Picture of the day. (6 Viewers)

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Can I also thank everyone for their observations on the B24 photo.

Just a little bit more on the B-24 photo; I think, like wot Syscom stated, the aerial was LORAN which was fitted to a number of the RAAF B-24s, including 12 of the first 14 Aussie B-24s delivered. Also fitted with Norden bombsights, these 12 B-24s went to 24 Squadron, the first operational RAAF B-24 squadron. B-24J A72-31 in the photo first went to 24 Sqn (hence the ops markings visible on '-31's nose) before going to 7 OTU at Tocumwal, which was set up in February 1944 to receive the B-24s as the RAAF's heavy conversion unit. From the end of May 1944 it got its first B-24s and initially had six B-24s, two Vengeances and a single Airspeed Oxford. 7 OTU was to be the largest operator of RAAF Liberators; its aircraft can be distinguished by the yellow and black last digits of each aircraft's RAAF serial on their noses. Sadly, 200 of the RAAF's 287 Liberators were reduced to aluminium ingots at Tocumwal and Archerfield post war.
 
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Great pic George, and the first I've seen of the Canadian-based OTU Mitchells. The Mitchell (Grumpy) that was based at Duxford until 2009, when it went to the USA, was one of these, a MkII.
 
Teaching young Luftwaffe pilots how to get through a B-24s defensive firepower............ looking closer it seems almost nobody is paying attention, there's probably an aircraft flying past!



Looks like they forgot to mark the ball turret's arc of fire.
 
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Hi Geo, Grumpy was built as a B-25D; the RAF designated both the B-25C and 'D the Mitchell II. The next RAF variant was the Mitchell III or the B-25J. The Mitchells in the 5 OTU image are interesting as they are B-25Ds (Mitchell IIs), but they have the waist guns and improved visibility rear gunner's station of the later B-25H and J, but with the turret aft of the wing box as in the C and D models.

5 OTU was established in 1944 to train RAF pilots on the B-24, but also had B-25s, the predominant B-24 model being the Liberator VI or B-24J.
 

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