Grandads WWII Photo's

[Wildcat]

Fantastic photos! Thanks for sharing them. I love the shot of the P-47's buzzing the Kittyhawks.

 

[JasonF]

To further what Crimea River kindly forwarded, location is most probably Udine-Campoformido, Friuli.
Is by chance your grandfather Lt. Noel Lennard Johnson ?

Thanks for sharing
Marc

Hi Marc,

No my Grandfather's name was Thomas Edmonds. His nick name back then was "Tom" and sometimes "Ed".
I couldnt tell you what his rank was back then?

Jason

 

[CATCH 22]

Hi Guy's

I have a selection of WWII aircraft photo's from my Grandfathers memoirs. After he passed away i scanned a few of them and they have been siting on my Mac for some time. I thought i should probably share some of them to places where there might be some interest.
All i know for sure is that he was with 1AD in the South African Air Force, and was based in Egypt and later sent to Italy.
So here it goes... Hope you enjoy them.

Hi Jason,
Some great photos in your granddad's collection. Actually all of them are great. Are there any notes on the back of each photo or were those developed from negatives after the war?
I'm asking because often one can find valuable information on the back of a photo as well.
The B-25 "Mitchell" (2-nd photo in your post # 1) caught my attention for several reasons.

1. This is a "Fat Cat" or a "hack" - not a bomber anymore. Used for supply flights and/or as a transport. "Mitchells" were loved for their characteristics and used by many squadrons or groups (fighters, bombers etc.), not only by the B-25 units.
2. This is an old model B-25, C or D, not a J, with all armament removed (no top turret, nose guns etc.).
3. Fun factor # 1: the serial number (s/n) is 41-29479 - this is not a B-25 serial! I believe it's possible that the ruder is from a different a/c and was recently installed. One can see that the second tail is 100% camouflaged. The second B-25 behind has a camouflaged tail as well.
4. The first 3 numbers (if original) put this a/c in the 41-29xxx group of serials, which are from the B-25D, D-1 or D-5 blocks. The 479-ruder could be from a much newer , not camouflaged J-model, who knows.
5. Interestingly enough the Clayton type "S" exhausts were factory installed effective on B-25D-15 s/n 41-30353 and subsequent. This means either the engines have been replaced earlier (not uncommon for older a/cs) or the tail is not original.
6. The darker panel on the top of the a/c is the panel over the life-raft hatch. It could be a spare from a different (camouflaged) a/c too.
7. Judging by the size and style of the white number 6, this can be an a/c from the 321-st BG. in 1944. At that time the 12-th BG. (also using similar numbers) was moved to the CBI and the 321-st BG. changed from roman numerals to the simpler "number in unit" system.
7a. Or it could be an original a/c from the 12th BG. used by another group in the MTO, after the 12-th left the theater.
8. I can't really see is this the top corner of a waist window visible above the engine nacelle's rear end, in front of the national insignia or is it just a shadow? Is there any chance to scan this photo with a higher resolution? It could be a modified a/c - my all time favorites!
9. The second B-25 in your post #3 is a different a/c: possibly a B-25C, still in "sand"-camouflage, IMHO another 'hack' (no armament).
Cheers!

 

[vikingBerserker]

Dang, I was just about to say that!

Seriously, nicely done!

 

[DBII]

What a treasure. I just found the thread. I am interested the post # 7. Did anyone have information on the P47 with the ? on the tail, maybe a WW? I was also surpriswd the see British P40s in the same photo as American P47s.

 

[Capt. Vick]

Is that an Savoia-Marchetti SM. 82 on its side in the background?

 

[Airspeed]

Jason,
I'm late to the scene, but many thanks for those absolute gems.

 

[fubar57]

What a treasure. I just found the thread. I am interested the post # 7. Did anyone have information on the P47 with the ? on the tail, maybe a WW? I was also surpriswd the see British P40s in the same photo as American P47s.

Markings on the tail (yellow tail stripe with black borders) are for the 27th Fighter Group. Tail markings also included a letter

P-47D Thunderbolt "W" "Mary" nose art of the 27th Fighter Group | World War Photos

P-47D Thunderbolt "W" "Mary" nose art of the 27th Fighter Group

www.worldwarphotos.info

EDIT: Post #17. The markings on the cowl flaps also seem support the 27th FG, 524th Fighter Squadron. To me they look yellow
EDIT the EDIT: For some reason the 524thFS is listed on an RAF 112 Fighter Squadron site. I found many photos and info of this squadron carrying the "?" mark code, one being an ""A" Commander" so maybe the 524th Squadron Leader did this as well instead of a letter on the tail

 

[fubar57]

Added info

 

[Django]

Jason, those are some great photos! I would like to talk to you about using some of your Grandfather's images in a book that I am working on.

 

[yosimitesam]

My Grandfather also had quite a unique, but eerie photograph of Benito Mussolini and Mistress Claretta Petacci looking "a bit hungry", and hanging upside down in the Piazza Loreto in Milan.

Here are a few more from his collection. I wont post the Mussolini photo without Moderator's approval. Would hate to get blocked or banned on my first topic and 3rd post!

View attachment 620824.

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It would be interesting to know how he managed to get the picture of Mussolini and Petacci

Great photos. I read (somewhere) that the treatment of Mussolini and his mistress's bodies was the reason Hitler issued instructions that his and Eva's bodies were to be burned completely after their suicides.

 

[Engineman]

Here is a few more...
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POST #3. Pranged B-17, (4)48803 is recorded as crashed at Lucera. That is in the huge Foggia airfield complex. Suspect that quite a few of these pics are in that area.

Eng

 

[Snautzer01]

Hi Jason,

Great shots - a lot of things there that were rarely photographed! That Mosquito was an NF.30 night fighter flown by the 416th Night Fighter Squadron from November 1944 through shortly after VE-Day. (The 416th was the only AAF night fighter squadron to fly Mosquitos.) They were based at Pisa, then Pontadera, though I can't be sure the photo was taken at either base.

I've been studying and writing about America's involvement with the Mosquito since my first trip to the Archives in 1972. Is there any chance you can share a high-resolution scan of that shot and permission to publish it? I've got a book in the works about America's search for a night fighter, and I'd love to include that image.

Cheers,



Dana

Date:	Monday 30 May 1949
Time:
Type:	de Havilland Mosquito NF.30
Owner/operator:	Belgisch Militaire Vliegwezen
Registration:	MB-6
MSN:	MT465
Fatalities:	Fatalities: / Occupants:
Aircraft damage:	Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:	Bevekom (B) - Belgium
Phase:
Nature:
Departure airport:	EBBE Bevekom
Destination airport:	EBBE Bevekom

Narrative:
1948-02-04: taken on charge by the Belgian Air Force as MB-6
1949-05-30: at EBBE Bevekom Cat.? crash,
1949-05-00: date out