USAF?

[rex]

What is this 1945 aircraft? Is it USAF? Could this be Morotai, Ambon, Tarakan or Balikpapan?

 

[Wurger]

IMHO it is a B-24 belonged to the USAF. The 1945 is very likely.

 

[Snautzer01]

Style of looks a lot like scoll to end.

Before&After7

307BG

b-24.weebly.com

 

[Wurger]

The pic is trimmed and not the entire number can be seen. It should be 946. She belonged to the 307th Bomb Group, the 13th AF. The Group consisted of the 370th BS, the 371st BS, the 372nd BS and the 424th BS.

the pic source: 307th Bomb Group Nose Art

 

[Wurger]

Yep ... B-24J s/n. 44-40946 and belonged to the 372nd BS. If 372nd squadron so the airfields were:
On January 9, 1944 moved to Munda Airfield on New Georgia.
On May 13, 1944 moved to Mokerang Airfield on Los Negros.
On August 22, 1944 moved to Wakde Airfield ( (operated from: Kornasoren (Yebrurro) Airfield, Noemfoor).
On November 10, 1944 moved to Wama Airfield on Morotai.

So the requested pic may be taken in 1944 or 1945. It should be checked when the squadron started using of the B-24J. It looks like they got the bomber variant in the mid of the 1944.

the source: Aviation – Literary Art and Illustration
the info:

Pacific Wrecks - 372th Bombardment Squadron (372th BS)

Assigned to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF), 13th Air Force (13th AF), 307th Bombardment Group (307th BG) in the South Pacific (SOPA).

pacificwrecks.com

Pacific Wrecks - Mokerang Airfield, Manus Province, Papua New Guinea (PNG)

Mokerang Airfield was on Mokerang Point at the northwest tip of Los Negros in the Admiralty Island Group (Admiralty Islands).

pacificwrecks.com

Pacific Wrecks - Wakde Airfield, Sarmi Regency, Papua Province, Indonesia

Wakde Airfield encompasses Wakde Island off the northern coast of New Guinea built by the Japanese and expanded by the Americans, disused today.

pacificwrecks.com

 

[rex]

What is this 1945 aircraft? Is it USAF? Could this be Morotai, Ambon, Tarakan or Balikpapan?

Thanks. We're the B24 based in Morotai, Tarakan and Balikpapan?

 

[Wurger]

Thanks. We're the B24 based in Morotai, Tarakan and Balikpapan?

On Morotai the squadron based at the Wama Airfield. In September 1945 was moved to the Clark Field, Luzon, Philippines,

 

[rex]

On Morotai the squadron based at the Wama Airfield. In September 1945 was moved to the Clark Field, Luzon, Philippines,

Thanks. Trying to work out my father's movements in 1945. Looks like he was working in Morotai not just passing through. At Wama would the USAF and RAAF have shared aircraft servicing facilities?

 

[Wurger]

According to the Pacific Wreck site .. yes the airfield was also used by the RAAF.

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)
No. 79 Squadron (Spitfire) 1945
No. 452 Squadron (Spitfire) arrived December 11, 1944 – June 29, 1945 departed Tarakan
No. 457 Squadron (Spitfire) arrived February 1945 – June 19, 1945 departed Labuan

Pacific Wrecks - Wama Airfield (Guama) North Maluku Province, Indonesia

Wama Airfield is parallel to the southern coast of Morotai Island (Moratai) in the Maluku Islands (Moluccas Islands).

pacificwrecks.com

 

[rex]

Wurger.. thanks again. No.452 Sqd departed Tarakan June 29 1945. Balikpapan main attack was July 1 1945 when my father's PBY crashed. I wonder did Spitfires attack Balikpapan on June 29 or 30 before the bigger landings?
I wonder if this photo is Balikpapan..looks unbombed!

 

[Wurger]

Wurger.. thanks again. No.452 Sqd departed Tarakan June 29 1945. Balikpapan main attack was July 1 1945 when my father's PBY crashed. I wonder did Spitfires attack Balikpapan on June 29 or 30 before the bigger landings?
I wonder if this photo is Balikpapan..looks unbombed!

I found that the no.452 Squadron ground staff were sent to Juwata airfield on Tarakan on the 10th of May 1945, but the state of the landing field was such that it was not fit for the aircraft of the squadron until the 29th of June. The squadron undertook missions against Kelabaken and Simalumong on 2 July. The further attacks occurred on Tawoa on 10 July. A detachment moved to Balikpapan on 15 July and began operations to support Australian troops there. So it seems the squadron Spits were used operationally from the Tarakan airfield from the end of the June. But what it was the kind of a mission ...no info.

Also I have found the info ...

452 Squadron relocated to Tarakan in May 1945 and flew in support of the Balikpapan operation. Squadron Leader Kevin Milne Barclay (035247), DFC, took over as Commanding Officer on 4 June 1945. They flew their first operation on 30 June 1945. From July 1945, the Spitfires of 452 Squadron operated with Kittyhawks in a ground attack role.

And also ...

While the infantry of the 26th Brigade Group fought the Japanese in the hills, the RAAF engineers of No. 61 Airfield Construction Wing were engaged in a desperate effort to bring Tarakan's airstrip into operation. As the airstrip had been heavily damaged by pre-invasion bombing and lay in marshy terrain it proved much more difficult to repair than had been expected and it took eight weeks and not the expected single week to restore the strip to a usable state. Extensive use was made of Marston Mat, interlocking steel plates laid down like matting. Remnants of the plates still exist in the car park at Tarakan airport.
While the airstrip was finally opened on 28 June this was too late for it to play any role in supporting the landings in Brunei or Labuan (10 June), or the landings at Balikpapan. Unfortunately, the strip remained too rough to handle the large twin-engine Beaufighters and it could be used only by single-engine aircraft, the Kittyhawks and Spitfires of 78 (Fighter) Wing. Even then, the strip was perilous for the fighter pilots. However No. 78 Wing RAAF was based on Tarakan from 28 June and flew in support of the Balikpapan operation until the end of the war.

Nevertheless, as mentioned, air operations began from Tarakan on June 30th – just one day before the Balikpapan landing. As the air planners could not be sure when Tarakan would become operational, initial air cover for Balikpapan was provided by American P-38 Lightenings operating at extreme range from the Southern Philippines. Three US Navy escort carriers were also used in case bad weather prevented the Lightenings from reaching the target. The Americans also provided most of the heavy bomber support during the landing.
So once Tarakan airstrip opened, and operations were finally underway, what did the RAAF achieve? 78 (Fighter) Wing began flying combat missions from the strip on June 30th. Despite the difficult flying conditions, the wing mounted a significant effort in support of the Balikpapan landing and the continuing operations in North Borneo.

As mentioned, the delay in opening Tarakan airfield caused despair among the RAAF engineers who struggled to repair it. During the second half of May and through June morale in 78 Wing was also in a slump while its pilots waited impatiently on Morotai. The Operations Record Book of 80 Squadron noted that during May the 'morale of the whole squadron is lower than ever before, due to the continued inactivity'. But once Tarakan airfield became operational at the end of June, morale rose accordingly. On June 30th the Operations Record Book of 452 Squadron hit an optimistic note: 'all personnel are pleased to see our aircraft once more engaged against the enemy, all look to the future with keen anticipation

the info source: A Wasted Effort? – The RAAF and the Battle for Tarakan – Part 2 – MHHV

 

[rex]

I found that the no.452 Squadron ground staff were sent to Juwata airfield on Tarakan on the 10th of May 1945, but the state of the landing field was such that it was not fit for the aircraft of the squadron until the 29th of June. The squadron undertook missions against Kelabaken and Simalumong on 2 July. The further attacks occurred on Tawoa on 10 July. A detachment moved to Balikpapan on 15 July and began operations to support Australian troops there. So it seems the squadron Spits were used operationally from the Tarakan airfield from the end of the June. But what it was the kind of a mission ...no info.

Also I have found the info ...



And also ...







the info source: A Wasted Effort? – The RAAF and the Battle for Tarakan – Part 2 – MHHV

That is very informative Wurger. I guess on June 30 , Catalinas were the only Craft that could use Tarakan. Been thinking of visiting Balikpapan but transport is tricky. When New Capital Nusantara is operational there may be more regular flights. On the GPS maps, Tarakan is mostly accessed by ferry boat.

 

[Wurger]

That is very informative Wurger. I guess on June 30 , Catalinas were the only Craft that could use Tarakan. Been thinking of visiting Balikpapan but transport is tricky. When New Capital Nusantara is operational there may be more regular flights. On the GPS maps, Tarakan is mostly accessed by ferry boat.

According to these images I found via the net I would say the Tarakan airstrip was really heavily damaged. So no wonder it took a lot of time to get it fixed. But even though it was opened on June 28th and it was possible to use heavier planes eg. Beaufighters, there still happened crashes for lighter kites. So I have some doubt the PBY Catalines were able to use the airfield operationally.

the pic source: the net.