 |
Earl Rudolph with FOOLS RUSH IN, A/C
42-31066 EP-H. (Photo courtesy of Earl Rudolph) |
 |
KING BEE II, A/C 231256 EP-S. (Photo
courtesy of Earl Rudolph) |
 |
SPIRIT O' 44, A/C 238044 EP-R.
(Photo courtesy of Earl Rudolph) |
 |
MASON AND DIXON, A/C 231412 EP-G.
(Photo courtesy of Earl Rudolph) |
 |
LUCKY LEE, A/C 231735 EP-B. (Photo
courtesy of Earl Rudolph) |
 |
National Archive photo of HANG THE
EXPENSE III. 237936 EP-M. This A/C had its tail assembly
shredded of most of its surface and the tail gunner's compartment
completely shot away by direct flak hits. The big Fortress was
piloted safely back to England by 2nd Lt. Frank E. Valesh, who made
his fourth emergency landing in less than four weeks. |
 |
National Archives Photo of HANG THE
EXPENSE III. 237936 EP-M. With only ragged pieces of tail
left, this B-17 Fortress was brought back safely to its base in
England. Crews of other planes had seen the Fortress, "Hang
the Expense III", have its tail almost entirely shot off over France
and figured it had crashed inside enemy territory, but it showed up
later at the home port. |
 |
National Archives Photo of HANG THE
EXPENSE III. 237936 EP-M, with AAF Repair Depot Caption. |
 |
LIL DINAH I'LL BE AROUND, 43-38314 LN-S
at Kingman, AZ bone yard. (Photo courtesy of Jack O'Leary) |
 |
CALL HER SAVAGE, A/C 237783 XR-B, with the John
A. Harrison crew. A/C was originally named Dodie.
Harrison crew
information. |
 |
100th BG aircraft lined up in shot
taken after hostilities, in 1945. Photo from Contrails. |
 |
Wars End photo scan from Contrails. |
 |
FEVER BEAVER A/C 238047 EP-O showing
133 mission markings. (Photo courtesy of Ron Batley and the
Thorpe Abbotts Memorial Museum) |
 |
TARGET FOR TONIGHT A/C 48810 XR-L on
hardstand at Thorpe Abbotts. (Photo courtesy of Jack O'Leary
collection) |
 |
Thorpe Abbotts airfield.
Aircraft in foreground is the station "hack" that previously
belonged to the 97th Bomb Group. A station hack was a war weary
aircraft that was used for anything other than combat. (Photo
courtesy of Brooks Buford) |
 |
B-17s in formation in 1944.
(Photo courtesy of Jeffrey Tong) |
 |
B-17 from below. (Photo courtesy
of Jeffrey Tong) |
 |
Contrails. (Photo courtesy of
Jeffrey Tong) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|