Planes of fame: Warbird Pictures

Planes of fame: Warbird Pictures

The Mighty Eighth Lands at Chino

By Jake Peterson (Repost from the net)

Jake Peterson reports: “2014 Planes of Fame Airshow” presented by the Planes of Fame Air Museum of Chino, CA is just one of the greatest airshow in the world. 

Over the past several years the Planes of Fame Airshow has been recognized as one of the best Warbird Airshows in the country. It’s no surprise as the airshow is based out of Chino Airport, home of the Planes of Fame Air Museum which houses some of the rarest and most interesting aircraft left in the world. Each year the Airshow is centered on a theme and this year it was a salute to the mighty Eighth Air Force.

The Eighth Air Force was based out of several bases throughout England and served to break the manufacturing and supply lines of the German war effort. The overall goal was not only to gain air superiority over European skies but also to clear the way for Operation Overlord. The Eighth began in January of 1942 and lasted until the German surrender of 1945. In 1944 the VIII Bomber command, along with Fighter and Supply command, was designated the Eighth Air Force which remains in service to this day. By 1944 the Eighth Air Force had grown to an estimated 350,000 Americans, over 2,000 four engine bombers and 1,000 fighters. The Eighth’s aircraft roster consisted of B-17 Flying Fortress’s, B-24 Liberators, C-47/C-53 Skytroopers, P-51 Mustangs and P-47 Thunderbolts. It was one of the greatest achievements of manufacturing capabilities of the wartime effort.

Over fifty four warbirds showed up for this year’s event; eleven of those planes were P-51 Mustangs, five P-47 Thunderbolts, three B-25 Mitchell bombers and two B-17 Flying Fortresses. It wouldn’t be a salute to the Eighth Air Force without B-17 bombers and two showed up; surprisingly enough both were G model Flying Fortresses, Sentimental Journey of the Commemorative Air Force Arizona Airbase and Fuddy Duddy of Lyon Air Museum. Each day both planes would take to the sky during the reenactment of the European theater. Along with the bombers were the fighters both friendly and foe. The Planes of Fame Focke Wulf 190 was the enemy of the day as it did its passes for the crowd of spectators. The Focke Wulf had its hands full chasing done the B-17s as the Mustangs, Thunderbolts, a lone Spitfire and even a P-63 KingCobra were trying to get him.

One of the highlights of the show was the gathering of P-47 Thunderbolts. These planes are very rare with less than a dozen flying today and many more in static displays. We were fortunate to have five examples at this year’s airshow, one being a static display as it was part of Yanks Air Museum. The other four performed a missing man salute together and then proceeded with individual passes over the field.  The only two P-47 Razorbacks were part of the demonstration, the museums P-47G model 42-25254 and the privately owned P-47G Snafu in the colors of the 84th Fighter Squadron P-47D 42-74742. The other two are privately owned bubble canopy models, one is a P-47D Hun Hunter XVI owned by Neal Melton and the other is a P-47D model owned by Alan Wojcaik. The planes flew overhead showing off their invasion stripes as if they were going into combat.



Despite only being a two day airshow it truly was nonstop action as planes from all different eras and fields were flying overhead. Corsairs, TBM Avengers, an SBD and even a Zero were some of the aircraft part of the Pacific Theater recreation. While the F-86 Sabre, Mig15, Mustangs, a Skyraider and a Yak-3 were flown during the Korean demonstration. It was nonstop action in the media pit as our cameras were swinging left to right with every plane as it went by.





Among the performers was the Bremont Horsemen Aerobatic Team which is a sight to see in its own. Three Mustangs take to the sky in a formation routine that is like no other. They flew so close together through their loops that it’s almost unbelievable. Then later on they switch over to their F-86’s for a three ship formation with the Korean era fighter, doing the same routine with a great risk factor. It is truly a testament to their skill what these pilots can do.

F22 Raptor in formation with the grand ol' ladies

One of the familiar faces to return to the airshow scene this year is the F-22 Raptor. After the sequester it was unknown when and how often military displays would be seen, but now it appears that they are back in full swing with appearances all over the country and for that one weekend, two F-22’s were at Chino. Both days had a great display of what that plane is capable of and to finish off each display the F-22 joined up with a P-38 Lightning, P-51 Mustang and a P-47 Thunderbolt for one of the best heritage flights I have ever seen.



Over seventy years ago a bunch of our leaders, some army brass and some English men got together and came up with a plan to end the war in Europe. They selected companies to build planes, areas where bases could be built and men that could fight. These ideas made the Eighth Air Force and it is those men and the hundreds of thousands of others that did fight that we celebrate today.



More pictures from Jake Peterson. Click HERE to visit Jake Peterson’s website.
Photographs all copyright Jake Peterson, just a fan repost. No infringement intended

WW2 B17Survival story

WWII B-17 Survival Story

A great story forwarded to me by Werner Naef:

B-17 "All American" (414th Squadron, 97BG) Crew

Pilot- Ken Bragg Jr.

Copilot- G. Boyd Jr.

Navigator- Harry C. Nuessle

Bombardier- Ralph Burbridge

Engineer- Joe C. James

Radio Operator- Paul A. Galloway

Ball Turret Gunner- Elton Conda

Waist Gunner- Michael Zuk

Tail Gunner- Sam T. Sarpolus

Ground Crew Chief- Hank Hyland

A mid-air collision on February 1, 1943, between a B-17 and a German fighter over the Tunis dock area, became the subject of one of the most famous photographs of World War II. An enemy fighter attacking a 97th Bomb Group formation went out of control, probably with a wounded pilot then continued its crashing descent into the rear of the fuselage of a Fortress named All American, piloted by Lt. Kendrick R. Bragg, of the 414th Bomb Squadron. When it struck, the fighter broke apart, but left some pieces in the B-17. The left horizontal stabilizer of the Fortress and left elevator were completely torn away. The two right engines were out and one on the left had a serious oil pump leak. The vertical fin and the rudder had been damaged, the fuselage had been cut almost completely through connected only at two small parts of the frame and the radios, electrical and oxygen systems were damaged. There was also a hole in the top that was over 16 feet long and 4 feet wide at its widest and the split in the fuselage went all the way to the top gunners turret.

Although the tail actually bounced and swayed in the wind and twisted when the plane turned and all the control cables were severed, except one single elevator cable still worked, and the aircraft still flew - miraculously! The tail gunner was trapped because there was no floor connecting the tail to the rest of the plane. The waist and tail gunners used parts of the German fighter and their own parachute harnesses in an attempt to keep the tail from ripping off and the two sides of the fuselage from splitting apart. While the crew was trying to keep the bomber from coming apart, the pilot continued on his bomb run and released his bombs over the target.

When the bomb bay doors were opened, the wind turbulence was so great that it blew one of the waist gunners into the broken tail section. It took several minutes and four crew members to pass him ropes from parachutes and haul him back into the forward part of the plane. When they tried to do the same for the tail gunner, the tail began flapping so hard that it began to break off. The weight of the gunner was adding some stability to the tail section, so he went back to his position.

 The turn back toward England had to be very slow to keep the tail from twisting off. They actually covered almost 70 miles to make the turn home. The bomber was so badly damaged that it was losing altitude and speed and was soon alone in the sky. For a brief time, two more Me-109 German fighters attacked the All American. Despite the extensive damage, all of the machine gunners were able to respond to these attacks and soon drove off the fighters. The two waist gunners stood up with their heads sticking out through the hole in the top of the fuselage to aim and fire their machine guns. The tail gunner had to shoot in short bursts because the recoil was actually causing the plane to turn.

Allied P-51 fighters intercepted the All American as it crossed over the Channel and took one of the pictures shown. They also radioed to the base describing that the empennage was waving like a fish tail and that the plane would not make it and to send out boats to rescue the crew when they bailed out. The fighters stayed with the Fortress taking hand signals from Lt. Bragg and relaying them to the base. Lt. Bragg signaled that 5 parachutes and the spare had been "used" so five of the crew could not bail out. He made the decision that if they could not bail out safely, then he would stay with the plane and land it.

Two and a half hours after being hit, the aircraft made its final turn to line up with the runway while it was still over 40 miles away. It descended into an emergency landing and a normal roll-out on its landing gear.

When the ambulance pulled alongside, it was waved off because not a single member of the crew had been injured. No one could believe that the aircraft could still fly in such a condition. The Fortress sat placidly until the crew all exited through the door in the fuselage and the tail gunner had climbed down a ladder, at which time the entire rear section of the aircraft collapsed onto the ground. 

The rugged old bird had done its job. 

Research and historical fact show some inaccuracies in the story as above:

This story is also well known. They think the German fighter
pilot was already dead, killed by a B-17 gunner, when he
crashed into the B-17.

The 97th Bomb Group was based in North Africa at that time, not England. 

Their base was in Algeria.

Still a great feat of airman ship to get her home.

 The photograph was most likely taken from another B-17,not a escorting P-51 fighter. 

P-51’s did not start flying escort until 1944.

Still a great story.

Their base:

Chateau-dun-du-Rhumel Airfield Field, Part of Twelfth Air Force 97th BG

Type Military Airfield Coordinates 36°08′39″N 006°07′53″E Built 1942 In use 1942–1943 Controlled by United States Army Air Forces 

Chateau-dun-du-Rhumel Airfield is located in Algeria, now an abandoned military airfield in Algeria, located about 6 km north-northwest of Chelghoum el Aid, in Mila province, about 47 km southwest of Constantine.

During World War II it was used by the United States Army Air Force Twelfth Air Force during the North African Campaign against the German Afrika Korps. The airfield was built by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, and its primary use was that of a heavy bomber airfield, with concrete runways, hardstands and taxiways. Billeting and support facilities consisted of tents. The 2nd Bomb Group and the 97th Bomb Group were the primary tenants at the airfield, both flying B-17 Flying Fortresses missions over targets in Italy; Tunisia; Sicily and Sardinia. The 1st Fighter Group flew escort for the Fortresses, as well as attacking enemy ground targets of opportunity.

Known units assigned to the airfield were: HQ 5th Bombardment Wing, March– August 1943 HQ 7th Fighter Wing (later 47th Bombardment Wing), 11 January – 1 March 1943 2d Bombardment Group, 27 April- – 7 June 1943, B-17 Flying Fortress 97th Bombardment Group, 8 February – 1 August 1943, B-17 Flying Fortress 1st Fighter Group, February – 29 June 1943, P-38 Lightning

When the Americans moved out in late 1943, the airfield was dismantled and abandoned. Today, there is almost no evidence of its existence, as the land has returned to agricultural use. Faint outlines of dispersal pads, runways and taxiways can be seen in aerial photography, and there may be a number of agricultural buildings on a former concreted aircraft parking/maintenance area to the south of the field.