USAAF ground crew displays

cco23i · Apr 22, 2009

MPicciotto · Apr 23, 2009

Nice setup! One of our affiliate wings has something similar "back east". Always nice to see "the other side" of the aircraft... being maintained and repaired.

Matt

StraightEight · Apr 23, 2009

Great pics and a very nice recreation. We could really use you in Normandy this June as our '44 Ford GPW is painted in 344th BG colors from Stansted.

cco23i · Apr 24, 2009

Thanks, if I could get a big enough airplane to haul all of this we could make Normandy. But I don't have a C-17.

Scott

cco23i · Jun 13, 2009

Hopalong · Jun 13, 2009

Scott,
great pictures and I really enjoyed them and could really relate to them because my Dad was in the 4th Repair Squadron 4th Air Depot Group of the 5th AF in WW II and was a Magneto Specialist and crew chief on P-38's and etc. Thanks Mike

cco23i · Jun 13, 2009

GREAT to hear Mike! Yup, we had some long days but man when our students came back from a mission it was well worth it!
Here is a link to Taigh's site on the mission.

http://www.twinbeech.com/bombercrewfantasycamp.htm

Scott

JennyLou · Jun 13, 2009

Great pics. Looks like a lot of fun. Thanks for posting

cco23i · Jul 19, 2009

Here is a couple more. First is simular to one previously posted and shows us at the range, the second is one of the "bombs" hitting near the target.

Scott

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b12/cco23i/InstructorsbyCyndie.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b12/cco23i/bombhit.jpg

billgaston · Jul 20, 2009

That was a fantastic mission. 43 straight hours without sleep!! Now thats Groundcrew at its best. Long days, short nights, yelling at the Air Crew to get out the way and consuming coffee by I.V.

Oh Yeah!!!

cco23i · Jul 31, 2009

MIDLAND ODESSA HERE WE COME!! Yup, we will be setting up at the Midland Odessa airshow put on by the CAF in October 9, 10 and 11. If anyone want's to stop by just look for canvas and TOOLS, oh, and of course our mouthing off to pilots and such!![huh]

Scott

http://www.confederateairforce.org/

cco23i · Oct 17, 2009

Here's a few shots from the Midland Odessa CAF show. Enjoy!

Scott

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b12/cco23i/usnp402.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b12/cco23i/Billnp40.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b12/cco23i/groupp40.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b12/cco23i/groupwguidon.jpg

billgaston · Oct 26, 2009

More from Midland AIRSHO

A few more shots from the Midland Texas CAF AIRSHO

Stearmen · Dec 7, 2009

Real Deal

Just thought I might share some photos of real ground crew personnel in England! This is my dad and his crew 1944 81st Troop Carrier Squadron 9th Air Force. Showing off there new shearling jackets and skull caps, my dad is the short Sergeant on the right, and with his new Tommy Gun, and his two Corporals. Typical military seance of hummer, both of them were over 6', my dad was around 5'5"! The standard tent in the back ground was always full of oil smoke, and damp! No I do not have the jacket, he wore it out on the farm back in Iowa. Not sure which model it is, to wide of a collar for a D1, any ideas? Funny he was issued a Thompson when there was a shortage on the front lines. A funny story, they were about to move to France when my dad decided to try an English bike, well he locked up the brakes and went over the handle bars. His knee was so bad he could not get out of his cot, his two Corporals and his pilots covered for him and he made the move! I am glad to see some one doing ground crew reenacting, keep up the good work!

Thunderbolt · Dec 9, 2009

I did it for real

I was airfield maintenance in Afghanistan Jan 08 to July 08. I was part of the 455 Air Expiditionary Wing at Bagram Airfield. Temperatures ranged from -20F to 120F! Worked sun-up to sun-down and sometimes all night when it was too hot durring the day for concrete. Don't care to remember all the times we almost bought the farm because we'd find UXOs in our excivation site. "It just wouldn't be without CE!"

Fletch · Dec 9, 2009

Stearmen said:
Typical military seance of hummer

No, that would be when a bunch of soldiers join hands around a table and try to communicate with a large civilian off-road vehicle. lol
Great pix tho...Those jackets might very well be B-3s. A lot of aircrew traded them to groundcrew for D-1s, which were easier to move around in and just as warm with the new electric underwear.

DutchIndo · Dec 9, 2009

I heard alot of those "Tora,Tora,Tora" planes went to Texas. I remember when there were a bunch here at Long Beach. I remember seeing them all lined up when I was a kid. I saw mostly the "Val" dive bombers and "Zeros" but no "Kate" Torpedos. Glad they're still flying. My buddy told me his Bro-in-law used his Dads Navy G-1 to work on his car. He told me he never saw his Dad so pissed. The Jacket was ruined and a piece of history was lost. That's how History disappears.

CliffG · Dec 11, 2009

interesting thread! my step dad actually rebuilds P51 engines, I am absolutely amazed at those Roles and Merlin engines I have seen in his hanger.
Cliff

cco23i · Dec 11, 2009

Thanks all for the kind words. Those jackets are defintly B-3's due to the size of the collar and cut of the jacket. Yup, we are a "different dog" we all got tired of seeing 5 million aircrew and NO mechanics so here we are!!

Scott

Stearmen · Dec 12, 2009

Ground Crew

Thanks, nice to know. I thought they were B3s, I have owned a few, just wasn't sure because he was technically ground crew, he did get to see Paris from the air on one mission! When I was flying air shows in the 80s and 90s, every one in The Living History groups was a pilot. Funny, since I spent a lot of my air show time either under or on top of a plane knee deep in oil and fuel!

USAAF ground crew displays

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