that departed from previous 'standard' night figher colours, but a general change was in evidence in the last months of the war. Victor over 30 aircraft, Leickhardt flew with NJGs 1 and 5. He was killed on 5 March 1945.

Bf 110G-4 'C9+EN' of Oberleutnant Withelm Johnen, Staffelkapltan of 5./NJG 5, Hagenau, April 1944
Author of Duel Under the Stars, one of the few first-hand records of the Nachjagdpublished in English, Johnen achieved some notoriety by landing this aircraft, fully equipped with SN-2b and FuG 218 CI radar, in Switzerland in 1944. Its densely mottled fuselage was a variation in the generally-applied lighter schemes in vogue with the Nachtjagd at that time, but darker schemes in disruptive patterns were becoming popular. Johnen scored 34 victories and served with NJGs 1, 5 and 6.

Bf 110G-4 'C9+AD' of Major Paul Zorner, Gruppenkom-mandeur III./NJG 5, location unknown, mid 1944
Gruppenkommandeurof lll./NJG 5 from March to Octoberl 944, Paul Zorner was a highly skilled pilot dedicated to the Nachtjagd. His aircraft, fitted with FuG 220 SN-2b and Schrage Musik, could be said to reflect considerable pride in his branch of the Luftwaffe, the markings hardly being intended for either anonimity or concealment! Shown at a time when he had marked 42 kills on his aircraft, Zorner's final tally reached 59. His wartime service encompassed NJGs 2, 3, 5 and 100.

Bf 110G-4 'C9+AD' of Hauptmann Ulrich von Meien, Gruppenkommandeur lll./NJG 5, Konigsberg, winter 1944-45
As replacement for Paul Zorner as Gruppenkommandeur of lll./NJG 5, von Meien flew a similarly-marked Bf 110 to that of his illustrious predecessor from Konigsberg during the winter of 1944-45. An aircraft that represents almost the final paint finish for the Bf 110G, the fighter has a long-barrelled MG 151 nose cannon with flash suppressor, plus FuG 220 SN-2b and FuG 218 C1 radar. One of the pilots who flew with some of the lesser-known night fighter formations, von Meien scored nine victories during a career that took in service with NJGs 100 and 200, and finally, NJG 5.

Ju 88C-6 'C9+DE' of Hauptmann Prinz Heinrich zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, Gruppenkommandeur IV./NJG 5, Leipheim, early 1943
With its standard paintwork considerably dulled down, Sayn-Wittgenstein's victory tally had a number of linked victory bars, almost certainly indicating multiple kills in a single night. Applying these across the Hakenkreuz was a common enough practise in Ju 88 nightfighter units. Again the yellow fuselage band was applied to give some form of recognition on the ground and standard FuG 202 Lichtenstein C1 radar was fitted. The Gruppenkommandeur of IV./NJG 5 from late 1942 until August 1943 when it became l./NJG 100, the 'fighting prince' was a totally dedicated exponent of the Nachtjagd in general, and the Ju 88 in particular.

Ju 88G-6 'C9+AE' of Hauptmann Rudolf Altendorff, Grup penkommandeur IV./NJG 5, Langensabza, Autumn 1944
A Ju 88 in the most common overall camouflage for this type in the mid-1944 period, Altendorff's aircraft had aft-mounted Schrage Musik, SN-2 and FuG 220 tail warning radar. In common with a number of other pilots, Altendorff applied a rank chevron forward of the fuselage unit codes. He was Gruppenkommandeur of IV./NJG 5 when it operated from Langensbza in March 1944. With 25 night victories to his credit, Altendorff flew with NJGs 3, 4 and 5.

Bf 110G-2 '2Z+AC' of Hauptmann Rolf Leuchs, Gruppenkommandeur II /NJG 6, Echterdingen, March 1944
One of many Bf 110s that flew in camouflage more associated with Zerstorers than nightfighters, Leuchs' machine was unusual in that three shades of grey-green paint rather than the normal two were applied to the top surfaces. The aircraft was also unusual in having the early style Bf 110F vertical tail surfaces rather than the broad chord rudders of the G series, although this configuration was intended to be standard on variants fitted with FuG 202 radar. As Gruppenkommandeur of 11./NJG 6 operating from Echterdingen during March 1944, Leuchs served only with NJG 6, and scored 10 victories.

Ju 88G-6 'W7+AC' of Major Paul Zorner, Gruppenkommandeur II./NJG 100, Stubendorf, late 1944
Another rather plain Ju 88G fitted with FuG 220 and forward Schrage Musik, this example does not reflect the substantial victory tally already accrued by its pilot. Taking over as Gruppenkommandeur of ll./NJG 100 in July 1944, Zomer's unit was operating from Stubendorf, Germany, by late 1944. The original Eastern Front night fighter Geschwader, NJG 100's movements reflected Germany's waxing fortunes in the ill-fated campaign against the Russians.

Bf 109G-6 'Red 6' of Oberfeldwebel Arnold Doring, 2./JG 300, location unknown, August 1943
The original 'Wilde Sau' unit, JG 300's Bf 109s helped fill the gap caused by the Allied use of 'Window', which temporarily blinded radar and hampered the conventional night fighters. Doring's 2.Staffelexisted from August 1943, and the application of black paint over standard day fighter markings was relatively unusual. Unusual himself in that he scored nis first ten victories as a bomber pilot with KGs 53 and 55, Doring transferred to the 'Wilde Sau' force and also flew with ll./JG 300, before another change to NJG 2 and finally NJG 3.

Bf 109G-14 'Green 3' of Major Friedrich-Karl Muller, Gruppenkommandeur of I./NJG 11, Werneuchen, late 1944
In standard day fighter camouflage and markings, Muller's aircraft emphasises the dual role undertaken by the 'Wilde Sau' units at war's end. With the conventional Nachtjagdcoping with night raids, the use of day fighters at night waned -there was more than enough for them to do during daylight hours! As Gruppenkommandeurof l./NJG 11 flying from Werneuchen, Germany, in late 1944, Muller's 30 victories marked him as one of the leading ' Wilde Sau' pilot of the war. He had served with JG 300 and NJGr 10 before transferring to NJG 11. Muller's 'Green 3' scheme was resurrected in 1995 when German warbird enthusiast Hans Dittes had his recently restored Bf 109G-10 'hybrid' (the aircraft is an amalgamation of fuselage, undercarriage, propeller and cowling parts from G-10 Wk-Nr 151591, married to the wings of a G-6 instructional airframe supplied to Spain during World War 2, and powered by a DB 605D-1 engine found in a bricked-up room in a swimwear factory near Turin!) painted in the colours of the night fighter ace. It was subsequently operated in England by The Old Flying Machine Company, before being returned to Germany in late 1996.[/color]

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  [Video] Lucky Korean Airlines Pilot

Posted by: ~RGAF~JimbobQ
13.03.2007, 19:14
Forum: Screenshots, Images & Video
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This is what happens if you get Kai Tak Glidescope Wrong Big Grin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3z2xQmPwOg

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  1. All-Aircraft-Simulations