Two this week.

Ground personnel of the 387th Bomb Group work on the engines of a shark mouth B-26 Marauder (serial number 42-96165) nicknamed "The Big Hairy Bird".

B-26 Marauder (serial number 42-96165) nicknamed "The Big Hairy Bird" of the 397th Bomb Group takes off from P?ronne, January 1945.
Same aircraft different tail markings

I see a photo like this and weep that all we have is a frankenplane B-26!

Three this week.

Avro Lancaster bombers nearing completion at the A V Roe & Co Ltd factory at Woodford in Cheshire, 1943.

Rear fuselages also at Woodford.

Mosquito's being built at Hatfield 1943.

This weeks bonus & staying with RAF bombers.
A wonderful close up of Halifax (NP-F, serial number LV907) nicknamed "Friday the 13th" of No 158 Squadron, RAF at East Wretham, home of the 359th Fighter Group.

Five this week taken at Mount Farm.
Of Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress JW-M 41-2629,used for training purposes, delivered to McDill Mar 7, 1942, Assigned to 97BG/340BS at Polebrook, UK late Mar 1942; transferred to 100BG at Thorpe Abbotts, UK, early 1943; transferred to 92BG Bovington, UK late 1943; RETUS to 121 BU BradleyJul 5, 1945; transferred to RFC and sold for scrap at Altus Aug 6, 1945.

Looks like RAF paints in a camo pattern. Probably flew some of the early B-17 missions with the 97th BG?

Two this week of P-51 Mustang serial number 44-63279,named Mr. Ted II, of the 83rd Fighter Squadron, 78th Fighter Group, Duxford, pilot was Col. Frederick C Gray Jr. Abilene.

Four this week.

An A-20 Havoc of the 422nd Night Fighter Squadron on a visit to Debden.

An A-20 Havoc of the 48th Fighter Group, painted in black.

An A-20 Havoc (G) visiting Bassingbourn, home of the 91st Bomb Group, 1944.

An A-20 Havoc (S, serial number AL 672) used by 9th Air Force Headquarters, takes off at Chalgrove...

Ten this week.
5th Emergency Rescue Squadron
The history of the 5th ERS - the "Shepherd of the Seas"
During WW2, the RAF perfected a very good system of Air-Sea Rescue (ASR) to pick up fighter and bomber crews from the English Channel. This operation relied on aircraft and shipping relaying the position of a crew in the drink back to control stations. Motor boats and Walrus seaplanes from various bases around the coast would then head to the reported position to pick up the men. When the US Army Air Corps came to England they had no such system and, when they started losing crews in the sea, decided to set about forming their own air-sea rescue operation.

With the coming of the invasion imminent, a conference was called on the 8th May 1944 at the Air Ministry between representatives of the RAF, the 8th Air Force, and the 65th Fighter Wing. It was decided that the 65th Fighter Wing would take responsibility for air-sea rescue.

Captain Bob Gerhart, a former wing controller, was appointed CO of an independent ASR spotter squadron. The controllers based at Saffron Walden would have direct contact with the spotter planes and rescue launches. The aircraft, ground crews, pilots and all the equipment necessary had to be borrowed from other fighter groups. Because Hub Zemke was a very respected fighter leader he was asked to provide ?war weary? aircraft and a piece of ground at his Boxted base for them to use. Bob Gerhart started with 90 enlisted men from 16 different stations, 25 pilots and ground officers ?loaned?, no hanger and virtually no tools. Fortunately Zemke and his executive officer, Dave Schilling, were fully behind the idea, and loaned and scrounged as much equipment as possible. So barely a week after the conference, detachment "B" of the 65th fighter wing had flown its first mission.

How the system worked
Whenever a bomber mission was launched, two P-47 "Thunderbolts" of the ASR would take off from Boxted. The aircraft would track the bombers over the channel listening for any distress calls. When a call for help came, one P-47 would keep circling over the spot where the incident occurred. The aircraft would also drop flares or a small dinghy, then return to base to refuel and be replaced by another P-47. The other original Thunderbolt would keep listening in case there were any further incidents. So, all the time bomber formations were over the channel, there were two P-47?s in the air keeping watch. When a pilot or crewman came down in the sea, motor launches would be alerted to pick them up.

Perfecting the art
Initially the additional weight of the flare racks and dinghies caused major problems for the P-47's on take-off. They found that by splitting the dinghy packs and putting one under each wing, then using a single 150 gallon belly fuel tank and mounting the flares behind it, the capabilities of the P-47?s was restored . The airplanes were identified by red, white and blue striped noses and yellow banded tails. The group?s radio call sign was ?teamwork?. The pilots were given the nickname ?seagulls?. Later the group were given Catalina flying boats to help with rescues and, as these aircraft needed hard standings, detachment "B" moved to Halesworth. It was here that they received their official unit code of the 5th Emergency Rescue Squadron.

The 5th ERS's acheivement
A total of 938 men were rescued by this unit. In a memo to Lt. General James Doolittle, Commanding General of the 8th Air Force, Jesse Auton said "Most recently as ?Colegate? and earlier as ?Morelight?, ?Warmsun? and ?Tackline? call signs, the 65th Fighter Wing has had a vital part in the control of every 8th Air Force mission since 4th July 1943. A constant phase of this control has been for air-sea rescue. The many loyal men who have laboured unceasingly to make rescue more swift and sure, deserve great credit for making what is certain to be a lasting legacy."
Text from here - http://www.boxted-airfield.com/groups/5th-emergency-rescue-squadron

Two this week of Fortress MK-III/HB771, ex RAF,now used as a transport/laison 42-97108 by the 8th Air Force Service Command,with AFSC black-yellow bands on tail tip,& invasion stripes!!


History -
Delivered Tacoma 1/2/44; Dorval 14/2/44; Assigned RAF [HB-771] as Fortress III; before transferred back to USAAF 18/3/44, converted to a transport and liaison aircraft, complete with invasion stripes prior to D-Day; Returned to the USA 24/1/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Walnut Ridge 19/12/45.
This weeks bonus
Taken November 25th 1940,Glenn L. Martin Company?s test pilot William K. (?Ken?) Ebel, co-pilot Ed Fenimore and flight engineer Al Malewski made the first flight of the first B-26 Marauder, Army Air Corps serial number 40-1361.



Below taxiing November 28th.