Wednesdays photo, and a very detailed shot of a Spitfire Mk IX of 403 Sq.

The Lat?co?re 631 was the result of a specification issued in 1936 by the Direction G?n?rale de l'Aviation Civile for a 40-passenger airliner with a range of 4,000 kilometres (2,500 mi). The aircraft was ordered in 1938. It was intended that it would be powered by six Gnome et Rh?ne P.18 engines of 1,650 horsepower (1,230 kW) each. A competitor for this specification was the SNCASE SE.200 Amphitrite.

Construction of the aircraft was stopped due to the outbreak of World War II and was not resumed until after the signing of the Franco-German Armistice. The prototype, registered F-BAHG, first flew on 11 November 1942. It was subsequently confiscated by the Germans, and passed to the Luftwaffe, who allocated the codes 61+11. The aircraft was flown to Lake Constance, where it was destroyed in an attack by two Royal Air Force de Havilland Mosquito aircraft on 17 April 1944.

The second aircraft, F-BANT, first flew on 7 March 1945. It was powered by six Wright Cyclone engines of 1,600 horsepower (1,200 kW) each. Four aircraft were purchased by Air France, and entered service on the Biscarosse-Port-?tienne-Fort de France route in July 1947. The aircraft were withdrawn from service in August 1948 following the loss of F-BDRC. SEMAF operated two aircraft until 1950, when the survivor was withdrawn following the loss of F-BANU. The Soci?t? France Hydro operated one aircraft until it was lost on 10 September 1955. This was the last flying aircraft, with the remaining four survivors being scrapped. The Lat?co?re 631 was not a success due to it being unreliable and uneconomic to operate.
But she was a real looker

Weekend extra, and a great closeup of B-26C 42-107582 The Shark coded RJ-B of the 454th Bomb Sq 323rd BG at Earls Colne.

A Martin B-26G-25-MA Marauder (s/n 44-68160) from the 586th BS, 394th BG. Of Major General Samuel E. Anderson'S 9Th Bombardment Div., Looses Two 2000 Pound Bombs Two Miles Above The Rail Yard At Ulm, Germany, Midway Between Stuttgart And Augsburg.

Marauder Mark I FK138 at Prestwick Ayrshire shortly after arriving from the USA. This aircraft subsequently served with No. 14 Squadron RAF in the Mediterranean theatre.

And Marauder Mk.IA,This aircraft was received by the RAF in Africa with 14 Sqn on June 16th, 1942. It was MIA during attack on convoy off Aghios Giorgios Island January 3rd, 1943.

Weekend extra.
The 22nd Bomb Group was constituted on 22 December 1939 and activated on 1 February 1940. They moved to Langley in the summer of 1941. The 22nd Bomb Group were given the first B-26 Marauders off the production line. But there were problems with a weight distribution issues (These aircraft were really used for test, operational evaluation, and operational training, processes that proved troublesome. The B-26 was a very "hot" aircraft in a number of different ways, and it was a handful for inexperienced pilots. Early deliveries also didn't have full combat fit, leaving them noseheavy and causing nosewheel strut failures. ) and the B-26's were grounded.

Mid week photos.
Two this week of P-47D Thunderbolt serial 42-26044 ?Silver Lady? HV-Z of the 61st Fighter Squadron, 56th FG.

Staying with the 56th.
P-47M Thunderbolt LM-J serial number 44-21117 named Teddy assigned to MAJ Mike Jackson of the 62nd Fighter Squadron.

Major Mike Jackson of the 56th Fighter Group, standing alongside the crew chief, of his P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft.

Weekend extra.
Taken from the "LIFE Collections" .
Photos by Peter Stackpole taken near San Diego.

Mid week photo's.
Four this week of Douglas DC-3B cn 1922, NC17312, at TWA Grand Central Air Terminal Burbank 1937.