Photo of the week
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This weekends photos.
And some wonderful detailed photos of Junkers Ju 87 D-5's of the German unit 1./SG 3, taken in Finland in 1944.
In June–August 1944, 1./SG 3 formed a core part of Gefechtsverband Kuhlmey (Detachment Kuhlmey), a temporary ad-hoc Luftwaffe unit deployed to the Immola Airfield in Finland during the Finnish-Soviet Continuation War.
While stationed in Finland under the command of Oberstleutnant Kurt Kuhlmey, 1./SG 3 (led by Staffelkapitän Oblt. Hans Törfer) flew hundreds of close-air-support and ground-attack sorties against Soviet forces. -
This weeks extra.
And a nice close up of a Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-6, probably of 1./SG 3, Finland 1944.
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This midweeks photos.
And a couple of shots taken in Finland of a Focke-Wulf 190 F-8 of the German 1./SG 5, Black 10.
Initially flying the Junkers Ju 87 .
The unit transitioned to Focke-Wulf Fw 190 (F-3/F-8) fighter-bombers in mid-1944. It operated in the northern sector under Luftflotte 5, including notable deployments in Finland (such as Immola and Pori as part of Gefechtsverband Kuhlmey in summer 1944). -
This weekends photos.
And a couple of shots of a Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-6 belonging to Major Erich Rudorffer, commander of II JG 54,taken during the Continuation War.
Erich Rudorffer (1 November 1917 – 8 April 2016) was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace who was one of a handful who served with the Luftwaffe through the whole of World War II. He was one of the most successful fighter pilots in the history of air warfare, with 222 victories claimed. Rudorffer fought in all the major German theaters of war, including the European and Mediterranean Theater of Operations and the Eastern Front. During the war he flew more than 1000 combat missions, engaging in aerial combat over 300 times. Rudorffer was shot down by flak and enemy fighters 16 times and had to take to his parachute nine times. -
This weekends extra.
P-47D Thunderbolt nicknamed Mary of the 27th Fighter Group, 12th Air Force in Germany, 1945
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This midweeks photo.
Ground personnel of the 6th Bomb Group, 20th Air Force work on a B-29 Superfortress "Miss America 62" on Tinian.
B-29A survivor, "Miss America 62", S/N 42-65281, is on display at the Travis Air Force Base Aviation Museum in California
The aircraft was built at the Glenn L. Martin Company's Omaha, Nebraska assembly line in December of 1944. It was assigned to the 20th Air Force, 6th Bombardment Group, 24th Bombardment Squadron on Tinian Island. The pilot was Bruce R. Alger, who nicknamed his plane "Miss America 62" for his newborn daughter who he figured would be eligible to be the winner of the Miss America pageant in 1962.
The plane was marked with the "Circle R" on its tail, and flew combat missisons from Tinian to Japan and Japanese held islands, and credit with shooting down two enemy aircraft.
After World War II, she flew with the 301st Bomb Group of the Strategic Air Command. During the Korean War, she flew with the 373rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron.
In October 1945 Miss America '62 returned to the United States and was assigned to the 4196th Base Unit (Air Technical Services Command) at Victorville Field, CA. She was modified for weather reconnaissance and flew with the 373rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, Kindley Air Base, Bermuda during the Korean War. Finally, she served as a target tug, at Randolph AFB Texas when its service ended.
Afterwards, the B-29 was sent to NAS China Lake for use as a target and then stored at NAS China Lake from 1960 - 1985.
In late 1985, the B-29 was dismantled and loaded into a C-5 for the flight to the Travis Aviation Museum. After its arrival at the museum, work began to reassemble the B-29. As the layers of paint were removed, the last layer of paint yielded the her orginal nose art - Miss America '62. It and the Enola Gay (now in the USAF Museum) are the only two known restored "Circle R" aircraft.
