Tara copp b24 photographs of wwii 98th bg mission reports. He has access to many designs and will work with you to get the size you want. One of franks best friends was in command of the 918th, colonel keith davenport. The 91st bomb group, known more informally as the ragged irregulars, flew 340 missions between 7november1942 and 25april1945 in 9,591 sorties dropping 22,142 tons of bombs. Ordering information for group sales please email keith ellefson with your order, including your postal address for shipping and your preferred payment method paypal, check, etc. The 11 th bombardment group h was organized and activated at hickam field, territory of hawaii, on february 1, 1940 as part of the 18 th wing of the hawaiian air force. To upload a copy, click on the photo you want, then scroll to the right corner of the photograph where the stacked boxes are and select the size you wish to keep, then right click save as. The 344th was assigned to the 444th bomb group at davismonthan field, az and deactivated on 1 october 1946. We are a wwii reenactment group that uses the academic version of lockheed martin prepare3d or flight simulator x or steam to teach virtual pilots how to fly period aircraft such as the b17, p47, p51, spit, c47 and pby catalina and learn about the history of the 91st and the ragged irregulars of bassingbourn while reenacting their missions. Group commander frank savage of the fictional 918th bomb group.
Clement bird, was equipped with b24h and j models equipped with h2x. An original cadre ship acquired 9 november 43 and assigned to gentrys crew who flew her overseas in december 43. Wwii aac aaf squadron insignia patch page 2 units above 200. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. Frank would be in command of the 914th and the 918th bomb groups, flying out of kingsford and archbury. The 91st bomb group memorial associations bgma purpose is to keep alive the spirit of the 91st bg h and to maintain the fellowship of all those who fought together in wwii from af station 121 in bassingbourn, england from 1942 1945. A merry christmas to all the members of the 91st bomb group assocation.
David fischer i wanna thank you for help keeping my uncles memory alive it means the world to me i hope you had a merry christmas. The crew originally intended to name her lil lassie. The 90th bomb group squadrons all used the same design. Twelve oclock high is a 1949 american war film about aircrews in the united states armys eighth air force, who flew daylight bombing missions against nazi germany and occupied france during the early days of american involvement in world war ii, including a thinly disguised version of the notorious black thursday strike against schweinfurt. Air force 98th bombardment group, heavy usaf veteran locator. Faith in england, the combat crews participated in the. Originally designated the 17th pursuit group in 1929 and redesignated the 17th bombardment group medium in 1939. In november 1940 it was redesignated as a heavy bombardment group, although it would not receive recognisably heavy bombers until the start of 1942. Eaker left took the eighth air force bomber command headquarters to. Air force 19th bombardment group, heavy usaf veteran locator. The 345th was assigned to the 462nd bomb group at mcdill field, florida and inactivated on 31 march 1946. In the film the 918th bomb group is nicknamed the hard luck group for its high battle losses and the bad luck of dogging them. History of the toby jug home of the 918th bomb group. This toby jug is an exact replica from the hit movie twelve oclock high staring gregory peck.
The 458th bomb group h entered combat with the 8th air force in february 1944. I have not seen this mentioned here, but potential visitors should be interested to know that raf thurleigh and the 306th bombardment group were the inspiration for the 918th 3 times 306 bomb group at raf archbury which did not exist in the novel, the movie with gregory. However, after noting that flak repairs had made many patches on her wings and fuselage, the name patches was agreed upon. Get the best deals on usaaf patch in ww ii us collectible patches. Although the work is done by hand, it appears as good as computer embroidered.
The 23rd bombardment squadron patch is as interesting as the 5th bomb group it belonged to. Those b17s that arrived on hawaii before the attack on pearl harbor went to the 5th bombardment group. Click image to zoom 418th bomb squadron 100th bomb group beautifully embroidered 5 inch diameter patch. Westminster produced about 918th bomb group toby jugs and about 100 general savage jugs. His patches are painted on leather, using oilbased paints which are very durable. Help keep this spirit alive by joining the 91st bgma. The 379th bomb group holds the record for the most tonnage dropped of any u. Convinced that it is the same jug the group had used to signal it had been alerted for a mission. The group hq may also have used a medium blue background with white outer circle.
Air force patches jim buchanan jbmilart military art. On 1 october 1921 the 23rd was reactivated into the 23rd bombardment squadron medium in hawaii. Twelve oclock high 50th anniversary 918th bomber group toby. The 814th bomb squadron, under the command of capt. Destroyed on crash landing, 8644 with mahoney crew aboard, salvaged 8744. Group established at sioux falls aafd, sd where the group was trained as a b29 unit. However, after noting that flak repairs had made many patches on her wings and fuselage, the. In 2000, westminster was bought out by a larger company and cancelled all custom casting. Classified as a heavy bombardment group, the 91st operated b17 flying fortress aircraft and was known unofficially as the ragged irregulars or as wrays ragged irregulars, after the commander who took the group to england. Flew the b24 liberator throughout its career in wwii europe. Training on b18, and b23s and finally the then new b25s.
The mighty eighth air force was activated on 28 january 1942 at the chatham armory in savannah, georgia. Pearl harbor had just been bombed about a month and a half earlier. In the film, a large white triangle with a black a inside it is painted on the vertical stabilizers tail fins of the 918th bomb groups b17 airplanes. However, the 343rd, 344th, and 345th squadrons were reassigned to b29 groups and redesignated as very heavy bomb squadrons.
If you intend to pay by check, it must be made out to 384th bomb group, inc. The 91st bomb group heavy was an air combat unit of the united states army air forces. Archbury classics home of the 918th bomb group toby jug. About the 489th bomb groupthe 489th bomb group 489 bg is a geographically separated unit with its. The 460th bomb group, was stationed in spinazzola, italy from january 1944, to june of 45. The tail gunner was injured and his parachute damaged. Feb 5, 2014 group commander frank savage of the fictional 918th bomb group from twelve oclock high was somewhat modelled on the commander of. They were the first a20 havoc group in the eto, flew the first a20 mission ever to bomb germany, the first group in the world to completely convert to the new a26 invader and the first 9th air force bomb group to fly missions in czechoslovakia as well as austria. The 448 bomb group was inactivated on the fourth of august 1946. This bomb group was a highly decorated group, and was involved in the many hard targets during the war. Its about an eighth air force b17 bomb group based in england, but the viewer.
The 345th was assigned to the 462nd bomb group at mcdill field, fl and deactivated on 31 march 1946. The 343d squadron was assigned to the 40th bomb group at march air force base, california. Illustrator published by the 447th bomb group association 1996 hardbound, 334 pages a unique mixture of historical fact and personal recollections and anecdotes contributed by members of the 447th bomb group association. Army air force bomb group operating from the united kingdom 26,459 tons of ordnance. In june 1945, the 379th transferred from raf kimbolton and the base was closed temporarily. Raf kimbolton and the 379th bombardment group heavy. The groups identification code, triangle ha white capital h centered on a black trianglewas painted on the vertical fin above. The 379th holds the record for most missions flown. Pete plumb has been making this jug for over 20 years.
Jan 8, 2016 12 o clock high 918th bomb group patch. Usaaf patch in ww ii us collectible patches for sale ebay. Three days later, though, 42102547 was transferred to the 306th bombardment group, heavy, at r. When the 918th resumes combat flying with greater success after hasty refresher training, the men begin to change their minds, especially after savage leads them on a mission in which the 918th is the only group to bomb the target and have all of the aircraft return safely. The markings on the underside got fancier with the addition of b17 artwork in matching green ink. The 343re squadron was assigned to the 40th bomb group at march afb, ca. The 91st bomb group heavy was an air combat unit of the united states army air forces during the second world war. Siggy custompaints group and squadron patches to order.
The 344th was assigned to the 444th bomb group at davismonthan field, arizona and inactivated on 1 october 1946. The squadron patches of each 482nd bomb group are clearly visible on the web pages. The group was also used to to bombard german defences in the south of france before the allied invasion. Ground crew of the 379th bomb group fight a blaze ignited when the b17 lucky patch made a belly landing at its base in england on may 3, 1945. Vintage aircraft flying fortress bomber, yankee lady, tail. In february 1944, the 91st bomb group h 324th bomb squadron, first crew of little patches and this b17g was transferred to the 401st bomb squadron at the end of april 1944 with part of her first crew and captain thomas h. The asiaticpacific campaign medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the asiaticpacific theater of operations between december 7, 1941, and.
The actual hardluck group was the 306th bomb group at thurleigh, which multiplied by three became the 918th at archbury in the book and movie. See more ideas about aircraft, nose art and world war two. Feb 1, 2017 aircraft and airmen of 8th af 306th bomb group. Preserve the memories of our heroes whose duty was. Each patch symbolizes the use of a form of light while holding a bomb. Dec 31, 2014 the 379th bomb group holds the record for the most tonnage dropped of any u. My 546th patch, which many of you have seen, is siggys work.
Ive been collecting 90th bomb group items for years an have never found a group patch or a squadron patch in leather. The 8th af was primarily engaged in the bombardment of strategic targets in europe. The asiaticpacific campaign medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the asiaticpacific theater of operations between december 7, 1941, and march 2, 1946, under any of the following condi. At mcquality nose art studio the patches of the 8th air force are skillfully hand painted on quality leather using a special paint formulated specifically for leather. This is a 50th anniversary toby mug issued in 1999 by 20th century fox for the film twelve oclock high. In the book and movie, they recall a mission yet the 918th bomb group with general savage goes onto the target. The original prop toby mug played a significant role in the film whenever the bomber group was about to set out on a mission. Twelve oclock high 50th anniversary 918th bomber group.
Visit our 8th air force honor project with rosters of servicemen who served in the groups of the 8th. The 11th bombardment group was activated on hawaii on 1 february 1940 as a medium bomber group. Keith and frank went way back to the days of the dc2 and xb15 program, which seemed so long ago. An advanced detachment was established in england on 23 feb and units began arriving from. Belly landings were one of the common hazards of war that beirne lay, jr. The film starred academy award winners gregory peck and dean jaegger. The 95th bomb group was the only eighth air force group to be awarded three distinguished unit citations. Little patches factoid this photo was taken 10 may 1944. On the sixth of may 1946 the 715 bomb squadron was reassigned to the 509th bomb group and was inactivated in 1965. His aircraft was badly damaged during a raid of ploesti. Kingsley won a postumous medal of honor while flying with the 97th bombardment group.