Down In Flames

[Njaco]

How the heck can anybody keep up with all these threads and their relationships? Ofcource Njaco should have in this case, but that will dealt with by us uber-Mods.

[cough, cough]

Again? d@mn.....................................

 

[Matt308]

Seriously, I can't keep up with 95% of the threads on this forum. I try not to get in a mod rut of only closely following a few threads, but dang there is a lot of activitiy here.

 

[Crimea_River]

It's actually pretty logical how I discovered this. After Chris started the thread, I wanted to contribute by googling "aircraft shot down" or something like that, and after looking at potential images, found the link to our old thread. What goes around, comes around!

 

[Matt308]

Well this one is a beauty!

 

[WJPearce]

Found this one today. To be honest, they all leave me a little numb and speechless. We owe so much to them all.

USAAF B-17 Flying Fortress bomber "Whizzer II", serial number 42-5786, 840th Bombardment Squadron / 483rd Bomber Group hit by flak during mission over the Yugoslav city of Nis, April 25, 1944. All crew KIA.

James O. Preston P * Bowerton, OH
Harry L. Johnston CP * Galesburg, IL
Gordon G. Lindholm N * Welch, MN
Jesse D. Gresham B * Los Angeles, CA
John T. Cieslak R * Milwaukee, WI
James E. Cooper TG * Raleigh, NC
Albert H. Cline LW * Baltimore, MD
John C. Toutant E * Webster, MA
Harold J. Pierce BT * Oklahoma City, OK
Jack Brown, Jr. RW * Greer, SC

 

[GrauGeist]

I remember reading about the B-24 in the original post (8th photo down, file: "b-24_destroyed.jpg") and how the ball turret had been thrown clear. It's impossible to imagine what that gunner must have been experiencing as it fell the 5 miles to earth...

 

[syscom3]

The 10th picture down, you can see a crewman getting out of an escape hatch behind the pilots. The bomb bay was in flames and there was only one way out. Hope he jumped clean and nothing caught fire.

 

[Capt. Vick]

That last picture looks...odd...just saying

 

[syscom3]

That last picture looks...odd...just saying

The B17 on fire high over the marshaling yards? Whats odd about it? I saw the same picture decades ago.

 

[J dog]

I didn't see anything wrong with it. can you please explain?

 

[Capt. Vick]

Well not to put too fine a point on it, it looked photoshopped. But, if you say you have seen the same picture decades, or more ago, than I must be wrong. I meant to disrespect to the brave American airmen who likely lost their lives, nor do I accuse any one of actually doctoring the photograph.

 

[GrauGeist]

It is possible that the image looks a little bit odd because the depth-of-field is a bit short, making the bomber look almost surreal against the blurry landscape...if it weren't for the horrific nature of the subject, I'd say it was a really cool shot

 

[Capt. Vick]

Yeah, that must be it. Evidently it's a close-up of a much larger picture...

 

[syscom3]

The picture I first saw it in was in the book "Flying Fortress" by Edward Jablonski. Page 237. Date of book is 1965. I think we can say that it wasn't photoshopped at that date.

 

[syscom3]

Burning bomber B-25 (North American B-25J-10-NC Mitchell, serial number 43-36192, "Jaunty Jo" of the 345th Bombardment Group, hit by anti-aircraft artillery bombarded the Japanese refinery in Byoritsu Island Taiwan.

Crew killed. The crew of the aircraft were:
1st pilot - 2nd Lt. Robert J. Knauf
2nd pilot - 2nd Lt. Martin H. Mulner Jr.
Navigator - 1st Lt. Lloyd E. Bodell
gunner Corporal Harold O. Montville
gunner Sergeant Tennyson C. Harrell.

Location: Byoritsu, Taiwan, China
Time taken: 05/25/1945

 

[WJPearce]

Yeah, that must be it. Evidently it's a close-up of a much larger picture...

Hello all,

Regarding the B-17 Whizzer II photo, I did a little checking and I think this is a situation where everyone is right. It is a real photo, it is a close up of a larger photo, and it has probably been "enhanced" to sharpen and whatever. I do hope that is all. But I also admit the right wing is beginning to look a little suspicious to me. What do you all think? Here is the original (not sure of source).
http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x377/bipe85/scan0002-2.jpg

Regards,

 

[Njaco]

man, thats horrible...............................

 

[syscom3]

WJPearce .... The picture I have from 1965 is exactly the same as posted here. Wing and flame details are exact. I will agree the picture was adjusted for contrast, but nothing more.

Multiple pictures were probably taken a couple seconds apart. Both in circulation.

 

[tyrodtom]

Both pictures have the aircraft in the same relative position to the railroad tracks below, it's the same picture.

 

[SPEKTRE76]

man, thats horrible...............................

I know right, imagine having to see and hear that happen and have to listen to your buddies on the radio screaming. War is hell no matter what side you're on.